I Am In Favor Of Justice
Last night I attended the final membership meeting of the Maryland Trial Lawyers Association. Following the lead of our national association, the membership voted to change our name to the Maryland Association for Justice.
The rationale for this decision is that our organization is better served with a name that describes our mission and what we do. And that is advocate for justice for our clients.
There is also an element of branding in this decision. Apparently nobody likes trial lawyers, but everyone is in favor of justice. I guess there's a reason the Patriot Act wasn't named the Civil Rights Deprivation Act of 2001.
I am and always have been proud to be called a trial lawyer. I think convincing the six people in the box is more than enough of a check on so-called "frivolous lawsuits". Anyone who disagrees should try it sometime- its harder than you think it is.
But on balance, I think anything that makes the public more receptive to our message is a good thing for us, for our clients, and for the civil justice system.
