He’s the real-life Saul Goodman.
In the spirit of Goodman, the attorney character on “Breaking Bad” who provides comic relief while openly supporting illegal activity at his law practice, a Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney has an outrageous new ad out online in which he claims to “think like a criminal” and portrays himself as helping guilty people walk free.
“I may have a law degree, but I think like a criminal,” lawyer Daniel Muessig tells viewers in the commercial. “America was built on freedom, not on a bunch of people with more money than you telling you what you can and can’t do with their stupid ‘laws.’ Laws are arbitrary!”
The ad, which needs to be seen to be believed, is a dramatization that starts outside the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas in Pittsburgh. Muessig walks out of court arm-in-arm with an actor portraying a criminal whom Muessig has apparently just helped evade conviction, who turns to the camera and says, “Thanks, Dan!”
The commercial shows several actors playing criminals carrying guns and robbing homes, and a driver picking up a prostitute, all of whom cheerfully say to the camera, “Thanks, Dan!”
In the ad, Muessig offers his services on cases ranging from murder and arson to burglary, bank robbery and assault.
“I’m the Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney Pittsburgh criminals hire when they commit crimes,” Muessig boasts.
Attorneys are required to follow rules of professional conduct in their advertising, but on Twitter Muessig said his ad is within the necessary boundaries.
Muessig is licensed to practice across the state, although it’s none too likely he’ll appear in any Philly courtrooms.
At least one local attorney, Leo Mulvihill, was not amused by Muessig’s ad.
.@ThanksDanEsq: A real lawyer with a real ad more disgraceful than fictional lawyer Saul Goodman’s. Way to go. Enjoy your 15 minutes.
— Leo M Mulvihill, Jr (@FishtownLawyer) March 7, 2014
View Muessig’s full advertisement below.
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