SC

Nikki Haley: SC Has “Too Many Lawyers”

By FITSNEWS || It doesn’t happen often, but when she’s right … she’s right. Earlier this week, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley was regaling a group of students at a government-run high school in Pawleys Island, S.C. with a romanticized, mostly fictitious version of her rise to power when she stumbled…

By FITSNEWS || It doesn’t happen often, but when she’s right … she’s right.

Earlier this week, S.C. Gov. Nikki Haley was regaling a group of students at a government-run high school in Pawleys Island, S.C. with a romanticized, mostly fictitious version of her rise to power when she stumbled upon a nugget of truth.

During her address, Haley remarked that there was “massive chaos” at the S.C. State House prior to her arrival there.

“I knew I needed to get to Columbia because they had way too many lawyers there, and we needed some business people to straighten it out,” Haley said.

Funny considering the governor was in the Pawleys Island area to endorse a corrupt attorney‘s reelection bid.

But whatever …

We haven’t done a head count lately on the number of attorneys in the S.C. General Assembly (we’re lazy like that), but there are dozens of them … and beyond that, there are literally hundreds of lobbyist lawyers and bureaucratic lawyers and special interest lawyers roaming the grounds of the S.C. State House on any given day.

Seriously … the place is swimming in them (and you can count on one hand the ones working on behalf of citizens and taxpayers).

So … watch out for lightning, but Haley is right about something.  Once again, though, she’s not practicing what she preaches.

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86 comments

MLL October 3, 2014 at 5:13 pm

The bigger the lie, the more people that believe it. Especially if a female pol says it with a smile.

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junior justice October 3, 2014 at 9:33 pm

— and wearing her “hooker” boots.

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southmauldin October 3, 2014 at 5:14 pm

And she is a business person?? HAHAHAHAHAHA!

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Deo Vindice SC October 3, 2014 at 8:38 pm

You have not heard ! She has reformed business in SC. Her decisions have the world thinking, Jesus is turning in his grave, so I was told.

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Bible Thumper October 3, 2014 at 9:38 pm

Jesus isn’t turning in his grave. Haven’t you heard? Read Mark 16 or John 20. He’s risen.

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RogueElephant October 4, 2014 at 8:20 am

Deo Vendice is about two thousand years behind as usual. LOL

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euwe max October 5, 2014 at 6:49 pm

Perhaps he meant turning in the graves of the saints – isn’t he with us in the grave?

Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him

For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

euwe max October 5, 2014 at 5:07 pm

Wasn’t that part added in older documents?

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Bible Thumper October 5, 2014 at 6:32 pm

I’m glad you have a new found desire to authenticate the accuracy of quoted sources. The oldest manuscripts of the Gospel of Mark end with the empty tomb and don’t tell of the resurrection. There are however references to the resurrection appear throughout the work and it is clear Mark believed in the resurrection(Mark 8:31).
Paul’s testimony of the reserection (Corinthians 15:3-8) is older than all the gospels.

The original authors were unfamiliar with modern journalistic standards of authorship and authentication of the modern world. Of course some people even today cut and past articles from the Internet without any concern for its accuracy.

There are many ancient historical events that are widely accepted by historians that have far less manuscript evidence than the gospel.

euwe max October 5, 2014 at 6:40 pm

Not that it matters… those who believe without evidence are more blessed anyway. I don’t believe in “earning crowns” or that faith is somehow more “real” if you believe in the “creed,” than if you hear the master’s voice. The letter doesn’t give life – it brings death…

so there’s that.

Bible Thumper October 5, 2014 at 7:55 pm

Proverbs 21:2 – Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth the hearts.
The bible is not the only guide, but it is one I trust. Your master’s voice may be the devil’s. 2 Corinthians 11:14 – And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

euwe max October 5, 2014 at 8:00 pm

Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

Bible Thumper October 5, 2014 at 8:27 pm

That’s Romans 1:19-20. Romans 1:16-17 – For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith.

Note the words gospel and written.

Two verses following your citation.
Romans 1:21-22 – Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.
Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,

Paul wasn’t impressed with what man knew, their imagination or wisdom. That’s why I trust scripture among other things.

euwe max October 5, 2014 at 9:52 pm

What he said was – God is manifest in them.

