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Justice on Retainer: The Cost of Democracy Sold
By Effenus Henderson
“If we do not maintain justice, justice will not maintain us.” — Francis Bacon
The American legal profession finds itself at a crossroads. At stake is not simply the future of law, but the integrity of justice itself. For if justice can be negotiated, branded, bought, or weaponized, then what remains of our collective contract — our democracy?
This moment demands clarity. Because what we are witnessing is not a series of isolated lapses, but the erosion of a pillar: the unsettling normalization of legal complicity in systemic inequity.
Across the country, some of the most prestigious and powerful law firms — those with the resources to speak truth to power — are instead choosing silence or strategic appeasement. A number of prominent attorneys have quietly resigned rather than aid efforts they believe contradict the rule of law. And yet, many others remain — complying with, or worse, shaping legal strategies that undermine the very principles of liberty, fairness, and constitutional balance.
What is justice?
What is justice when legal counsel defends policies that dismantle food assistance programs for low-income families? When the legal machinery allows disaster response systems to be gutted, leaving the most…
