question for/about pro-gun attornies

[Matt Bower]

This is a rather wordy post, but I hope someone on the board can provide me with a few leads. I'm especially interested in hearing from attornies who have specific applicable info, but anyone who thinks they have anything at all to contribute, PLEASE reply.

Since I'm new to this forum (used to be a regular on GunTalk at Shooters.com), let me briefly introduce myself. I'm 29, currently a Marine officer stationed in Georgia. I am leaving the Corps this summer, for a variety of reasons. Probaby first among them is that I have decided the greatest threat to America (as our forefathers knew it) isn't armed conflict with a foreign power--it's Americans! That being the case, I figure I can do more to ensure Americans' continued freedom as a civilian than I can as a Marine.

I hope to start law school this fall. I've already accepted an offer of admission at a law school in Virginia, and am now just trying to figure out how to finance the whole deal without starving my wife and two daughters. My primary motivation in wanting to become an attorney is that I'm tired of seeing money-grubbing hired guns and frothing-at-the-mouth liberal scumbags trying to litigate away our RKBA freedoms. (I have similiar concerns about other civil liberties, but the Second Amendment is by far closest to my heart. As long as it's preserved, any other problems are fixable.) SOMEONE needs to step up and fight back against those guys, and I very much want to be one of those "someones!"

My question, finally, is this: after I get my J.D., how do I get into this fight, on the right side? I know there are attornies out there doing this sort of work (Second Amendment Foundation's lawsuit against the American Council of Mayors proves it), but I've had very little luck finding out who they are, where they practice, or how I become one of them. I have uncovered some public interest firms with libertarian/conservative leanings and interest in civil liberties issues, but none that appear to be heavily into RKBA issues. I've tried contacting the Second Amendment Foundation for information, but have struck out at every turn. (I don't even know if SAF uses in-house attornies, or has developed a working relationship with one or more private firms.) I have also sent e-mails to the NRA and GOA asking the same sorts of questions, but haven't received a reply from either. So I've resorted to throwing the issue out to large groups of potentially interested observers, and seeing who bites. Can anyone out there provide me with any intel on this topic?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

 

[Ledbetter]

Matt,

Those are pretty hard questions. RKBA cases make up a very tiny percentage of the law business. Because of that, it's hard to find a steady source of these types of cases.

I was a public defender for six years and handled many cases involving firearms. Very few of these were RKBA-related. In any event you probably don't want to specialize in criminal law.

That leaves constitutional law as the specialty next most likely to involve you in RKBA cases. You should accept that other types of constitutional cases will probably comprise most of your business in the beginning at least. The best way, when you are starting out, may be to get on a referral list kept by a state RKBA organization as an attorney who will represent persons accused of violating firearms laws.

After you obtain a law degree and some courtroom experience, you can always teach to pay the bills and only take the cases that you want.

Good luck.

Ledbetter

 

[David Scott]

I'm not a lawyer, but I have suggestions.

I would think that you could start by letting it be known that you will defend legally armed citizens in "wongful death" suits resulting from the citizen perforating a malefactor with justification. There are lawyers out there who will not take this on. I don't suggest you do this as pro bono work, but you might be accommodating about payment schedules and so on. I imagine your local gunshop and range owners would consider posting a "Shooter-Freindly Lawyer" ad on their bulletin boards. You might even find yourself doing work for the shops and ranges, which is all to the good. Word of mouth is important.

Look up all the RKBA-related lawsuits you can and find out which law firms are on the RKBA side of the equation. It's all public records, if anyone gives you static quote the Freedom of Information Act. This will give you the names of firms you can apply to for jobs, if you're not planning an individual practice.

 

[Coinneach]

Matt, since you posted the same topic in Legal/Political (which is really where it belongs anyway), let's do this: I'll move this thread to L/P and close the other thread there.