In Shakespeare’s Henry VI, Part II, a supporter of populist rebellion leader Jack Cade sought to make him king. His plan to help Cade was to disrupt society by undermining the rule of law. This supporter, Dick the Butcher, memorably proclaimed, ''The first thing we do, let's kill all the lawyers.” That assertion has been treated as a lawyer joke. However, it was, and has always also been a warning against tyranny. Especially now, during the current presidential administration, lawyers are striving to both fight against corruption and protect our basic civil rights.
Jennifer Taub is a Professor at Vermont Law School where she teaches courses in contracts, corporations, securities regulation, and white collar crime. A graduate of Yale College and Harvard Law School, prior to joining academia she was an associate general counsel at Fidelity Investments. Taub has researched and written extensively about the 2008 financial crisis, including the book, Other People's Houses. She is also the co-author of Corporate and White Collar Crime: Cases and Materials.