LEGAL AND JUDICIAL ETHICS THE COLOR OF LAW BY MARK GIMENEZ A BOOK REVIEW

CRUZ, ELLIS DE GUZMA, JOEY ALBERT DORADO, MARK JOSEPH MANABAT, MARK DANIELLE 4BLM ATTY. BALBOA

AGUSTIN, PAULINE

Gimenez exemplifies what happens in the world of lawyering. It was shown that at some point, lawyers were considered as liars but there are still some who are willing to stand up for what is right. A lawyer will find his highest honor in a deserved reputation for fidelity to private truest and public duty as an honest man and as a patriotic and loyal citizen. The duty of candor and fairness towards the Court requires the lawyer to avoid concealment of the truth from Court and avoid misleading the Court in any manner no matter how demanding his client may as no client however powerful and no cause however important is entitled to receive from the lawyer any service involving dishonesty to the court. A lawyer therefore should not misquote the contents of documents or conceal facts from the Court essential to the presentation of his causes. With respect to the fellow lawyers, courtesy should characterize his relation with his brethren; ill feelings should be scrupulously be avoided. Personal colloquy should be avoided.

The legal profession is a form of public service or public trust intimately related to the administration of justice, in the practice of which pecuniary rewards are considered as merely incidental. It must signify for its followers a mental and moral setting apart from the multitude. It embraces any activity, in or out of the court which requires the application of law, legal principle, practice or procedure and calls for legal knowledge, training and experience. It involves the carrying on of the calling of and attorney, usually for gain, acting in a representative capacity and rendering service to another. It is not limited to the conduct of cases of in court. It concludes legal advice, counseling and the preparation of legal instruments and contracts by which legal rights are secured, which may or may not be pending in court.

CRUZ, ELLIS

After reading the color of law, it made me realize that being a lawyer is no different from being a doctor because the life of a person rests within every action you make. In the book the color of law Shawandas life was in jeopardy because it seems like she no chance of winning the case because she against a very powerful and influential person in the state of Texas, Senator Mack McCall. It was like no chance to win but Scott Fenney came through by carefully analyzing the minor details of the crime that was overlooked by the authorities.

Handling the case turned out to be a turning point for Scotts career because handling the case of Shawanda made him realize that a lawyers duty was to uphold peace and justice and not only be after the money. There was a phrase in the book saying that the color of the law is green. Green because the law was always about the money and asking for more than what should ask from a client with regards to the attorneys fees. Sadly that phrase is partially true because majority of lawyers today only do it for the money and the power and not for the duty of upholding truth and justice. These kinds of lawyers are more concerned with the money that they will earn rather than the future of their clients. But the realization of Scott turned the whole story around because he had a change of heart towards his profession and put into mind the life of Shawanda and her daughter instead of his greed for money.

People should realize that its always about making the hard decisions that can make them into a better person and molding them to their fullest potential. Most people today want to take the shortcut to success by cheating and by finding scapegoat to get out of difficult situations with thinking of the consequences involved. Its more of what you can do to help others rather than to think of yourself and become a selfish fool who cares for nothing more than getting all the pleasures in the world without even giving a damn of what is happening around him.

In relating this to the legal profession, lawyers are called to be ministers of the temple of justice. I never heard of a religious minster who was thinking more of himself than thinking of the welfare of others. Lawyers must observe moral values and meet the moral standard they are asked of. Its not about your knowledge of the law its about how you will use that knowledge for the greater good. It just like having a super power, wherein super heroes use their special abilities to protect the normal civilians Lawyers knowledge of the law are what makes them standout from ordinary citizens. With great power comes great responsibility, a quote from a very famous movie must be what lawyers must do they have the power to protect people and they must be responsible in using that power.

De Guzman Joey Albert P.

