Why do lawyers have such a bad reputation?

Edit #2: Another major issue is that attorneys have a reputation for "twisting the truth" or "interpreting laws to suit their needs" - and this is an earned reputation, but it's part and parcel of the job of being an effective advocate for your client. read more

This is why the lawyers have a bad reputation: the lawyer will not let us forget - the society, the Judiciary, the prosecution, even the victim or plaintiff - the lawyer will not let us forget that we may not break the law. Not even against the guilty. read more

On the flip side, corporate lawyers happily defame tort lawyers (such as the Hot Coffee case, which was arguably misrepresented) and vice versa. In my experience, lawyers as a whole tend to be disrespected, but they are generally respected more on an individual level. read more