Power
You're about as powerful as cigarettes are addictive. Which means you’re really, really powerful. Ever year, tobacco directly or indirectly employs close to a million people. Not to mention the other ten billion dollars in revenue raised from taxes. The fate of a multi-billion dollar industry more or less rests in your hands. No big deal.
And every win for you also directly impacts the lives of the 40 million adults in the U.S. who smoke, from where and when to how much they can smoke. That's a lot of people, their cigarettes, and their health riding on your performance in the courtroom.
But wait, there's more. Your power extends way beyond the tobacco industry. At this point, “Big Tobacco” is old news. The newest issue is “Big Food.” How far should we—gulp—regulate the food industry? You can bet these lawyers are going to be looking to your arguments and your cases and tobacco litigation for example defenses. This isn't just a job. You're shaping the way governments will regulate everything.