Rebellious Lawyering

In this study of the practice of public interest law, the author argues that the failures of activist lawyers can be traced to their inability to shake off the tacit assumptions of their own legal culture.

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Often, the well-intentioned efforts of activist lawyers working within low-income communities have not been effective. In this study of the practice of public interest law, the author argues that these failures can be traced to the inability of activist lawyers to shake off the tacit assumptions of their own legal culture. Weaving his argument around constructed dramatic accounts - scenarios based on years of observation and experience - Lopez builds a case that progressive lawyering demands a rethinking of the practice of law, the needs of the community and the relationship between the two.