I agree. Lawyers are represented as scumbags because most people cannot mentally comprehend the separation between representing a client and condoling thier behavior. Most people are stupid.
Some lawyers of scum, but most get that rep b/c lay people are dumb!!
Along the same line, the circumstances under which most people encounter lawyers aren't the best (a death in the family, an arrest, etc.). When it comes time to pay the bills, people don't grasp how lawyers can be so "cruel" to demand a large sum of money at such a time.