--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Lawyers as a group are no more dedicated…" description: "\"Lawyers as a group are no more dedicated to justice or public service than a private public utility is dedicated to giving light.\" — David Melinkoff" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/428/david-melinkoff-231399_giving-light_lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated_693742.jpg" --- # Lawyers as a group are no more dedicated to justice or… ![“Lawyers as a group are no more dedicated to justice or public service than a private public utility is dedicated to giving light.” quote by David Melinkoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/428/david-melinkoff-231399_giving-light_lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated_693742.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/428/david-melinkoff-231399_giving-light_lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated_693742.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/428/david-melinkoff-231399_giving-light_lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated_693742.jpg) > “Lawyers as a group are no more dedicated to justice or public service than a private public utility is dedicated to giving light.” David Melinkoff ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Lawyers, like private utilities, may lack genuine dedication to justice or public service. **In simple terms:** Lawyers may not prioritize justice. Key Takeaway Critically assess professional motives. Themes Justice Law Public service Skepticism Mood critical analytical Type quote observation When to use this quote - legal reform - civic engagement Key Concepts Ethics Institutional critique Questions to Reflect On - Do all lawyers lack dedication? - How can accountability be improved? A Different Perspective Overgeneralization of profession. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Giving light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-light/) [Justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/justice/) [Law and lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-and-lawyers/) [Public service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/public-service/) ## Related quotes > [“Happiness is a private good, justice a public good.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-klein/happiness-is-a-private-good-justice-a-public-good/) [Stefan Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-klein/) > [The Capone gang was actually a public utility; it supplied what the people wanted and demanded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saul-alinsky/the-capone-gang-was-actually-a-public-utility-it-supplied-what-the/) [Saul Alinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saul-alinsky/) > [What was a profitable business in one era can become a public utility and a recognized public good in the next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-yang/what-was-a-profitable-business-in-one-era-can-become-a-public-utility/) [Andrew Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-yang/) > [We need to make power a public utility to end man-made energy disasters and ensure that no family ever has to choose between keeping…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/we-need-to-make-power-a-public-utility-to-end-man-made-energy/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [“100 Years Is Enough: Time to Make the Fed a Public Utility”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ziad-k-abdelnour/100-years-is-enough-time-to-make-the-fed-a-public-utility/) [Ziad K. Abdelnour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ziad-k-abdelnour/) > [Everybody wants to be your sun,the brightest thing in you life, but I will be your moon, giving light when the sun has faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-wants-to-be-your-sun-the-brightest-thing-in-you-life-but-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“In a land of fear... incorruptibility is like a lamp set upon a stand, giving light to all in the house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-paton/in-a-land-of-fear-incorruptibility-is-like-a-lamp-set-upon-a-stand/) [Alan Paton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-paton/) > [Ring the bells that still can ring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/ring-the-bells-that-still-can-ring/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“A learned man said: The learned men are the lights of the ages. Each is a light in his own time giving light to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imam-al-ghazali/a-learned-man-said-the-learned-men-are-the-lights-of-the-ages-each-is/) [Imam Al-Ghazali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imam-al-ghazali/) > [The meditation I am talking about is not a meditation on something. If you light a lamp and remove all the objects surrounding it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-meditation-i-am-talking-about-is-not-a-meditation-on-something-if/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [A lighthouse is not interested in who gets its light! It just gives it without thinking! Giving light is its nature!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-lighthouse-is-not-interested-in-who-gets-its-light-it-just-gives-it/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mcauley/we-should-be-shining-lamps-giving-light-to-all-around-us/) [Catherine McAuley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mcauley/) > [Moon, worn thin to the width of a quill,/ In the dawn clouds flying,/ How good to go, light into light, and still/ Giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-teasdale/moon-worn-thin-to-the-width-of-a-quill-in-the-dawn-clouds-flying-how/) [Sara Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-teasdale/) > [The lamp is ONLY crowded of butterflies, insects till there is OIL in it & burn BUT, all the crowd including the Shadow leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishchal-ningleku/the-lamp-is-only-crowded-of-butterflies-insects-till-there-is-oil-in/) [Nishchal Ningleku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishchal-ningleku/) > [“The way of fortune, is like the Milken Way in the sky; which is a meeting or knot of a number of small stars;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-way-of-fortune-is-like-the-milken-way-in-the-sky-which-is-a/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Giving light quotes > [“The way of fortune, is like the Milken Way in the sky; which is a meeting or knot of a number of small stars;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-way-of-fortune-is-like-the-milken-way-in-the-sky-which-is-a/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [“In a land of fear... incorruptibility is like a lamp set upon a stand, giving light to all in the house.