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The Servant Lawyer: Facing the Challenges of Christian Faith in Everyday Law Practice
Most lawyers, from Wall Street to the county seat, spend their days drafting documents, negotiating with other attorneys, trying cases, researching the law, and counseling clients. How does this everyday law practice relate to Jesus' call to follow him in servanthood? With decades of experience in the law office, courtroom, and classroom, Robert F. Cochran Jr. explores Jesus' call on lawyers to serve both individual clients and the common good. Cochran pulls back the curtain with stories from his own career and from the legal community to address a wide range of challenges posed by law practice, including counseling clients, planning trial tactics, navigating tensions with coworkers, and handling temptations toward cynicism and greed. This honest and accessible book For students considering a career in law as well as for seasoned attorneys, The Servant Lawyer casts an encouraging vision for how lawyers can love and serve their neighbor in every facet of their work.
- GenresLawNonfiction
240 pages, Paperback
Published February 20, 2024
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June 25, 2024
Summary: An exploration of the real work lawyers do and the challenges and opportunities for Christians who practice law.
Did you have the same reaction I did to the title The Servant Lawyer? I thought many would think the phrase an oxymoron. Robert F. Cochran Jr, a practitioner and law professor thinks otherwise. In this book he considers the everyday work of most attorneys and explores the servant opportunities for Christian lawyers. While doing so, he also discusses the challenges and pitfalls attorneys face in this work.
He begins with the client and the importance of seeing him or her as someone God has brought into one’s life. This is important because the cases studied in law school and legal practice tend to depersonalize the client. He addresses affording clients with dignity, respect, love, and dispassionate advice, helping clients weigh their options. He discusses choosing clients, encouraging obedience to the law, and refusing to be complicit in injustice.
Cochran describes lawyers as builders and trustees. In drafting good contracts and helping with compliance issues, they help clients produce good products and flourish while conducting their business lawfully. They offer practical wisdom that help clients determine what is in their best interests in a conflict. This also relates to their role as advocates and peacemakers. He discusses the virtue of the adversary system and why it can be good to make arguments you don’t believe, especially when ensuring a client receives a good defense. Peacemaking, the negotiating of good and fair settlements is also part of this work.
This brings up the work of prosecution and defense. He argues the importance of prosecution for the good of society and the good of the defendant while warning of the dangers of the misuse of prosecutorial power. Likewise, defense attorneys make the state prove its case and observe procedural justice. They can have a role of counseling clients at a crucial juncture in their lives.
Much of the work of the lawyer is outside the courtroom, counseling clients, whether in business practice, estate planning, or civil litigation. Even this is subject to pitfalls. The lawyer can be godfather, hired gun, or guru, rather than approaching clients as one would a friend. He addresses the issue of disputes between Christians and with churches. While conciliation can be helpful in many cases, he notes that where the potential for harm exists or where abuse has occurred, legal recourse may be the only remedy.
Perhaps one of the most powerful chapters is on lawyers as prophets and advocates for the least of these. Cochran draws on the historical example of the Clapham sect, including Granville Sharp, in effecting many reforms including the abolition of slavery. He also cites the importance of legal aid work, highlighting John Robb’s work in this area. He challenges lawyers to tithe their time in legal aid, if possible.
Cochran summarizes the challenges of law practice he has touched on throughout. These include cynicism, pride, insecurity, and the danger of a divided life. He concludes by focusing on the societal importance of lawyers in upholding the rule of law and the personal influence attorneys have. Cochran tells the “rest of the story” of Sidney, a criminal defendant he represented early in his career who is now one of his great encouragers.
What so impressed me about this book is its focus on the everyday work of the vast majority of lawyers I know. He gives practical examples of their opportunities to serve and fleshes out biblical principle. I love to give away books and this is one I’d be excited to give to every attorney I know.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
Did you have the same reaction I did to the title The Servant Lawyer? I thought many would think the phrase an oxymoron. Robert F. Cochran Jr, a practitioner and law professor thinks otherwise. In this book he considers the everyday work of most attorneys and explores the servant opportunities for Christian lawyers. While doing so, he also discusses the challenges and pitfalls attorneys face in this work.
He begins with the client and the importance of seeing him or her as someone God has brought into one’s life. This is important because the cases studied in law school and legal practice tend to depersonalize the client. He addresses affording clients with dignity, respect, love, and dispassionate advice, helping clients weigh their options. He discusses choosing clients, encouraging obedience to the law, and refusing to be complicit in injustice.
Cochran describes lawyers as builders and trustees. In drafting good contracts and helping with compliance issues, they help clients produce good products and flourish while conducting their business lawfully. They offer practical wisdom that help clients determine what is in their best interests in a conflict. This also relates to their role as advocates and peacemakers. He discusses the virtue of the adversary system and why it can be good to make arguments you don’t believe, especially when ensuring a client receives a good defense. Peacemaking, the negotiating of good and fair settlements is also part of this work.
