Lawyers: 2 questions

[LostintheOzone]

Nothing wrong with being a prosecutor. Best thing about it, at least in LA is you get in do your 20 years and you've got a pretty good pension for the rest of your life-then you can quit and go be a plumber to make the big bucks.
I'm not the right person to discuss legal careers with as at this time I am quite burnt out. It's been a good ride, but if I were to do it over again, I'd a dropped out of high school, gotten addicted to drugs and spent my life sitting on the porch cutting the occasional lawn, stealing the odd scrap metal and living off my baby momma's government check. Seems to work for a vast majority of my clients...................

I'm living off of a gov't pension. 30 and out. The nice part about it is the payoff at the end of the ride. Think about it like buying bonds at half price with a guaranteed payoff. The way it worked out I'll be getting way more back than I ever put in. The pension fund soon realized that and wanted to cash me out about 10 years ago. Too late, I had them by the short hairs after 20. The market cut them hard and deep, never touched me.

I once asked a plumber how much he made an hour. His response, "more than you do". I know what the journeyman's rate is and he was right.

Public unions are about to take a hit in the SC so that may affect pensions big time.

My wifes BIL is an attorney with 5 offices. He makes his millions managing a law firm, not practicing law.

No attorneys jokes today. I don't have the heart.

 

[BigCityChief]

A little civics lesson here.
Prosecutors are part of the executive branch and as such their duty is to determine who gets charges with what. It is an awesome, terrifying power to have and MUST be wielded responsibly so that justice is done. You can let it go to your head ans literally ruin people's lives in the interest of "justice" and because the law allows you to, or you can be a human being. I've dealt with both types. Classic example-19 year old having sex with his 16 year old girlfriend who is one month shy from 17. Parents of the girl didn't care until she turns up pregnant and now they want blood. Doesn't help matters that the kid is black and the girl is white Law says you can charge him as a felon and make him register as a sex offender for the rest of his life plus throw him in jail for up to 10 years. Or you can charge him with misdemeanor carnal knowledge which isn't a sex reporting crime. Or you can look the girls parents in the eye and decline to prosecute cause under the facts of the case it's the right thing to do.
Pretty steep decision making to thrust upon a newbie lawyer............
Remember as prosecutor you are dealing not with money and who gets the car but with people's lives-both the defendant as well as the victims. That's not something to take lightly!!! One of my jobs as a defense lawyer is to make sure the prosecutor gets this. The criminal justice system is about people's lives-on both sides-never forget that!

I can't let this post go with merely "liking" it or "thanking" you for it. You are so right! We have criminalized so many things that shouldn't be and we are so often far too smug and judgmental from the security of our armchairs that we lose sight of our humanity and that of others. As a New York City Police Officer for 30 years, I worked very hard to treat people the way I wanted to be treated and had the good fortune to work with some fine DA's and ADA's who "got it."
Good defense attorneys are essential to the security of our personal freedoms and I salute all those who take on such an enormous obligation.

Thanks for your post.