As election seasons come up, we are oftentimes reminded of the close relationship between law and politics.
It is, of course, not unusual to find politicians who also happen to be lawyers. The law is, by far, the most common profession among state legislators and members of Congress. During the past decade, lawyers held the governorships in two-thirds of the states. More than half of all US Presidents have been lawyers.
If public opinion polls taken to determine how people feel about different professions are any indicator, being both a lawyer and a politician is not a happy combination. These two occupations consistently rank right down there at the bottom when it comes to how people feel about various professions. This begs the question of what lawyer/politicians say when asked at cocktail parties what they do for a living. Mention of either one of these two professions usually sends people either into a tirade or running for cover.
The law, as a profession, plays a very important role in the lives and careers of many politicians. It often comes into play during several stages of the typical political career. First, unlike having one’s own business and many other jobs, being a lawyer offers the flexibility one needs to make his or her first run for office. Later in life, the profession can act as a way station between a lost election and the next campaign. Finally, the law is often the place where politicians go to retire after their days in the public sector are over.
Even Bill Clinton, who became governor of Arkansas, realized that it is a bit early to run for office right out of college. Going to law school and practicing law for a few years gives one something to do while waiting to run for office. One common career path taken by future politicians is to go to law school, take the bar exam, take the bar exam, take the bar exam, work in the district attorney’s office for a year or two, and then run for office.
A law degree is also a good thing to have should the lawyer/politician lose his or her office. Richard Nixon, for example, did a stint with The Firm in between serving as Vice President and running for governor of California. He practiced law once again after losing the gubernatorial election and up until the time he ran for president in 1968 and was elected.
Finally, after retiring from public office, The Firm serves as the final resting place for many former politicians. The former officeholder is expected to cash in on his or her connections and sire as many clients as possible for The Firm.
Interestingly, no matter how much the former politician’s legal skills may have rusted away over the years, members of The Firm don’t seem to mind. They sort of like having a big name among their ranks, even if that name is big mostly because the politician left office under the cloud of a public scandal.
Sometimes the transition from public to private sector can be difficult for those who come to The Firm after many years in public office. I once worked with one of these celebrity attorneys soon after he lost his bid for reelection and decided to go back to law firm life. Trying to please this individual was one of the most difficult tasks of my career.
Seeing the trouble I was having working with the former politician, a senior associate took me aside one day and gave me some advice. She explained that this partner had held high office for many years and grew accustomed to having a stable of lieutenants available to grant his every wish and jump at his every whim. Now, instead of a huge staff, he only had me and his secretary and both of us had other masters (partners) to serve. “He’s used to be treated like the Pope,” the senior associate told me. “Now he thinks he’s Pope of The Firm and you need to treat him like the Pope.”
The Pontiff eventually decided he didn’t want me to work with me anymore and I became the first in a long line of associates he was to excommunicate. I did, however, learn a very important lesson about politics from this experience that I would like to share with other associates. Always vote for the lawyer/politician because, if he loses the election, you might end up having to work for him.
See the following articles for more information:
- How Much Does It Pay?
- Lawyers and Money
- Why Lawyers Should Always Start Out in General Counsel Positions
- How to Create a Five Year Career Plan
