You are just about the only one I know who thinks that way about Feiger. Personally, I think the guy is a good lawyer but I believe that in Michigan, lawyers don't much like him. He ran for governor. I would like to see him run for Attorney General. He's quite an actor, he's slick and he's candid, but what is wrong with that? Those would be qualities I would look for if I needed a lawyer.
Law is not logical and legal claims including criminal acts are about winning. I haven't yet figured out where justice fits in. I believe it is only as good as the jury (if one is requested). Too many juries lead with their hearts by internalizing instead of weighing the evidence. I believe this is part of the reason lawyers get a bad rap when a frivolous suit is won and damages are ridiculous. The lawyer is only doing a job, he has a living to make too so why not ask for good pocket money.
Personally, I'll always dislike him because he stiffed an artist friend of mine on a couple of paintings that are the pride of his office. Cheap creep!
I am a lawyer in Michigan. Lawyers don't like him in Michigan because of his personal style and arrogance - not because of a lack of appreciation for his skill - but if you secretly asked the bar - who would you want fighting for you in a public fight, Feiger would win rave reviews.
He'd be a terrible elected official, however. He would have been an awful governor.
I don't agree that legal claims, including criminal acts, are about winning. It's about the system. Adversarial processes, as in criminal proceedings, are to protect the innocent - forcing the prosecution to do their best, to have investigators maintain integrity in the process ensures all of us, who don't commit crimes, that the system will be there to protect us. As to civil proceedings, lawyers have an ethical obligation not to bring frivolous lawsuits - too many lawyers play loose with this obligation and invite the scorn from those that witness these ridiculous awards. But it is a societal problem - we have become a society where personal responsibility is non-existent and it has to be someone else's fault. Until society deals with this in an aggressive way and re-introduces the notion of accountability, without scapegoating, we'll forever fight this battle with unscrupulous lawyers. Lawyers, for their part, have to be circumspect and judge for themselves whether they are advancing the greater good in bringing these ridiculous lawsuits - it's not enough to say, it's there and I need to make a living.