Intelligence
The lawyers, regardless of firm, seemed to share the opinion that the fundamental character trait of their clients was that they were mentally lacking. Indeed, lawyers seemed at pains to emphasise this supposed stupidity as frequently as possible, as shown below:
I wouldn't waste my time listening to that client.
She doesn't know what she's saying. I know how to talk to her - you have to tell her things. You see, she's not worth listening to. Total brain dead. You know the sort?(Jerry, Crown Court clerk, Swining MacSage, IC)
This one is a complete and utter idiot. I hate having to deal with him; he must be one of the stupidest criminals in the city. You'll see what I mean, he really is thick.
(Maddie, police station clerk, Radcliffe and Musk, IC) Lawyers, though, were not simply offering an analytic judgement of their clients; they were using this device to make fun of the clients. The clients' intelligence had great value as comedic material, presenting something of a currency between lawyers as they sought to outdo one another with their tales, as follows:
I’m going down to see Mr Pattinson [client]. Oh! He’s such an idiot [laughs]!
(Laura, solicitor, Swining MacSage, OR - to a colleague)
It’s an offence to real criminals to call this a fraud [laughs]. It’s a joke. How stupid must this man be? Oh Gosh! I can’t believe it, says he’s 30. It’s just so childish, only a child would think he could get away with that. I mean, he seemed intelligent, he was articulate. But he’s a fool! We have to tell Catherine [solicitor] about this one! She’ll love it.
(Leland, solicitor, Radford Hope, IC)
[Lawyer One] Bit thick is he?
[Lawyer Two] Like you wouldn’t believe [laughs].
[Lawyer One] Well, I had one the other day...
(Dale and Ed, senior partners, Swining MacSage, OR) Lack of intelligence did not stand in isolation as an identifying trait; rather, it seemed to underpin an assessment of the moral culpability of clients.