The Rag: Articles

Law Collective Cures Perry Mason Palsy

by Glenn Scott
The Rag, October 7, 1974, Volume 9, Number 1; p.2

Law Collective

One of the oldest law collectives in the U.S. celebrated its 5th birthday last week with open house, open board, and open bar. The firm was originated in 1969 by Cam Cunningham and Jim Simons to carry out their radical political beliefs, not just after 5pm and on weekends, but through their careers. Since then the group has grown to 6 lawyers, 2 legal workers, and 1 law clerk. Their offices are located at 501 W. 12th St. in a well preserved, rambling two-story house.

Members were refreshingly candid about their political views. Bobby Nelson, one of Austin’s first feminist lawyers, explained, “Our radical politics is what brings us together.” The Collective activates its political beliefs by fighting 2 pillars of traditional law practice e: professionalism and capitalism. To attack professionalism and the hierarchies it implies, the Collective pays every member equal salaries. Bobby said, “We believe our clerk and our legal workers are as valuable to the process of presenting a case as the lawyer in the courtroom.”

Their strategy against capitalism is no less direct. Many liberals have bemoaned the evils of the system, while disgustedly kicking the tires of their Grand Prix, or angrily slamming a fist down on their Ethan Allen furniture, or nervously fingering their $500 turquoise Hishi necklace. The Collective’s answer to this “Waddya gonna do?” attitude is to simply but resolutely step of that race track for rodents. With the money that might have gone to Joske’s or Horizon Corporation, they are able to work on cases that they are politically sympathetic with, defending groups that are unable to pay. Cam Cunningham and Brady Coleman (another member) spent seven weeks on the Gainesville 8 conspiracy trial defining the VVAW. This summer Bobby represented an Austin massage parlor indicted for prostitution.

Cam and Brady are currently defending the Houston 12, a sparsely publicized conspiracy trial wrapped in translucent gauze and labeled “criminal case”. The 12 are members of Youth Against War and Fascism, who, with 13 other co-members picketed a Houston synagogue on Oct. 9, 1973 in protest of U.S. military aid to Israel. Brady said that an anniversary demonstration is to be held in Houston next week for the 12. (We’ll be doing an in-depth article on the case in an upcoming Rag.)

Most of us have learned that money only blossoms on a rare species of tree that thrives in exotic climes such as the front yards of Cadillac dealers, bank executives and regents. Not having this fertile “greenery”, if you will, at their disposal, the Collective charges fees for non-political cases (i.e., divorce, drug cases, etc.). These constitute about 50-60% of the work load; the remaining energy is plugged into political cases for which defendants can rarely pay. In fact, Brady believes that the government has cleverly realized that, although the likelihood of a conviction is doubtful, the financial paralysis of a long drawn out trial on the defendant achieves the desired result.

With their 5th anniversary celebration the Collective, it seems to me, has tottered a third bastion of the law profession: The Cocktail Party. Devotees of The Cool, The Hip, and The Slick were hard to find. The early disappearance of the potato salad, ham and homemade bread was replaced with old friends, camaraderie, warmed with a little juice and a lot of joviality. To Cam Cunningham, Jim Simons, Bobby Nelson, Brady Coleman, Meg Stone, John Howard, Julie Howell, Bill Schieffelin, and Vivan Mahlab: Happy Birthday and many more!


First 12 issues of The Rag are available online.