Should The Robes Go?

As the current trend to self-representation increases, regardless the reason, one must ask if the tradition of lawyers appearing before Courts, above the Ontario Court of Justice, ought to continue the traditional legal wearing of robes. In the past, the wearing of a robe was intended to create a level playing field so the best and snappiest dressed lawyer (regardless of sex) had no apparent advantage over opposing counsel who might appear to have spent the night (or several nights) sleeping in the same clothes in which he was now wearing before the Courts. One can hardly argue with the premise for doing so. Similarly, and less recently, counsel before the Courts wore wigs. That tradition was abandoned a long time ago. Now, many counsel appear to the Court obviously disadvantaged by the loss of hair when up against counsel with long, flowing manes. Maybe the answer is to bring back the wigs and get rid of the robes.