School: A sterling example of the profession

Criminal defense attorneys, especially public defenders, often get dealt some pretty lousy hands. Unlike other areas of law (M&A, IP, etc.) the clients may not be very sophisticated and they may even be horrible people. But you must defend them nonetheless. It's no secret that the criminal justice system here in the U.S. is close to the breaking point, so it can be difficult to fight for the best outcome for your client. A post on THR yields this helpful explanation from such an attorney (quote is left unedited):

It's an adversial system, I'm in a fight everyday with the other side that wants to use violence against my people and I want to win. It's what I do, it's what the Supreme Courts of my state and the U.S. expect me to do, get in a fight. This isn't Japan where everyone dog piles the defendant until he confesses. If you were accused of a crime, would you want someone fighting for you or telling you how right the police are?

The people I fight for may not be very educated, or have a lick of common sense, shower daily, live like you or me, have flashy jobs, or practice solid dental hygenie, and you wouldn't want to have them over for dinner. However, fighting for them is what I am sworn to do.

Lot of times the fight is lopsided (really, really lopsided) and I have no chance. I still go out when the bell rings and I smile when they knock my teeth down my throat and spit the teeth back at them. I fight for them as fighting for them is fighting for the Bill of Rights and battling against the Leviathan. I will fight for my guys without apology until they carry me out horizontal, briefcase and cell phone in hand, and in my death throes I will bolt up and cry out, "objection!"