The Color of Law

Clark McCall was a rich guy who happened to be the heir of a senator. He likes night outs like drinking, drugs and girls. Then after, he met this Shawanda Jones, a prostitute he met. Shawanda was then after accused of killing McCall. Then the protagonist in the story, Scott Fenney, was the lawyer assigned to help Shawanda to prove her innocence against Clarks father who is an influential senator. Scott then on must choose on which he must do as a lawyer and as a person. He must choose between money and his pride as a lawyer. Scott is a fortunate guy to have a wealthy life specially being a lawyer in a prestigious firm but he might have been an aggressive lawyer then. As the story goes on, He have this case on the murder of the son of an influential senator and his client was the accused and he must win the case because truly, Shawanda was innocent. Then on, he tries to win the case no matter what happened because of what his mother told him before and things need to change specially on his practice of being a lawyer. He told in front of the twelve members of the jury about the book named, To Kill a Mocking Bird which tells about an honorable man and an honorable lawyer which he then had been inspired. He then explains that he hasnt done much of good and that it is just time to do it. He said that hed have much money and that he might not need money and now proceeds to do the right thing by winning the case for giving justice and truth. He then said that it was a guy with right handed who have killed McCall and it was Delroy Lund. The story had shown the changes of Scotts perspective about life. The story portrays how did a lawyer who is greedy becomes a good lawyer and choses a good practice of law and sacrificing things to give justice and held the truth. It was said in the story that Law is not a game. It is not about winning and money but rather about giving justice, peace and life. Scott wins the case. He had given a new life for Shawanda, to the accused for learning his mistakes and for the family of the victims for having justice and knowing the truth. The story gives an inspiration that there were really a happy endings in life. Sometimes we need to sacrifice something for the better of others for us to give justice and thats what Scott did as a lawyer. He might have loose the precious material things in his life but his conscience were cleaned and a better life was as exchange.

DORADO, MARK JOSEPH The story is about Scott Fenney a lawyer who worked his way to the top of the heap of the Dallas firm of Ford Stevens. Based on the story I will first describe his life as a lawyer. I think that he is more concerned about the money every time he gives his service as a lawyer, probably because that was the mindset provided by them by the firm. I think that was the usual thinking that most lawyers have, especially in the US. As mentioned in the book, everything that Scott owns from head to toe and even the bed where he sleeps is owned by the company that he worked for. The story is a long narration about his experience as a lawyer before it actually come up with the main topic of the story which is the case of Shawanda Jones, his client. The story was started by his inspiring about being a good lawyer. I think that Scott knows on how to become a good lawyer or what should lawyers do based on their profession without destroying the essence of their work. In this story I learned, that money is an inevitable part of being a lawyer, sometimes what you receive is tempting and can even reach the point of losing your morale or ethics of being a lawyer. In the story, Scott will step on anyone to get more until one day he is forced to take a case against his will/wishes by a manipulative judge. His initial reaction is to refuse and attempt to wiggle his way out of the case as he is forced to defend a black, heroin addict prostitute for the murder of the local Senator's son and next likely president of the US. He has to weigh up if he is willing to sacrifice everything he holds dear: lifestyle/money/social standing/family/ferrari etc etc against his belief in justice,which he hasn't actually practiced since becoming a lawyer. There are also part of the story that strike me most, like the part where it was stated that: "'Why do you represent corporations instead of people?' Because people can't afford me. Heck, Boo, I couldn't afford to hire myself, not at three- fifty an hour.'Her eyes got big. 'You charge three dollars and fifty cents an hour?' Scott chuckled. 'No. Three hundred and fifty dollars and hour.' In this part, Ive realized that lawyers are still human, and they should give their service to human also, regardless whether they can pay you or not. It is their ability of defending well their client and become an instrument of justice that will make their more noble, for me this more rewarding than having a Ferrari or mansion as part of my compensation as a lawyer. Also the line where it states that: 'For real? Is that why you work so slowly?'". In this part, Boo the daughter of Scott is reminding him that he is still a father and a lawyer. We should not lessen our effort as a lawyer, even though we dont want to defend our client just because they cannot pay us a s much our other clients does. A. Scott Fenney is about to defend Shawanda Jones, a black prostitute who has been accused of murdering Clark McCall, son of senator Mack McCall, who may very possibly become a future President of the United States. Fenney has been appointed by Judge Buford to take on the case based on his passion for seeing justice done. For Fenney to be able to defend Shawanda Jones properly he would have to present evidence about Clark McCalls past that would drag the McCall name through the mud. Clark McCall raped women, he beat women up, he drank and took drugs and every time he got into trouble with the law his father was there to buy his way out of it. Mack McCall knows that if any of his sons past was brought out, his aspirations as president would be lost. Scott Fenney is about to find out just how precarious ones life really is. Possessions, job, family are all going to be threatened and he will be left with having to make a decision between doing the right thing and doing the smart thing. In the story, he was told by his mother that he must be like Atticus Finch, the main character on To kill a Mockingbird, it was stated that he must become a lawyer one day and he must become a good one. In this case, he succeeded on applying this principle. He won the case in the end, by proving that Shawanda is not guilty. Despite of discrimination and different issues that surrounds this case, in the end Scott remained firm to his duty and that is to defend his client and serve justice and truth more that what he can regardless of any monetary considerations.

