The Lawyer Sub-Aristocracy: A Sociological Look at Legal Status, Power, and Legitimacy
In a society that insists the law is neutral, the legal profession often operates like something else entirely: a status class that mediates power while claiming distance from it. This essay explores the “lawyer sub-aristocracy”—how prestige, credentials, networks, and courtroom culture create a professional layer that shapes who gets heard, who gets believed, and what justice is allowed to look like.