At Least Nobody Threatened to Sue Over the Recent Column That Was Critical of Lawyers

Daniel Akst’s column “All Those Lawyers? There Oughta Be a Law” (Dec. 25), not only reflects his dislike of attorneys, but also a deep misunderstanding of the legal system and what lawyers do.

Akst says that while law is “boring and stressful,” it is so well paying that the best students naturally are drawn to it. Law is not boring. It is one of the few professions where the challenges can change day by day. Each lawsuit is different, often remarkably so, and the constant changes in the statutes makes the work anything but routine.

As for law being well-paying, most lawyers do not make Wall Street level salaries.

There are untold numbers of lawyers whose careers are dedicated to helping others.

As for Akst’s complaint that lawyers are not productive members of the community, is he willing to include everyone working in the service industries, such as business consultants and business columnists?

We have more lawyers these days because people and businesses demand them. Attorneys do serve a vital purpose in our economy. We help the system runs smoothly. When a lawyer does his job right, problems are anticipated and corrected before they have a chance to create havoc.

STEVEN J. RENICK

Beverly Hills