Editor’s note: This piece from Winston & Strawn white-collar practice chairman Abbe David Lowell is in response to various media coverage of his representation of Hugh Baras, who was seeking resentencing or clemency from a 30-month prison sentence for convictions on tax evasion charges. Lowell’s lawyer, Reid Weingarten, has reportedly denied suggestions that Lowell used his ties as Jared Kushner’s lawyer to help get the clemency petition approved, noting the Kushner representation came after the Baras matter. Baras’ petition was not successful and he served prison time.

Last week, some in the media challenged my integrity for what should have been my  unremarkable work as a lawyer seeking to help someone to make a valid case against  incarceration. My role was questioned, primarily because I later represented a different client, the president’s son-in-law. The resulting news coverage, and especially the more sensational  headlines, triggered the all-too-common flurry of hate mail, threatening voice mails and  anonymous criticisms for doing the very job that attorneys are supposed to do. Why?