Most lawyers have been asked that questions multiple times. We all have our own answers, and if you’re like me, the answer may change to fit the circumstances of the question.

However, last night, watching the (ultimately) failed coup taking place in Washington DC, I was reminded of why I became a lawyer.

The legal system creates a set of rules and norms that regulates all of us. At its core, it stops society falling into chaos, where the strong prey on the weak, and anarchy rules. Ironically, the reason for the attempted coup last night, was because the system worked and judges across the US threw out every attempt by the Trump administration to prove voter fraud and the legislature were doing their job – the only avenue left for those “protesters” was the chaos and violence that was on display last night.

But it did not work.

American democracy, and the American legal system was strong enough to defeat those who wanted to subvert it. It was messy, and noisy, and took longer than it should have (and tragically took 4 lives), but it worked.

I was incredibly proud to be a lawyer last night. To be a (very small) part of a system that has defeated tyranny and anarchy across the world and did so again in the US yesterday.

And I know it might not seem like that when you’re 14 hours into a mediation and nobody wants to settle, or it’s midnight on completion day and you still haven’t agreed the draft, but we are all part of that system, and we should ALL be proud.

David Calder, Managing Director at Cashroom