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-paton/in-a-land-of-fear-incorruptibility-is-like-a-lamp-set-upon-a-stand/) [Alan Paton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-paton/) > [Ring the bells that still can ring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-cohen/ring-the-bells-that-still-can-ring/) [Leonard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-cohen/) > [“A learned man said: The learned men are the lights of the ages. Each is a light in his own time giving light to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imam-al-ghazali/a-learned-man-said-the-learned-men-are-the-lights-of-the-ages-each-is/) [Imam Al-Ghazali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imam-al-ghazali/) > [Moon, worn thin to the width of a quill,/ In the dawn clouds flying,/ How good to go, light into light, and still/ Giving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-teasdale/moon-worn-thin-to-the-width-of-a-quill-in-the-dawn-clouds-flying-how/) [Sara Teasdale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-teasdale/) > [Everybody wants to be your sun,the brightest thing in you life, but I will be your moon, giving light when the sun has faded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everybody-wants-to-be-your-sun-the-brightest-thing-in-you-life-but-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The lamp is ONLY crowded of butterflies, insects till there is OIL in it & burn BUT, all the crowd including the Shadow leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishchal-ningleku/the-lamp-is-only-crowded-of-butterflies-insects-till-there-is-oil-in/) [Nishchal Ningleku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishchal-ningleku/) > [We should be shining lamps, giving light to all around us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-mcauley/we-should-be-shining-lamps-giving-light-to-all-around-us/) [Catherine McAuley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-mcauley/) > [A lighthouse is not interested in who gets its light! It just gives it without thinking! Giving light is its nature!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/a-lighthouse-is-not-interested-in-who-gets-its-light-it-just-gives-it/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [The meditation I am talking about is not a meditation on something. If you light a lamp and remove all the objects surrounding it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rajneesh/the-meditation-i-am-talking-about-is-not-a-meditation-on-something-if/) [Rajneesh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rajneesh/) > [Correcting oneself is correcting the whole world. The Sun is simply bright. It does not correct anyone. Because it shines, the whole world is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ramana-maharshi/correcting-oneself-is-correcting-the-whole-world-the-sun-is-simply/) [Ramana Maharshi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ramana-maharshi/) > [As far as i am concerned, i am in the knowledge that death can never extinguish the torch which i have lit in Ghana…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kwame-nkrumah/as-far-as-i-am-concerned-i-am-in-the-knowledge-that-death-can-never/) [Kwame Nkrumah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kwame-nkrumah/) > [It often happens that those who spend their time giving light to others, remain in darkness themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/it-often-happens-that-those-who-spend-their-time-giving-light-to/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [You go to pray; to become a bonfire, a living flame, giving light and heat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josemaria-escriva/you-go-to-pray-to-become-a-bonfire-a-living-flame-giving-light-and/) [Josemaria Escriva](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josemaria-escriva/) > [“Last night as I was sleeping, I dreamt—marvelous error!— that a spring was breaking out in my heart. I said: Along which secret aqueduct,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonio-machado/last-night-as-i-was-sleeping-i-dreamt-marvelous-error-that-a-spring/) [Antonio Machado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antonio-machado/) [Browse all 33 Giving light quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving-light/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Lawyers as a group are no more dedicated to justice or public service than a private public utility is dedicated to giving light.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "David Melinkoff" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-melinkoff/lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated-to-justice-or-public-service/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Giving light" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-melinkoff/lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated-to-justice-or-public-service/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/428/david-melinkoff-231399_giving-light_lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated_693742.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/428/david-melinkoff-231399_giving-light_lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated_693742.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/428/david-melinkoff-231399_giving-light_lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated_693742.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Lawyers as a group are no more dedicated to justice or public service than a private public utility is…” — David Melinkoff", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "David Melinkoff", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-melinkoff/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Lawyers as a group are no...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-melinkoff/lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated-to-justice-or-public-service/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-melinkoff/lawyers-as-a-group-are-no-more-dedicated-to-justice-or-public-service/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```