--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I do not say that all lawyers are bad…" description: "\"I do not say that all lawyers are bad, but I do maintain that the general tendency is bad: standing up in a court for whichever side has paid you, affe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/patrick-o-brian-2283_cases_i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-bu_2290042.jpg" --- # I do not say that all lawyers are bad, but I do maintain… ![“I do not say that all lawyers are bad, but I do maintain that the general tendency is bad: standing up in a court for whichever side has paid you, affecting warmth and conviction, and doing everything you can to win the case, whatever your private opinion may be, will soon dull any fine sense of…” quote by Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/patrick-o-brian-2283_cases_i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-bu_2290042.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/patrick-o-brian-2283_cases_i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-bu_2290042.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/patrick-o-brian-2283_cases_i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-bu_2290042.jpg) > “I do not say that all lawyers are bad, but I do maintain that the general tendency is bad: standing up in a court for whichever side has paid you, affecting warmth and conviction, and doing everything you can to win the case, whatever your private opinion may be, will soon dull any fine sense of honour. The mercenary soldier is not a valued creature, but at least he risks his life, whereas these men merely risk their next fee.” [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Legal advocacy can erode personal integrity when lawyers prioritize client money over moral principles, leading to a loss of honor. **In simple terms:** Lawyers may lose honor when chasing fees. Key Takeaway Guard personal ethics over profit. Themes ethics law honor integrity Mood critical reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - courtroom defense - client representation - fee negotiations - legal advice Key Concepts professionalism moral compromise conflict of interest Questions to Reflect On - How do you balance client loyalty with personal values? - Can fee structures be reformed to protect honor? A Different Perspective May overlook systemic pressures that limit lawyer autonomy. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conviction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conviction/) [Court](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/court/) [Faith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faith/) [Honour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honour/) [Lawyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyer/) [Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyers/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Mercenary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mercenary/) [Opinion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opinion/) [Risk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/risk/) [Soldier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soldier/) [Warmth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/warmth/) [Winning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/winning/) ## Related quotes > [There are no rules that say lawyers cannot write or speak from their heart. Passion has never been formally outlawed, although it is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-spence/there-are-no-rules-that-say-lawyers-cannot-write-or-speak-from-their/) [Gerry Spence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-spence/) > [“Some people say lawyers are sons of bitches. I won’t argue with that. But when it comes time to negotiate, it’s great to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manel-loureiro/some-people-say-lawyers-are-sons-of-bitches-i-won-t-argue-with-that/) Manel Loureiro > [Civil liberties, good. Lawyers, bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-belzer/civil-liberties-good-lawyers-bad/) [Richard Belzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-belzer/) > [It's when the lawyers themselves become bad guys that you begin to have a serious problem.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sydney-pollack/it-s-when-the-lawyers-themselves-become-bad-guys-that-you-begin-to/) [Sydney Pollack](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sydney-pollack/) > [“Reenie never went in much for God. There was mutual respect, and if you were in trouble naturally you’d call on him, as with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/reenie-never-went-in-much-for-god-there-was-mutual-respect-and-if-you/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Your lawyer is your true mercenary. Under his code honor consists in making the best possible fight in exchange for the biggest possible fee.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-graham-phillips/your-lawyer-is-your-true-mercenary-under-his-code-honor-consists-in/) [David Graham Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-graham-phillips/) > [“The third mercenary—standing between Yrene and the mist—drew his short sword. Yrene didn’t have time to cry out in surprise or warning as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-j-maas/the-third-mercenary-standing-between-yrene-and-the-mist-drew-his/) [Sarah J. Maas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-j-maas/) > [“What was it with evildoers trying to hire my boyfriend as a mercenary?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/becca-fitzpatrick/what-was-it-with-evildoers-trying-to-hire-my-boyfriend-as-a-mercenary/) [Becca Fitzpatrick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/becca-fitzpatrick/) > [New York is the city of privilege. Here is the seat of the Invisible Power represented by the allied forces of finance and industry.