Bible Thumper October 5, 2014 at 11:12 pm

Then why come to earth in human form?

euwe max October 5, 2014 at 11:32 pm

faith was weak because of the Publicans.

Bible Thumper October 5, 2014 at 11:44 pm

Maybe he will return to rapture the RePublicans.

aikencounty October 3, 2014 at 10:44 pm

Well, “W” was also.

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John October 3, 2014 at 5:15 pm

Bullshit. Like it or not, lawyers understand the process and the many layers that legislation has more than some small business owner or funeral director or accountant.

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Deo Vindice SC October 3, 2014 at 5:27 pm

Yep, but her campaign was for no lawyer types in office. Who she hire ?

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CNSYD October 3, 2014 at 5:57 pm

Would that “process” be called obfuscation?

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Nah October 3, 2014 at 6:14 pm

Bingo!

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Nah October 3, 2014 at 6:08 pm

I could argue that having a lawyer write laws by which non-lawyers have to abide by is a cruel & unusual form of punishment.

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Dave Chappelle October 3, 2014 at 8:13 pm

Your logic is terribly flawed. One would think that the Legislative branch might want to know how to perform its functions in such a way that it will not impede on the separation of powers found within the tripartite.

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Nah October 3, 2014 at 8:20 pm

That’s why you use lawyers as consultants, instead of suggesting they form a ruling class. There was once a time in which writing law that was understood by the lay person was considered ideal.

It’s your logic that’s terribly flawed.

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Dave Chappelle October 3, 2014 at 10:07 pm

Fair enough. Show me an old law that is written in such a way that the “lay person” considers this law “ideal.”

Nah October 3, 2014 at 11:55 pm

Constitution?

FastEddy23 October 4, 2014 at 9:53 am

… How about the Bill of Rights?

Dave Chappelle October 4, 2014 at 10:13 am

Hmm. I’m quite certain many SCOTUS opinions continue to highlight the “original intent” versus the “living document” argument. This seems to also be a favorite talking point on all the “talking heads” 24 hr news channels.

FastEddy23 October 7, 2014 at 12:29 pm

I have never felt compelled to believe anything a talking head said about the Constitution … most of ’em have never even read it.

The US Constitution is neither a “dead” document nor “original” in intent.

It IS the Playbook and the Rule Book that all government entities in this country and these various states MUST adhere to, period, end of story. … no matter what the boys in the black sheets or the back rooms are having …

Dave Chappelle October 7, 2014 at 12:34 pm

We’ve gotten entirely off point here. I’m not disagreeing with anything in your previous post. My entire point is that a valid argument can be made that “The US Constitution / Bill of Rights” is not written in such a way that all lay persons can readily and easily interpret it.

Sure, one can argue the opposite of this. But the fact that so many 5-4 decisions rest on the original language of this document is dispositive of this. Of note, the message boards here–alone–are sufficient to highlight the discrepancies found while interpreting almost all laws.

FastEddy23 October 9, 2014 at 11:53 am

True, of course. It appears to be one of the tasks at hand for this most recent Court to mix metaphors, modify participles and otherwise finely grind the Bill of Rights to dust.

The Fourth as an Example: “In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no fact tried by a jury, shall be otherwise re-examined in any court of the United States, than according to the rules of the common law.”

Since when have any of your local judiciaries allowed that?

FastEddy23 October 4, 2014 at 9:49 am

Your logic is spot on. “Laws” of, by and for lawyers and other taxsuckers and forget the taxpayers.

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FastEddy23 October 4, 2014 at 9:42 am

But isn’t that the problem? Too many layers of bureaucracy, too many lawyers, too many ways to spin the truth and obviscate responsibilities.

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Centrist View October 3, 2014 at 5:21 pm

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?chamber=S

Counted 17 lawyers out of 45 Senators

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Centrist View October 3, 2014 at 5:40 pm

http://www.scstatehouse.gov/member.php?chamber=H

Counted 26 lawyers out of 124 Representatives

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nitrat October 3, 2014 at 9:39 pm

In other words, she’s full of shit.
Well, those of us who can read knew that in 2008. The rest are the SCGOP voters who put her in office.

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FastEddy23 October 4, 2014 at 9:57 am

Are there any disbarred lawyers in that bunch? How about in the back rooms?

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Scooter October 3, 2014 at 11:17 pm

One is too damn many..

