Well, my wife is lawyer, and I can honestly say that I'm proud to be married to her *because* of the profession that she is in, and more accurately, the way that she conducts herself within that field of practice.
Frankly it's as irresponsible to make sweeping generalizations such as "all lawyers are scum of the Earth", as it is to classify ANY group of people based on their profession, color, religion, etc. Are there jerks and sleeze out there that fit your description? Sure. But there are plenty of others that actually DO follow a code of ethics and represent their clients to the best of their ability without playing games or "bending the law to their will".
irwincur - yeah, Texas' limit to "frivelous lawsuits" over medical malpractice is great isn't it ? Oops, the doctor removed a limb instead of removing my tonsils --- well, at least that doctor is protected by a monetary limit ($250,000) to what he can sued for --- I'm SURE he'll be more careful next time, and that $250,000 sure does compensate me for the loss of an arm or leg.
Tort reform can easily lead to lack of accountability if not implemented correctly, and can only serve to protect insurance companies.