Question #7

[Jonetta]

7. Speaking of Belk, was he just inept, not invested in Harry or something else?

[Tracey]

Mmmmm seemed to me a case of "can't be bothered".

[Jonetta]

Oops! I put my answer in the last question. I think his attitude was driven by the department's weak support of Harry and I believe he was inept. Good attorneys always show up no matter their opinion of their clients.

[❆ Crystal ❆]

I think he was just inept. Not a very good lawyer, and I don't think he really liked or believed Harry.

[Jonetta]

I don't think he did either, primarily because his opinions went the way of the wind blowing by the department.

[❆ Crystal ❆]

Jonetta wrote: "I don't think he did either, primarily because his opinions went the way of the wind blowing by the department."

It seemed that he had a bit of a resentment toward police officers as well. Instead of wanting to protect police officers, he looked at it like they could just whatever they wanted and expected the legal team to bail them out. That's a bad outlook for sure, and he quite frankly, needs to find a new job.

[Jonetta]

Yeah, and that next job shouldn't be as a defense attorney. He needs to do regulatory research...something that keeps him away from clients:)

[❆ Crystal ❆]

Jonetta wrote: "Yeah, and that next job shouldn't be as a defense attorney. He needs to do regulatory research...something that keeps him away from clients:)"

TRUE! He's not really a "people person."
I wonder if we'll see him again in future books....

[Jonetta]

I'm only through book 4 so don't know.

[Lauren]

I also think he was inept and he believed Harry was guilty. He was also annoyed that Harry wouldn't agree to settle.

[Jonetta]

Yeah, no basis for him settling either.

[Charlene]

If my memory is functioning, didn't Belk make an outburst to Harry that showed his disbelief in his client and that he didn't want to represent him? Maybe not.
At any rate, he did not have nearly enough experience in courtroom law to face such an overbearing lawyer for the plaintiff. I wonder how he happened to be sent to see that Harry got a fair trial. It did seem, as many of you have said, that there was little outward for support from Harry's peers.

[Lauren]

Belk is the city attorney. He's is the one who defends police officers and other city employees in civil court.

[Jim]

He's not invested in Harry's plight, and resents that Harry didn't agree to settle. I think this portrayal of Belk is a reflection from the author on the trappings of the institution . . . Belk just moves cases along, he's not terribly motivated to excel.

You'd think the city would put up a better fight, just to avoid being penalized millions and embarrassed by Chandler. Again, I think this is the author's jab at the bureaucracy of the institution.

Connelly develops these themes in more nuanced tones throughout the Lincoln Lawyer books, and it's one of my favorite things about that series.