Work You Can Believe In?

I talk to lawyers wanting (and even managing quite successfully and happily) to leave the profession to become teachers (middle school seems the popular among ex-lawyers), legislators, small business owners, and even law librarians. I also know retired lawyers who are still practicing because they love the profession (but now like being selective about the cases and clients they chose to represent).

I read this article (below) recently. I suppose it’s no surprise that lobbyists do things they don’t really believe in (and we’ve all had to at some times in our lives) and those of us in jobs we do believe in are very (extremely) lucky, but it’s still startling to see it in print (or black and white):

“Push to ban smoking in tribal casinos could land in court,” by Harry Esteve, The Oregonian, September 18, 2009 (page 1, Saturday, Sept 19, 2009, print edition)

‘… DiLorenzo, whose firm also represents restaurants and taverns that now feel disadvantaged by the smoking ban, says he decided to push the issue after reading through tribal compacts for an unrelated case. He contacted a lobbyist for the American Lung Association about pursuing a tribal casino smoking ban.

The anti-smoking group is now a client, he says, although he is handling what he calls “this first part” for free.

“I’ve always personally been in favor of a smoking ban,” DiLorenzo says. “I’m about to turn 55, and I have gotten to a point in my career where I’m starting to think about doing things I believe in.”…’