Princes of Darkness and Angels of Light: The Soul of the American Lawyer

The increasing belief among many lawyers that life is comprised of "fear and greed and money" has altered the legal profession and helped make lawyers into one of the most feared and powerful groups in American society - and one of the most scorned. In the midst of the widespread contempt American society is showing lawyers, this article seeks to explain the special role the legal profession serves in our complex democracy. At the same time it condemns attitudes such as those reflected in Fritts' statement. The belief that life is driven by fear, greed, and money has created a process that is resulting in the extreme commercialization of the legal profession to such an extent that the profession is being "deprofessionalized." This process has been unfolding for almost half a century, but has accelerated in the past decade.