A lawyer’s job is to ensure the proper processes are followed in terms of both the letter of the law, and evidence gathering. A defence lawyer makes sure that the state doesn’t cut corners in the execution of justice, which is necessary for our society to not turn into a police state. (Note that this doesn’t actually work because police aren’t required to follow the law, but it would be even worse if there weren’t defence lawyers). A prosecution lawyer in turn ensures the defence is following the law and that the best possible case is made against the defendant, so that murderers and rapists don’t walk. I agree though that prosecutors who send people to prison for smoking weed should circumcise themselves as penance for being assholes.

Ultimately lawyers are a very important part of our law system, and if it weren’t for all the extrajudicial killings, harassment, violence against protesters, wife beating, black people beating, overpolicing, gun-toting, arresting without probable cause, threatening, and being scum that cops do, lawyers would be ensuring that we have a safe society. Unfortunately in our capitalist system of law, all they can do is stop you from being literally enslaved for something you didn’t do. Which is still something.