With Justice for None: Destroying an American Myth Paperback – October 1, 1990

by Gerry Spence

Critiques lawyers, law schools, and big business for putting personal objectives before ethical issues, argues that the poor and disenfranchised suffer the consequences, and offers ideas for changing the system

Genres: Law, Legal, Nonfiction

Unknown Binding

First published January 1, 1989

About the author

Gerry Spence is a trial lawyer in the United States. In 2008, he announced he would retire, at age 79, at the end of the Geoffrey Fieger trial in Detroit, MI. Spence did not lose a criminal case in the over 50 years he practiced law. He started his career as a prosecutor and later became a successful defense attorney for the insurance industry. Years later, Spence said he "saw the light" and became committed to representing people, instead of corporations, insurance companies, banks, or "big business."

Reviews

[Eric_W · Rating 4 out of 5]

In 1983, Harvard's President Bok charged that the law schools of America were geared to supply new and exclusive talent for corporate firms that, in turn, deliver quality representation only to the wealthy and powerful. Bok further asserted that the poor and the middle class find their access to the courts blocked by prohibitive costs and a bewildering array of complex rules and procedures. Gerry Spence, a thoroughly experienced trial lawyer, quotes Bok in a this eloquent polemic. that attacks the legal profession.

Occasionally witty and anecdotal, Spence argues persuasively that the legal profession has surrendered itself to a quest for power by defending the rich and powerful. He insists law schools attract and retain precisely the wrong kind of person. He wants students to be filled with rage at injustice, to be people oriented rather than the academic types who score well on LSAT exams and who can accurately regurgitate cases, but who lack compassion for their fellow human beings. He states that most law students leave school without elementary trial skills; indeed, a student can graduate without ever having to write a contract. While some of Spence's sweeping generalizations left me uncomfortable as to their accuracy his book is provocative and timely. He makes many suggestions to change the system.

[Paul Gaya Ochieng Simeon Juma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good books always play a vital role in our lives and conduct. Garry Spence has written a wonderful book. It is ethical, reformative, and academic. Everyone in the Legal profession will pick something from it. It speaks to law students, law schools, judges, lawyers, government, and even corporations. It's value is priceless.

My country (Kenya) is still suffering from various social and political challenges. We need lawyers in these difficult times. Not only, lawyers, but we need lawyers with integrity. Unfortunately the crop of lawyers in my country are the ones who leave a bad taste in your mouth. The rot is present in the Bar, Executive, Judiciary, and Parliament.

Corruption has become the order of the day. We are so corrupt to the extent that we are shocked when we find or see somebody complaining. Our prosecutors and Judges extort money from accused persons in return for favors and withdrawal of cases. Our lawyers are paying magistrates and judges for favorable judgements. The institutions that are meant to check them are equally as corrupt. We pay for the justice we deserve and afterwards, the advocate will run away with the money you were awarded.

Garry Spence, I have heard your voice. We have to change our legal profession and elevate it to the status it is supposed to be. Change should start from the classroom as we move upwards. I am currently disgusted with the state of the legal profession in Kenya. There is no justice to the poor man. Everywhere he turns to he is thwarted. Litigants are everywhere buying there rights. Since it is not fashionable to have integrity, those who try to maintain some ethical standards are shunned, despised, and persecuted. We have lost ourselves to money. We have sold our souls to material wealth. Everywhere one goes, ome can feel the stench of corruption in his nose. However, with good books from good lawyers we get some sense pf direction.

[Guillermo Galvan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great title in the name of tearing down our American myths. Gerry Spence, a hall of fame lawyer with 35 years of experience, boldly sets forth how there is no justice for anyone except the ultra rich.

The book is told in two parts. Part one "Justice For None" underlines what's wrong with our law schools, lawyers, judges, and juries. He draws from cases, some of which he was the lawyer, to show how ordinary people victimized by corporate crime and medical malpractice are constantly denied justice before they even step into a courtroom. Likewise Spence analyzes how the entire justice system has been corrupted starting with law school entrance exams designed to weed out minorities and conscientious individuals. And in the end, the resulting system feeds on our lives and liberty in the name of profit.

Part two "Justice For All" takes each aspect covered in part one and shows how it can be mended so that justice can prevail for all citizens. Spence's ideas are radical because their aim is revolution against the corporate anarchy of our time that is allowed to kill literally countless people with virtually no consequence. Even if you don't agree with his solutions, you can appreciate his opening a dialogue about how we can realistically change things. What if we reclaim our airwaves and charge these billion-dollar networks a proper fee? What if corporations had to disclose past crime each time they aired a commercial the way cigarettes must include a warning about lung cancer?

WARNING: This company has been found guilty of embezzling 20 million dollars from its customers last year.

Kinda makes it difficult to put some catchy trust slogan after that, right?

Spence is also a philosopher about our human rights for spiritual and environmental freedom. He shares his ideas in humble and straight forward manner that encourages the reader to nurture his own and express them. He truly captures the essence of freedom of speech as our most valuable right because the exchange of ideas dashes away all psychological bondage.

When our corporate dictatorship falls, the future generations will reflect on men like Gerry Spence.

[Alisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this awhile ago, 1992 I think and recall it being quite good at the time. He's opinionated and as he is known to do makes a good case for his thoughts and writes intelleigently and persuasively. I had never heard of Gerry Spence until this was recommended by a friend. Glad I read it.

[Craig Bolton]

With Justice for None by Gerry Spence (1990)