MANABAT, MARK DANIELLE The protagonist of The Color of Law is a poor-boy college football hero turned successful partner at a prominent Dallas firm who long ago checked his conscience at the door catches a case that forces him to choose between his enviable lifestyle and doing the right thing. The Dallas lawyer Scott Fenney. is a lucky man. He is an acclaimed former jock, a partner in a prestigious firm, the proud owner of a luxurious home and car, and the husband of a gorgeous woman. He defends mostly well-to-do clients, practicing what he calls aggressive and creative lawyering, which is code for cheating, conniving, and doing whatever it takes to win a case. When Scott is appointed by a federal judge to represent a black prostitute named Shawanda Jones which is addicted to heroin, he is horrified. Jones is accused of murdering Clark McCall, the spoiled rich son of an influential United States senator Mack McCall, and puts a major crimp in his fathers election plans, after a tawdry night of booze, drugs, and rough sex. After trying in vain to extricate himself from Shawandas case, Scott slowly realizes that fate has brought him to a crossroads. Helping Shawanda Jones may give Scott the chance to be the kind of lawyer his mother always wanted him to be one who is anxious to do good, not just to do well. As the case unfolds, pressure is exerted on Scott to deter him from being too aggressive in his defense of Shawanda. That pressure becomes palpable as Scott is slowly stripped of the things hes come to care for most.In The Color of Law, Mark Gimenez portrays a tragic miscarriage of justice, political corruption, family conflict, greed, and the abuse of power. He also holds out the possibility that even an arrogant and self-centered individual can seek redemption. The author skillfully orchestrates Scotts fall from grace and his gradual reawakening to the value of a principle-driven life. The best scenes in the book show the warm relationship between Scott and the two girls in his life his eight-year-old daughter, nicknamed Boo, and Pajamae, Shawandas daughter. Scotts decision to fight for Shawanda earns him Pajamaes respect, affection, and gratitude. As a lawyer the protagonist Scott Fenney for me is a good lawyer, his mother always wanted him to be a lawyer who do good and not just do well, the protagonist reaized that by handling the case of Shawanda Jones he will fulfill the the dream of his mother. Scott Fenney also have weak points, he hesitated to handle the case of Shawanda Jones after knowing that the respondent was the son of a millionaire and senator. As a book The Color of Law is not perfect. It is at least fifty pages too long and the conclusion, although satisfying, veers dangerously close to sentimentality. However, the story ultimately works because of Gimenezs fluid writing style, dry wit, and sharp delineation of character. Not only does the author effectively depict the deep chasm between Dallass haves and have-nots, but he also shows, through Scotts poignant journey, that one need not check ones conscience at the door in order to be a successful lawyer. The color of law has all the necessary ingredients for an exciting courtroom thriller. The crime is a sensational murder of the son of the most powerful politician in Texas. The defendant is a beautiful drug addict and prostitute whose only hope for acquittal rests in unearthing evidence that will besmirch the reputation of that powerful family. Her lawyer is a high-power partner in a prominent Dallas law firm whose speech to a group of attorneys calling upon them to act in the highest tradition of the law, to be lawyers like Atticus Finch, draws the attention of the federal judge presiding over the murder case. He appoints Scott Fenney to represent Shawanda Jones, and all the elements appear to be in place for a rip-roaring Texas-style murder trial. Alas, ingredients alone do not make a world-class souffl. Someone must mix those ingredients into a finished product. Mark Gimenez has not yet mastered the skill to turn his ingredients into a first-class novel. Two substantial problems hinder The color of law from earning kudos as a courtroom thriller. For a 500-page novel to be considered a work of courtroom fiction, it needs to spend more time in the courtroom than the final 85 pages. Gimenez spends far too much time in his novel describing the trappings of high-power, high-living lawyers and devotes too little time to the actual courtroom proceedings that will establish guilt or innocence. While the lifestyle of Scott Fenney becomes an important issue in his preparation of a vigorous defense for his client, the trappings of wealth are too lovingly portrayed in the novel. The result is a plot that is both unwieldy and hard to believe. The colorof law has some worthy attributes. Although arriving late to the courtroom, the scenes detailed there by Gimenez have a realistic and entertaining flavor. As an author he obviously knows Texas law and lawyers and has some interesting opinions of both. But he needs to be either a courtroom novelist or a social commentator in order to succeed in a field where writers such as Grisham, Lescroart and Turow have earned deserved praise. In his next novel one hopes that Gimenez finds a better recipe for success.