One of the “life lessons” I’m trying to raise my children with is:

Before you say it to reflect:

• Is it True?
• Is it Nice??
• Is it Necessary???

If they cannot answer “yes” to all three questions, then they are to keep their mouths shut. It’s a work in progress.

Unfortunately, many legal professionals — LAWYERS — have not learned this simple lesson in their 19+ years of education.

Above the Law has the tragic story today of a young lawyer who was “allegedly” murdered by her ex-spouse (wait, I’m not a reporter, I can say it! HE DID IT!). I am an alum of that firm and clicked through the headline to see if it was someone I knew (it was not).

The details are tragic enough, but the ATL disclaimer before the comments section is more so:

Ed. note: If you must comment, please be restrained, respectful, and appropriate. This thread will be moderated and inappropriate comments will be removed. That said, reasonable people will disagree about what is inappropriate. Therefore, if you are a relative or friend of Stoudt, we urge you NOT to read the comments on this post. The comments are hidden; please do not affirmatively click on them unless you are willing to interact with Above the Law commenters. Thank you.

I’m sorry. What does it say about us as a profession when this type of a disclaimer has to be added to a story of a murdered mother of five on an industry blog? Granted, it’s a tabloid blog, but I’ve read the comments on the WSJ Law Blog, and they can be just as crass, if not more so.

Let me throw on my “mom” hat here. Just because …

• you are capable of saying something, doesn’t mean you should;
• you can stand behind an anonymous screen name, doesn’t make it your comments funny or appropriate;
• you have a law degree does not make you intelligent, nor does it make you a decent human being.

I know this rant won’t change anything, but I feel better now.