There is a major two-fer going on at David Giacalone's ethicalEsq?, featuring the knockout combination of lawyers, liars and the Bard of Avon®.

First, David dissects and elucidates the widespread view that lawyers have a somewhat . . . flexible relationship with the truth. He is particularly scornful of those Public Faces of the profession who insist that we are merely Misunderstood, and that the right public relations strategy would set things right. He is not buying what these worthies are selling:

"The profession acts as if it only has an image problem and not a fundamental crisis. . . ."

My message to the legal profession: You do need more PR, but it must be Professional Responsibility, not Public Relations. Image crafting only sounds like more deception to the average (and above-average) American. Like more lies. Lost trust has to be earned the hard way -- client by client, case by case, with the focus on competence, diligence, and loyalty toward the client; on responsibility toward society rather than toward guild and gelt; on vigorous overseeing rather than overlooking of ethical rules; and on service rather than self-importance.

BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE! David goes on, in this same post, to rip the lid off a particularly scandalous deception: No matter what your lawyer may claim to the contrary, Shakespeare quite possibly did want to "kill all the lawyers."

I counsel you to read the whole thing.

And I, for one, will be watching my back next time I'm at The Globe.