Many of the interviews describe the lawyer’s experience with law as challenging, especially regarding the slow pace at which the legal system works. However, the majority of the responses continued to articulate an appreciation for and belief in the law as a tool for social change and cause lawyering. Additionally, the lawyers seemed to understand that the legal system is inherently hierarchical, therefore, “Lawyers and clients who challenge the premises of the legal system are radical by definition, even if they choose to play by its rules when they perceive that as the best (or only) available strategy” (Shdaimah, 230). The interviews show that although the law can be an especially difficult tool for change, that does not diminish its …show more content…
The author is especially interested in how cause lawyers understand their role in being lawyers and professionals for social change. Therefore, in order to understand that, it is imperative that one must also understand how hard legal mobilization can be due to the slow nature of the legal system. The research conducted through the interviews showed varying levels of legal consciousness by the lawyers. As a result, each lawyer had a different perspective regarding what the law was all about and how useful it was to their movement. The author argues, therefore, that the understanding of the law and the legal system is imperative to becoming a successful and relatively happy cause lawyer. Additionally, the author understands that every lawyer is different, as well as every social movement emphasizing the need for cause lawyers to understand how they view the law and how that can help or hurt their