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Wow October 3, 2014 at 5:31 pm

Jeez. Isn’t her entire cabinet lawyers? Her most recent appointment Rick Reames is a complete status quo crony capitalist from one of the biggest firms in the state. Templeton, lawyer. Cheryl Stanton, lawyer. Unbelievable how she spins lies.

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Reality October 3, 2014 at 5:50 pm

Careful: Reames is a Leatherman man and Templeton will be governor in 2018!!!!!

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WW October 3, 2014 at 7:47 pm

South Carolina has too many Nikki Haleys!……one (1)
Let’s send her packing!
Vote out Haley!
it will be a great day in SC!!!!!

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sparklecity October 3, 2014 at 8:47 pm

You beat me to the punch and you hit the nail square on the head!!!!!!!!!
How can that woman get away with so much shit is what i want to know!!!!!!
Oh wait a minute…I forgot………….
This is South Carolina we are talking about after all!!!!!

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Elfego October 4, 2014 at 8:13 pm

Keep toking your joints!

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Deo Vindice SC October 3, 2014 at 8:54 pm

Dam boy, Her bid for Gov was against Law types. Welp,, SC must pay again. And again, wow, millions blown, again and again. at least a republican is still there. I feel good about that !

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Tazmaniac October 3, 2014 at 5:31 pm

Lawyers are nothing more than Buy here, Pay here car dealers who wanted to live in a Frat house after high school.

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John October 3, 2014 at 5:35 pm

Huh? That analogy makes no sense.

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FastEddy23 October 4, 2014 at 10:03 am

When did anything make sense when lawyers are involved?

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Dave Chappelle October 3, 2014 at 8:15 pm

Analogous to any profession–as a whole–where a few can spoil the reputation for the whole.

Generalize much?

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Tazmaniac October 3, 2014 at 8:55 pm

Google any survey of the least respected professions. Perhaps the terms many or most would be a better fit. ;-)

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Dave Chappelle October 3, 2014 at 10:13 pm

“The Google” is not where arguments are won or lost. However, I will indulge for the moment…

Taz, please show me the “Google survey” that you speak of… Maybe this “Google survey” will give us the truth and answers that we all seek. Perhaps this “Google survey” will apply specific facts to the plain language of the law and guide us to wisdom–the type of wisdom that the profession has dramatically lost.

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Tazmaniac October 3, 2014 at 10:23 pm

http://scientificmarketingandadvertising.com/marketing-articles-least-admired-professions.html

The laziness of MANY lawyers adds to the lack of respect. Want to guess what other profession is in the top 20 sleaziest? Has something to do with cars, genius.

Dave Chappelle October 3, 2014 at 10:29 pm

No clue. But I’m done with this thread. Generalizing one’s profession is annoying…to say the least. I will respectfully bow out and give you the “victory.” Lawyers (all of them) lack respect. They are “sleazy.” Good night.

See you on the next article :)

RHood2 October 3, 2014 at 6:33 pm

The influence of lawyers is overtaking county and municipal and school board governance see.
that video you posted from Jasper County School Board a few weeks back? Look how deferential the school board chairwoman was to the board attorneys.
If the lawyer says it’s OK, then it’s OK.
Except that particular lawyer has lost so many FOIA lawsuits, yet continues to dole out the same advice.

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Dave Chappelle October 3, 2014 at 8:20 pm

Nah. I’ll just pretend that you didn’t blame that pathetic school board member’s ignorance on the mere existence of attorneys in South Carolina.

Maybe we can blame Hardee’s commercials for the large obese population in South Carolinians? You know, because they have all those skinny models pretending to bite into sandwiches larger than their entire head.

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RHood2 October 3, 2014 at 9:20 pm

How many town, city and county council and school board meetings do you attend? I have attended quite a few in my life, and I have seen the growing influence of lawyers. I cited that school board CHAIRWOMAN as an example of that problem, and in no way said her ignorance was caused by the mere existence of lawyers.
Nice deflection. Almost, one might say, lawyerly.

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Dave Chappelle October 3, 2014 at 10:25 pm

“How many town, city and county council and school board meetings do you attend?”

None in Jasper County (the county that you based your argument upon).

