The lawyers have escaped most criticism [and undeservedly…
![“The lawyers have escaped most criticism [and undeservedly so]. The tax shelters [were approved by lawyers, who got paid huge commissions to do so] and every miscreant had a high-falutin' lawyer at his side. Why don't more law firms vote with their feet and not take clients who have signs on them…” quote by Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/q/i/18b/charlie-munger-458_approved_the-lawyers-have-escaped-most-criticism_2142390.jpg)
“The lawyers have escaped most criticism [and undeservedly so]. The tax shelters [were approved by lawyers, who got paid huge commissions to do so] and every miscreant had a high-falutin' lawyer at his side. Why don't more law firms vote with their feet and not take clients who have signs on them that say, "I'm a skunk and will be hard to handle?" I've noticed that firms that avoid trouble over long periods of time have an institutional process that tunes bad clients out. Boy, if I were running a law firm, I'd want a system like that because a lot of firms have a lot of bad clients.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Law firms should avoid representing clearly harmful clients, using institutional filters to protect reputation.
In simple terms: Law firms need to reject bad clients.
Key Takeaway
Implement client screening processes.
Themes
ethics
law
business
reputation
Mood
critical
thought‑provoking
Type
ethical
business
When to use this quote
- law firm management
- risk assessment
- client intake
Key Concepts
client vetting
institutional safeguards
professional responsibility
Questions to Reflect On
- What criteria would you use to reject a client?
- How can firms balance profit and ethics?
A Different Perspective
May limit revenue from high‑paying but risky clients.