I love good lawyers because you can disagree with them and they won’t take your disagreement as a personal attack.

In the New York Times, Maira Kalman’s “And May it Please the Court” is a wonderful graphic narrative of her musings on, among other things, law, a visit to the Supreme Court, and Ruth Bader Ginsburg.  One panel of the piece does not begin to do it justice, but the one below makes a wonderful point that I try all the time to get across to my students — when you and your adversary treat each other as professionals, practicing law is a joy. There is no point in doing it any other way.  You can’t take your adversary’s disagreement personally — she is paid to disagree with you, and it’s her professional duty to do so.  But when your adversary doesn’t treat you professionally, you have to fight back too.  Not by descending to her level, but by being tough, better prepared, and smarter.  At any rate, I am glad Ms. Kalman saw the legal practice at its best on that day she visited the Court. And I wish more people I know, especially those who have law degrees and consider themselves legal experts, would realize disagreement is not hostility. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Ms. Kalman wonders how people handle the idea that their adversaries are not their enemies.