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/new-york-is-the-city-of-privilege-here-is-the-seat-of-the-invisible/) [William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/) > [When the public loses faith in democracy's ability to solve the problems it has created for itself, the game's almost over. And I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-moyers/when-the-public-loses-faith-in-democracy-s-ability-to-solve-the/) [Bill Moyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-moyers/) > [“The writer is an infantryman. He knows that progress is measured in yards of dirt extracted from the enemy one day, one hour, one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-pressfield/the-writer-is-an-infantryman-he-knows-that-progress-is-measured-in/) [Steven Pressfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-pressfield/) > [I'm a mercenary. That's what people hire me for, and I don't apologize for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-avenatti/i-m-a-mercenary-that-s-what-people-hire-me-for-and-i-don-t-apologize/) [Michael Avenatti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-avenatti/) > [A cynical, mercenary, demagogic press will produce in time a people as base as itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-pulitzer/a-cynical-mercenary-demagogic-press-will-produce-in-time-a-people-as/) [Joseph Pulitzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-pulitzer/) > [That devilish Iron Horse, whose ear-rending neigh is heard throughout the town, has muddied the Boiling Spring with his foot, and he it is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/that-devilish-iron-horse-whose-ear-rending-neigh-is-heard-throughout/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Here you can shoot the bad guys,' a mercenary says in Baghdad. 'In America we give them corporate bonuses.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-robotham/here-you-can-shoot-the-bad-guys-a-mercenary-says-in-baghdad-in/) [Michael Robotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-robotham/) ## More by Patrick O'Brian > [“Christ's blood in heaven, you ignorant, incompetent whey-faced nestlecock, do you think I am a hired spy, an informer? That I have a master,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/christ-s-blood-in-heaven-you-ignorant-incompetent-whey-faced/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“To tell the truth, sir, I believe I had rather sit in the shelter for a while. The cabbage seems to have turned my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/to-tell-the-truth-sir-i-believe-i-had-rather-sit-in-the-shelter-for-a/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Never mind the disappointment. Salt water will wash it away. You will be amazed how unimportant it will seem in a week’s time –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/never-mind-the-disappointment-salt-water-will-wash-it-away-you-will/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“The weather had freshened almost to coldness, for the wind was coming more easterly, from the chilly currents between Tristan and the Cape; the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/the-weather-had-freshened-almost-to-coldness-for-the-wind-was-coming/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Of course I do know it is the French who are so wicked; but there are all these people who keep coming and going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/of-course-i-do-know-it-is-the-french-who-are-so-wicked-but-there-are/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [My wife and I have spent most of our lives in France, and we are both pretty well bilingual, my wife more purely than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/my-wife-and-i-have-spent-most-of-our-lives-in-france-and-we-are-both/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“This short watch that is about to come, or rather these two short watches--why are they called dog watches? Where, heu, heu, is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/this-short-watch-that-is-about-to-come-or-rather-these-two-short/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [The function of the novel is the exploration of the human condition. Really, that's what it's all about.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/the-function-of-the-novel-is-the-exploration-of-the-human-condition/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [It is a great while since I felt the grind of bone under my saw,' he added, smiling with anticipation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-is-a-great-while-since-i-felt-the-grind-of-bone-under-my-saw-he/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [Other people's marriages are a perpetual source of amazement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/other-people-s-marriages-are-a-perpetual-source-of-amazement/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“But I will tell you another misery that is not to be denied. In the common, natural course of events physicians, surgeons and apothecaries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/but-i-will-tell-you-another-misery-that-is-not-to-be-denied-in-the/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Yet,'said Maturin, pursuing his own thought, 'there is a quality in dogs, I must confess, rarely to be seen elsewhere and that is affection:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/yet-said-maturin-pursuing-his-own-thought-there-is-a-quality-in-dogs/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“Physically he was tired and his body relaxed throughout its entire length; his mind was in much the same state, floating free, detached, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/physically-he-was-tired-and-his-body-relaxed-throughout-its-entire/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“It was quite unlike their friendly discourse of some days before, and presently Stephen grew sadly bored: lies or half-lies, he reflected, had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-was-quite-unlike-their-friendly-discourse-of-some-days-before-and/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) > [“it would be the Devil to pay and no pitch hot”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/it-would-be-the-devil-to-pay-and-no-pitch-hot/) [Patrick O'Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) [Explore all 167 Patrick O'Brian quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/) ## More Cases quotes > [The time that one gains cannot be accumulated in a storehouse; it is contradictory to want to save up existence, which, the fact is,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simone-de-beauvoir/the-time-that-one-gains-cannot-be-accumulated-in-a-storehouse-it-is/) [Simone de Beauvoir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simone-de-beauvoir/) > [It can sometimes make people fold into themselves and kind of run away, but I think in this case these characters are being forced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-deschanel/it-can-sometimes-make-people-fold-into-themselves-and-kind-of-run/) [Emily Deschanel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-deschanel/) > [I'd always have grease in at least two places, in case the umpires would ask me to wipe one off. I never wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaylord-perry/i-d-always-have-grease-in-at-least-two-places-in-case-the-umpires/) [Gaylord Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaylord-perry/) > [Islam never differentiates between men and women as regards political rights and puts them on an equal footing. However, even if a woman is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yusuf-al-qaradawi/islam-never-differentiates-between-men-and-women-as-regards-political/) [Yusuf al-Qaradawi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yusuf-al-qaradawi/) > [You gonna take the case?" It's not a case. It's a missing person. Sort of." You're gonna have a devil of a time finding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/you-gonna-take-the-case-it-s-not-a-case-it-s-a-missing-person-sort-of/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) > [I think we've all had enough of Coltrane saxophonists. There's a case of someone ruining a generation of saxophonists, as Louis Armstrong may have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/i-think-we-ve-all-had-enough-of-coltrane-saxophonists-there-s-a-case/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [The world around us is an increasingly hostile and sinful place. Occasionally that splashes onto us, and perhaps, in the case of a few…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-holland/the-world-around-us-is-an-increasingly-hostile-and-sinful-place/) [Jeffrey R. Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-holland/) > [If you followed the media you'd think that everybody in Africa was starving to death, and that's not the case; so it's important to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/if-you-followed-the-media-you-d-think-that-everybody-in-africa-was/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [ \[As in the case of\] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-branson/as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-illegality-has-driven-organized/) [Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-branson/) > [He emphasised basic truths: you are not dying yet, you have to live your life until you are. Underpinning them was the belief that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/he-emphasised-basic-truths-you-are-not-dying-yet-you-have-to-live/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) > [Each Act of Parliament intended to address harassment and discrimination has faced objections on the basis of 'you'll never be able to prove...' and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-field/each-act-of-parliament-intended-to-address-harassment-and/) [Tim Field](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-field/) > [The Cheney team had, for example, technological supremacy over the National Security Council staff. That is to say, they could read their e-mails. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wilkerson/the-cheney-team-had-for-example-technological-supremacy-over-the/) [Lawrence Wilkerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wilkerson/) > [If you want good behavior, don't pay on a commission basis. Our judges aren't paid so much a case. We keep them pretty well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlie-munger/if-you-want-good-behavior-don-t-pay-on-a-commission-basis-our-judges/) [Charlie Munger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlie-munger/) Browse all 6,420 Cases quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I do not say that all lawyers are bad, but I do maintain that the general tendency is bad: standing up in a court for whichever side has paid you, affecting warmth and conviction, and doing everything you can to win the case, whatever your private opinion may be, will soon dull any fine sense of honour. The mercenary soldier is not a valued creature, but at least he risks his life, whereas these men merely risk their next fee.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Patrick O'Brian" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-but-i-do-maintain-that-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Cases" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-but-i-do-maintain-that-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/patrick-o-brian-2283_cases_i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-bu_2290042.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/patrick-o-brian-2283_cases_i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-bu_2290042.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d95/patrick-o-brian-2283_cases_i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-bu_2290042.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I do not say that all lawyers are bad, but I do maintain that the general tendency is bad: standing up in a…” — Patrick O'Brian", "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": "Patrick O'Brian", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-o-brian/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I do not say that all...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-but-i-do-maintain-that-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-o-brian/i-do-not-say-that-all-lawyers-are-bad-but-i-do-maintain-that-the/#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 } } ] } ```