LAWYER MOONLIGHTS AS PORN STAR?!

As if there are not enough lawyer jokes, now the profession has to deal with this. Ronald S. Miller is moonlighting as a porn star. According to the article Mr. Miller has performed in over 90 films and is not breaking any rules of the California Bar. Faaaantastic.

Now while pornography [or adult films or whatever you want to call it] is not my personal cup of tea I realize that quite a large segment of the population finds entertainment value in them. I'm all for personal expression and I am generally in the "as long as it doesn't hurt other people more power to you" camp. However, in this instance I must protest. In the first place many ethics cannons for lawyers have one of those "conduct unbecoming a member of the bar" clauses that basically lets the state's bar association dictate what is and is not acceptable within reason. This is of course to prevent outlandish behavior that is not otherwise specifically prohibited that would embarrass the profession as a whole. [Are you listening Mr. Miller?!] Whether California has a similarly worded rule I do not know - I might try to find out.

However, whether Ronald S. Miller has broken a specific rule is not my concern. I'll leave that to the folks at the California Bar. What concerns me is that the legal profession has a hard enough time gaining the respect of the average citizen. I could wallpaper my house with printed copies of all the comic strips and jokes and jabs made at the expense of lawyers. I am not whining mind you. Some of them are deserved and some of them are downright funny. But I ask you, how comfortable would you be to have the person representing you filing briefs in the morning and taking them off that night on film? Apparently Mr. Miller's clients don't mind - or else they think he is kidding when he tells them of his nocturnal activities. I know I wouldn't believe it if my attorney turned to me and told me such a thing.

Mr. Miller was quoted in the above article as saying:

My whole life, I've been one of those people who sees the wet paint sign and has to go up and touch it to see if it's wet... I want to experience everything, try everything.

I am left wondering if he believes people that fire it hot or did he have to burn himself in order to learn the truth of the matter. Also, exactly how much of an experience is he looking for? Having been in over 90 adult films thus far doesn't he understand what's it's like to be a porn star or is he just a slow learner? And as for sexual experimentation, if that is his goal why does he need to put it on film and share it with the world at large?? Doesn't he have a bedroom at home?

What I am getting at is this - being an attorney requires a certain sense of decorum. There is a professional face on law school graduates. Imagine, just for a moment, the potential embarrassng situations that could arise if the judge or opposing counsel came across one of Mr. Miller's films then had to face him in court or a meeting the next day.

We all worked very hard to get our law degrees and a certain level of respect is warranted - both for our colleagues and ourselves. I think Mr. Miller is lacking that respect. Plainly put, he makes the rest of us look bad. He is a living, breathing lawyer joke, regardless of what his skills may be in a courtroom. Does he have a "right" to do what he does - absolutely. Is he breaking any rules or laws - obviously not since he has been at this for quite some time. It's just plain tacky!!!