This article critiques the mythologized self-image of lawyers as neutral experts, arguing that in the absence of broader societal consensus, their function becomes both overextended and ideologically fraught, raising urgent questions about the legitimacy and limits of legal authority in postmodern, fragmented democratic societies.
Structure of the Legal Profession
Moran (2019), “The Three Ages of Modern American Lawyering and the Current Crisis in the Legal Profession and Legal Education”
The article calls for renewed attention to the civic and justice-oriented dimensions of legal training and leadership.
Ashar (2016), “Deep Critique and Democratic Lawyering in Clinical Practice”
This article critiques mainstream legal education reform discourse for neglecting social justice values and embracing neoliberal frameworks.
Khalikova and Kazun (2021), “Should I Stay, or Should I Go? Self-Legitimacy of Attorneys in an Authoritarian State”
This study investigates the professional challenges faced by lawyers in authoritarian regimes.
Brown (1938), Lawyers and the Promotion of Justice
This foundational study examines the legal profession in the United States as part of a broader inquiry into the roles and responsibilities of established and emerging professions.
Ziv (2008), “Regulation of Israeli Lawyers: From Professional Autonomy to Multi-Institutional Regulation”
This article examines reforms in disciplinary procedures and liability toward third parties, offering insights into the future direction of lawyer regulation in democratic societies.
Woods (2005), “Cause Lawyers and Judicial Community in Israel: Legal Change in a Diffuse, Normative Community”
This chapter examines how cause lawyers in Israel played a crucial role in encouraging the High Court of Justice (HCJ) to challenge religious authorities, marking a shift from judicial coexistence to conflict.
Michalowski (1998), “All or Nothing: An Inquiry into the (Im)Possibility of Cause Lawyering under Cuban Socialism”
This chapter explores whether cause lawyering can exist within Cuba’s socialist legal system.
Tam (2018), “Political Transition and the Rise of Cause Lawyering: The Case of Hong Kong”
This article analyzes how cause lawyering emerged and thrived in Hong Kong under authoritarian conditions.
Alford (2007), “Of Lawyers Lost And Found: Searching For Legal Professionalism In The People’s Republic Of China”
This article critically examines American assumptions about the development of the legal profession in China.