OK, she's snarky...but can she be a good lawyer?
…but not an untrustworthy arrogant jerk!
Marilyn Ringstaff, a 2006 graduate of John Marshall Law School, had to pay a $250 fine as a result of a minor traffic accident she was a first year law student. She represented herself in court, challenging Abe Lincoln’s Rule that “If you represent yourself you will have a fool for a client and a jack-ass for a lawyer,” and then proved Abe correct—on both counts— when she argued on appeal that her own representation was ineffective.
Ringstaff paid the fine and sent along an obnoxious note with two smiley faces, reading, “Keep the change—put into a police/judicial education fund. I can certainly say this has been an educational experience. I am now a second-year law student and can honestly relate to what a crooked and inequitable system of ‘justice’ we have.”
Georgia’s Board to Determine Fitness of Bar Applicants took offense, and recommended that she should not be allowed to take the bar exam. It cited the note and her defense tactics, along with comments Ringstaff made during an informal board interview that “every police officer lies.”
The Georgia Supreme Court rejected the board’s conclusions, and Ringstaff’s path to a legal career is unencumbered. I agree with the opinion. Her snottiness and arrogance are hardly out of character for many in the legal profession, and at least there is a chance that she will mature, improve, and learn from this close call. More likely of course, is that a profession with more than its share of jerks just embraced another one.
That doesn’t mean, however, that she won’t be a terrific lawyer for her clients. In the hierarchy of values for the legal profession, that’s what matters most.
Ethics Alarms 
Terrific lawyer? If she’s wise enough to move to Illinois, a lucrative political career is awaiting her!
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You have no idea of what you speak! Marilyn Ringstaff is one of the most ethical, honest people one would ever care to meet. She works very hard in our community to champion women’s health. She is a nurse/midwife and provides low cost health care to women who can’t afford to go to an OB/GYN.
Just what have you done for mankind lately?
Did you read the post? Seems not. I didn’t say she was unethical. I said exactly the opposite. I said that her track record so far has the mark of jerkism…and it does.
And this is what happens when people read the title without reading the article.
Yes, I’ve been getting a lot of that lately. Also people reading the post without checking intra-Ethics Alarms links, which are there to explain context or to prevent my repeating myself even more than I already do.
And people who skim the post and miss whole sections that they promptly argue should have been mentioned in the post. My personal favorites, however, are the “why do you criticize trivial issue X when mega-issue Y is so much more crucial?” comments when I’ve written about five posts on Y already.
You know, I could write one hell of a parody of “I’ve Got A Little List” about this…
This is a hilarious article. I’ve worked with Ms. Ringstaff for 6 years–she is my mentor, my role model and my friend. The thing about Ms. Ringstaff is that she is not afraid to ask questions, speak out or call people out on their bullshit. She is not, as you propose, another arrogant jerk who lies and thrives off of the misfortune, ill health and vulnerability of individuals. She never speaks anything but the truth and all that she does is for others–with no monetary compensation in return. She pursued law school so that she could better understand our legal system surrounding health care–so that she could serve our community to the best of her ability. She is an advocate for all women in our community. How can one be an advocate without first advocating for herself? So, while your story is correct, your sarcastic depiction of Ms. Ringstaff is far from reality. Mr. Marshall, come visit our clinic next time you are in Rome, GA. Women of W.O.R.T.H., Inc. You could write some interesting stories about the serious ethics alarms happening in our healthcare and public health systems in Northwest Georgia.
–Kristen Sheeley
I answer your unfair and factually incorrect post here. I really hate comments that criticize what I never said, and this is one of the most blatant. Give my regards to Marilyn..and remind her that I wasn’t the one to raise this embarrassing incident after three years.