Under Advisement

People don't want legal advice, they want peace of mind.

One of the images from The Time Traveler's Wife is that of Henry always running, literally and figuratively.

[Spoilers ahead]



When he loses his feet to frostbite, that's the beginning of the end. Still he travels, though it is but a matter of time before it's all over. His physical inability to run mirrors his inability to escape his destiny.



[Spoilers behind]

After my heavyweight bout with the flu, where it went Mike Tyson, bit my throat, then collapsed in the fifth round, I've resumed the running. However, I can't run from the law. Today I got a completely random phone call from someone asking for legal advice. It was probably a good thing, because the call demonstrated that I still understand Mandarin Chinese, and I still remember enough of the law to fake an answer.

I've had to answer enough of these random calls/emails/questions/prayers to know that, ultimately, what people want is not the legal advice. They want peace of mind. They want a shield. They want for the law to not stave in their heads with obscure mumbo-jumbo.

I'm a little torn about the entire process. There are those people that will find me when they suspect I've value to them, then forget me until the next time I've value to them. Of course, I think I can save the world, even though I no longer have the inner drive/desire to do so. So, I'll keep helping. But, really, what's the point? More and more, I'm just offering security. Especially talking to someone, I'll tell them a) to calm (the fuck) down and b) that everything will be OK.

It still bothers me that our legal system no longer protects the innocent, just the person with the best stand-in. Our trial by jury may as well have remained a trial by ordeal. Everyone in that courtroom suffers. Was there a point where it all went wrong? Money? Fame? Power? I recall an episode of Justice League (yes, the cartoon) where they mentioned that the lawyers shared the punishment given to their client. This helped solve the problems of their legal system. If you follow the rules as a lawyer, you're never in trouble. The client shoulders the burden. Big business could give a crap, but what about the normal person?