This brings up the work of prosecution and defense. He argues the importance of prosecution for the good of society and the good of the defendant while warning of the dangers of the misuse of prosecutorial power. Likewise, defense attorneys make the state prove its case and observe procedural justice. They can have a role of counseling clients at a crucial juncture in their lives.
Much of the work of the lawyer is outside the courtroom, counseling clients, whether in business practice, estate planning, or civil litigation. Even this is subject to pitfalls. The lawyer can be godfather, hired gun, or guru, rather than approaching clients as one would a friend. He addresses the issue of disputes between Christians and with churches. While conciliation can be helpful in many cases, he notes that where the potential for harm exists or where abuse has occurred, legal recourse may be the only remedy.
Perhaps one of the most powerful chapters is on lawyers as prophets and advocates for the least of these. Cochran draws on the historical example of the Clapham sect, including Granville Sharp, in effecting many reforms including the abolition of slavery. He also cites the importance of legal aid work, highlighting John Robb’s work in this area. He challenges lawyers to tithe their time in legal aid, if possible.
Cochran summarizes the challenges of law practice he has touched on throughout. These include cynicism, pride, insecurity, and the danger of a divided life. He concludes by focusing on the societal importance of lawyers in upholding the rule of law and the personal influence attorneys have. Cochran tells the “rest of the story” of Sidney, a criminal defendant he represented early in his career who is now one of his great encouragers.
What so impressed me about this book is its focus on the everyday work of the vast majority of lawyers I know. He gives practical examples of their opportunities to serve and fleshes out biblical principle. I love to give away books and this is one I’d be excited to give to every attorney I know.
____________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher for review.
July 7, 2024
This thoughtful, well-written book explores how lawyers can integrate their faith with their work. Richard F. Cochran Jr. writes from the perspective of an attorney and a law school professor, and he shows that even though some Christians view the law field as inherently suspect because of the potential for cynicism, deception, and greed, it is a field in which people can serve others and accomplish great good. Cochran shares helpful perspectives on a variety of issues, and he outlines several important roles that lawyers play in society, including lesser-acknowledged opportunities for being advocates and peacemakers. He also engages with tough questions about prosecutors and defense attorneys, and he writes about ways that they can justly serve both individual clients and the common good.
Cochran incorporates Scripture throughout, exploring the biblical precedent for different types of legal work and showing how someone can draw on biblical wisdom when they are faced with tough professional situations. He also illustrates his points with engaging stories, sharing anecdotes from the courtroom, the classroom, and his wider network. These stories give both positive and negative examples, supporting the author's points in clear and memorable ways.
Throughout the book, he speaks to both currently practicing attorneys and to people who are currently in law school or considering a career in this field. I appreciate that he spent so much time writing about different types of law practice, instead of just focusing on criminal law, and he includes specific applications and encouragements about how Christians can resist some of the "moral and spiritual challenges" that they will face in law school and law practice. He also reflects on ways that Christians can challenge injustice within the legal system.
Although legal writing is notorious for being dry and convoluted, Cochran writes in an engaging, down-to-earth style. Throughout the book, he organizes topics in a way that is easy to follow, and his analysis is always clear and easy to understand. I really enjoyed this book, and I appreciate how well Cochran handles a variety of complex topics without oversimplifying them or getting into the weeds of different debates. This is a wonderful primer for people who want to think more deeply about law practice, whether they are currently in the field or not, and I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Cochran incorporates Scripture throughout, exploring the biblical precedent for different types of legal work and showing how someone can draw on biblical wisdom when they are faced with tough professional situations. He also illustrates his points with engaging stories, sharing anecdotes from the courtroom, the classroom, and his wider network. These stories give both positive and negative examples, supporting the author's points in clear and memorable ways.
Throughout the book, he speaks to both currently practicing attorneys and to people who are currently in law school or considering a career in this field. I appreciate that he spent so much time writing about different types of law practice, instead of just focusing on criminal law, and he includes specific applications and encouragements about how Christians can resist some of the "moral and spiritual challenges" that they will face in law school and law practice. He also reflects on ways that Christians can challenge injustice within the legal system.
Although legal writing is notorious for being dry and convoluted, Cochran writes in an engaging, down-to-earth style. Throughout the book, he organizes topics in a way that is easy to follow, and his analysis is always clear and easy to understand. I really enjoyed this book, and I appreciate how well Cochran handles a variety of complex topics without oversimplifying them or getting into the weeds of different debates. This is a wonderful primer for people who want to think more deeply about law practice, whether they are currently in the field or not, and I highly recommend it.
I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews