I'm a lawyer - not a criminal law lawyer, though. Why do people assume I know about traffic tickets or DUIs?

by **rickie** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:10 pm

Like family members and stuff, or certain people I meet.

My ENTIRE practice is focused on a VERY NARROW class of Jones Act admiralty and cabotage claims. That is ALL I DO.

Aside from some vague crimlaw and criminal procedure stuff I had to learn for the bar exam, I know NOTHING of criminal law. I don't even practice in the local courts. My work is done out of federal courts. I took one crimlaw course in law school, and that mostly dealt with constitutional matters.

If you hired me to bounce your DUII, you'd be screwed. I have no idea how to do that. I'd literally have to go on the internet and look up the basics.

Why do people assume that lawyer = criminal law expert? Why would that assumption even enter their minds? Do they assume that dentist = foot doctor? Do they assume that Spanish teacher = German teacher?

As a political matter, why are Americans so uneducated about this? Is it a failure of the schools?

by **anglesey34** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:14 pm

Well if it makes you feel any better, I'm a civil engineer, and most people I meet don't even know what that is.

by **rushford79** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:27 pm

As an educated lawyer why are you posting a question on yahoo answers and expecting a straight answer. Every profession has these issues. If I say " I'm a doctor" someone might say " What's this lump on my chest". I don't then log into yahoo and cry about it since I am a proctologist.

by **larenzo** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:37 pm

Basically, criminal lawyers are the only ones most people ever hear about. That would be my guess.

Does it really bother you that much? Do you have so many people approach you about criminal matters that it's annoying? Just curious.

by **lamarr3** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:46 pm

I'm a carpenter, but I do some electrical and plumbing as well.
I don't think it's all that uncommon to be a bit diversified in related fields.

by **gofraidh34** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:52 pm

They assume you still went to Law School (didn't you? or do you practice in a State that allows you to take the bar exam without a degree?)

by **trucker** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 3:53 pm

Lawyer-LAWyer-Law.
That's all I can think of!
And yeah, I typically only dislike criminal lawyers too... like my neighbor *shudders*....

by **panteno** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 4:04 pm

The same reason they think a gynecologist should be able to fix the infection in their ear. They just don't understand what a specialty is.

by **stein74** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 4:06 pm

The same reason they think a gynecologist should be able to fix the infection in their ear. They just don't understand what a specialty is.

I bet you could refer them to someone else.

by **curney13** » Fri Apr 01, 2011 4:08 pm

You are reminding me that Dick Cheney was our greatest Vice President ever. He shot a lawyer.

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