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I’m Jewish. I am also a lawyer in Illinois. I do not know if I “look” or “sound” Jewish, so when people call me looking for a recommendation for an attorney, maybe they assume they can talk a certain way.
Of the thousands of people I talk to every year, some will ask me if I know any good Jewish attorneys. The question is almost never asked by someone who is actually Jewish. Just last month, someone called me and said they want to hire a Jewish medical malpractice lawyer in Chicago.
Whenever this happens, my immediate response is to say something like, “Why do you care what religion a lawyer is?” Here are some of the responses I have received:
- I have heard they are better attorneys.
- They are known for being aggressive.
- They really like money so they can get me the most for my case.
- They fight dirty.
- Jewish people stick together and most of the Judges are Jewish.
- They are great negotiators.
These responses range from naive all the way to anti-semetic. If someone seems just naive, I am happy to help them. If they are anti-semetic, that is not somebody I want to get involved with.
A lot of people are just ignorant. I grew up in Northbrook which is a pretty Jewish suburb. It was not until I got to college that I met people who had never met a Jewish person before. So while I will blame someone for being a bigot, I do not blame them for being ignorant. It is not your fault if you are a victim of how you were raised and have not been exposed to other people.
That said, I do tell people that their comments are offensive and try to have a calm discussion to explain why. It is important to have this discussion and let people know these are offensive stereotypes. It is no different than any other awful stereotype about any other religion, race or gender.
The reality is that there are amazing Jewish lawyers, so-so Jewish lawyers and terrible ones. The same goes for black, Irish, Christian, Asian, Hispanic or any other group of people. I have seen lawyers go above and beyond to get amazing results and I have seen lawyers who steal from their clients or do not fight for them. Race, religion, gender, etc. is not a predictor of success.
This is way different than saying you want a Russian car accident lawyer because you speak Russian or a female lawyer because you have been sexually assaulted and that would make you more comfortable.
The bottom line is that we will listen to what your case is about and discuss any personal needs that you have. After that we will always recommend an attorney that is the best fit for your situation and gives you a chance at the best possible outcome.
