Destruction of Young Lawyers
Beyond One L
Douglas Litowitz
9781931968317
164 pages
University of Akron Press
Overview
Young lawyers are morosely unhappy by every conceivable standard. They arrive at our law schools brimming with enthusiasm, but a decade later they are reporting staggering levels of anxiety, drug addiction, and depression. In legal circles there is talk about a crisis of professionalism and a decline in civility, but the problem goes much deeper. Through ignorance and greed, the legal profession has designed a complicated system of education, licensing, and practice that drives young lawyers into fear, alienation, and self-hatred. The author of this book---a law professor and practicing attorney---argues that young lawyers face a series of institutional absurdities built into the fabric of law school, the bar exam, and law firm practice. The current system is churning out a tidal wave of disaffected and bitter lawyers who see the legal system as a Byzantine maze, an endless artificial game totally disconnected from considerations of justice. The Destruction of Young Lawyers shows how these struggles can be reversed through massive structural change and is the first step toward diagnosis and treatment of the specific problems facing young lawyers.
Author Bio
Douglas Litowitz works as in-house counsel to a large hedge fund based in Chicago. He has previously taught at several law schools, most recently Ohio Northern University College of Law.