I don’t intend to “deflect.” I merely point out that your broad-based bashing of lawyers is lacking. Why would a products liability lawyer care about how many FOIA requests were sent to a school board? (You don’t “lose” FOIA [requests] –> not lawsuits).

For that matter, why would a family law lawyer (the kind helping 50% of our population endure a divorce) care about a school board? I don’t know. That’s my entire point, Your vague generalization shows your ineptitude on the matter. If I go to the doctor for a general “check up,” I shouldn’t be upset when he can’t give me a definitive answer about something that my internist or dermatologist is better suited to answer.

If I had (or have) an engineering degree, and it is rooted in electrical engineering, is it fair to hold me to a standard based on a mechanical engineering? Or civil engineering?

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RHood2 October 4, 2014 at 4:40 pm

I do not know if the lawyers representing school boards and town, city and county councils also practice those kinds of law you discuss. But the influence of the ones that are retained by school boards and town, city and county councils is growing to the point that the people we elect defer their thought and the things that they were elected to do to those lawyers they hire. They are getting less advice and getting direction more and more.
The parsing you are requiring me to do to make a pretty simple point, the lawyers at those meetings, unelected, are becoming more and more members of the boards and councils, and in some places, the leading members.
And I do not know where the distracting point about losing an FOIA request came from. I did not make it, so I don’t know why you bring it up.
Ken Childs, the lawyer mentioned on the video, has lost more than one FOIA lawsuit, usually related to superintendent hirings and/or evaluations, yet continues to advise school boards to hide and conceal.

Cobra Dancer October 3, 2014 at 7:54 pm

SC has too many Indian Princesses. We need more Indian hoteliers and convenience store operators.

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aikencounty October 3, 2014 at 10:47 pm

HUH????????

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Deo Vindice SC October 3, 2014 at 8:45 pm

She is the Dumbass person you elected last time. Why not again, and again, whatever !

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nitrat October 3, 2014 at 9:36 pm

Nikki Haley has probably put more lawyers to work as agency heads and on boards and commissions than any governor in the last 30 years.
Not to mention, the ones she hires to defend her in the habitual ethics problems.

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CorruptionInColumbia October 4, 2014 at 8:03 am

With a little luck, when the FBI gets through with its probes, she will need a team of lawyers to get her just a reduced sentence.

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FastEddy23 October 4, 2014 at 10:02 am

Don’t count on that. FBI is mostly lawyers … It’s part of the agency hiring requirements.

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Soft Sigh from Hell October 4, 2014 at 12:41 pm

J Edger would only hire lawyers I’ve read, but now apparently there are a lot of accountants too.

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FastEddy23 October 4, 2014 at 10:00 am

Not all that surprising … Look who won the last several national elections.

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Bible Thumper October 3, 2014 at 10:02 pm

Are we better or worse?
It use to be that local officials used there own judgement and knowledge of the local sentiment to make decisions. Now they have to follow judicial decisions made a thousand miles away by the Supreme Court that have to fit a all situations in a diverse nation of 316 million. We now need Lawyers to insure that we follow all those decisions. Sure many of those decisions are on legislation passed by Congress.
I know you can always point out some crazy school board in Colorado or Jasper, but are we really better off with so many of these decisions being made in Washington?
Few arguments on issues involve right and wrong or what is best. Instead the argument is whether it is legal or constitutional.

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hmmm October 7, 2014 at 8:23 pm

You should take different route, its only like 435 miles from downtown to the Supreme Court.

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Bible Thumper October 7, 2014 at 8:26 pm

The distance is not just geographical…

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Tired and Retired October 3, 2014 at 10:14 pm

It is my understanding that the percentage of legislators who are attorneys has decreased in recent years. A percentage that remains high is the number of judges, commissioners, and other appointees who are former members of the General Assembly. Lawyer One: “Did you hear that our classmate, Lawyer Jones, is running for a seat in the General Assembly?” Lawyer Two: “I didn’t even know he was interested in being a judge!”

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aikencounty October 3, 2014 at 10:49 pm

Well, to call oneself a lawyer, you will have had to pass the bar.
NIMRATA espouses herself as a CPA, but failed the exam.
YOU BETCHA!

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bamberger October 5, 2014 at 8:08 pm

Maybe if her parents were business people, they wouldn’t have a near half million $ judgement against them in Orangeburg. County…according to SC Judicial site. What’s that about?

