A PROFILE IN PROFESSIONALISM

Ronald C. Lewis Marshall & Lewis LLP

I am honored to have been asked to offer my views on professionalism. To me, professionalism means a commitment to excellence, honesty and integrity, and service to the profession and the public. While these “ideals” may seem easy to attain, I believe each component is a discipline to be mastered through constant practice.

My father, who was not a lawyer, taught me the value of pursing excellence for its own sake. As a professional, I remain mindful that there is no substitute for hard work. Perhaps everyone’s greatest challenge is to confront our own weaknesses: resisting the lure of shortcuts and resolving to “get on with what must be done” to do the job right. Every case, large or small, deserves the best work we can perform.

While complete honesty is rarely found in any walk of life, I do not think the legal profession deserves the derision it often receives. We can help overcome any negative public image by remaining mindful of the examples set by the many fine lawyers we know. If there is a common thread connecting that group, it is likely the belief that there is no substitute for truth and that nothing is worth the loss of one’s integrity.

The heart of professionalism is service. Meeting our clients’ needs and abiding by the disciplinary rules are important, but not sufficient. We should also try to make the profession as a whole better in any way that we can. When we do so by helping to devise more fair and efficient rules, participating in our disciplinary system, or putting the needs of the profession, the public and our fellow practitioners above our individual interests, we give life to the spirit of professionalism.