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RogueElephant October 4, 2014 at 8:18 am

Lawyers go to law school to learn how to break laws and get away with it. Business people are responsible to their customers, their stock holders, their families , not to mention all the rules and regulations passed by lawyer legislators. The only person in state govt. that needs to be a lawyer is the attorney general.

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Anon October 5, 2014 at 5:41 am

Didn’t you work for attorney Bill Connor for US Senate?

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RogueElephant October 5, 2014 at 8:07 am

I worked for Lt. Colonel Bill Connor who also is a lawyer. Big difference.

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Mary October 6, 2014 at 10:44 am

Is running around on your wife ethical? Is lying ethical?

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I'm rogue too! October 7, 2014 at 8:20 pm

That is a Lt. Col. who ran around on his wife and happens to be a lawyer. Big difference.

Bill October 6, 2014 at 10:40 am

Lawyers go to law school so they can tell others what the law says. What unethical business people do with that information is on them. Over my lifetime, I have met very few hard nose businessmen or women you could trust to be honest if it cost them one penny. Most business people are out to make as much money as they can. If that involves screwing someone along the way so be it.

There are some honest business people, but that crap about answering to you customers or your shareholders is, well, crap. First the vast majority of businesses in SC are owned by one person or a family of people. They answer to no one, except what is legal or illegal and what they can get away with. So you lose a customer every now an then by successfully screwing ten. Its a trade off. How many car dealerships sell repair work to people that don’t need it? How many times have we heard about contractors, who never come back to fix the problems with there work, or leave the job undone and take the money. How many times do people have to be warned not to give all the money to someone upfront and expect the work to get done? How many time have you paid your insurance premiums on time, only to find the insurance company trying to get out of paying when you file a claim? How many times do landlords of business property have to resort to eviction and distraint because the tenant renting their space doesn’t pay the rent they owe.

If you don’t believe me about business “ethics,” try operating in the business world on a hand shake. You will quickly find out about the ethics of most “business people.” As the old saying goes a verbal contract has the same value as the paper its written on.

Lawyers are people. Every profession has bad apples. But lawyers on the whole are ethical people, and the bar does police lawyer conduct. So unlike most business they do answer to someone.

For example when you are closing on a real estate deal, if you have the option of leaving earnest money in a a lawyers trust account or giving it to the seller, I suggest you leave it in the lawyers account. Because if the deal falls thorough and its the sellers fault, you will never get it back unless its in a lawyers trust account.

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RogueElephant October 6, 2014 at 4:40 pm

You must be a lawyer.

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Jackie Chiles October 4, 2014 at 9:48 am

Obviously this means we need to let the “free market” take advantage of unlimited federally backed student loans and allow a useless law school to continue to pump out MOAR lawyers because everyone knows you can do anything with law.

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Familiar Refrain October 4, 2014 at 1:22 pm

It’s amusing to listen to the whining of the former elites who were hired and raised too often by each other in state positions, notably the businessmen and engineers.

“Why you need US instead!”

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Siamese October 4, 2014 at 6:37 pm

She appointed an attorney to run our environmental/health agency…who has in turn hired attorneys…salaries are massive to match their “qualifications”.. Employees are terrified and morale at an all time low.

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anonymous October 4, 2014 at 10:40 pm

The problem with the lawyers in South Carolina starts at the top – Jean Toal. She is as corrupt as they come – and her attitude permeates all the way down. Nettles will get her out of her present predicament – and then it will be Hell to pay for those legislator lawyers who voted against her.

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Crooner October 6, 2014 at 11:17 am

Lawyers are trained to think about and plan for all potential outcomes of any actions they take. Can’t let THAT get in the way of passing the C of C’s or ALEC’s agenda.

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Isn't that Obvious? October 6, 2014 at 2:55 pm

Well, if the “lawmakers” aren’t going to be “lawyers,” who do you want them to be? Don’t lawyers go to law school to learn about the laws that legislators write? Don’t doctors go to medical school to learn about the body? I wouldn’t want a doctor who hadn’t gone to medical school to do surgery on me. Shouldn’t everyone who wants to be a lawmaker have to go to law school first?

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What? October 8, 2014 at 10:50 am

If we had more lawyers in the legislature we wouldn’t have so many pathetically drafted laws. Cannot believe the idiots on this site.

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