I can see how a person that only knows about law what they read in the headlines could come to that conclusion, but painting lawyers with a broad brush as you have is no more of a generalization than me saying that every Facebook employee is devoid of morals and ethics.
> Family law? If you're advocating that human perspective for the opposing party, are you failing your duty to your client?
They shouldn't be advocating the opposing party's human perspective in court, but they certainly should be doing it privately to the client. Things will usually work out better for them if they can reach an amicable compromise out of court rather than having to engage in protracted legal battles with their own family.
> Prosecutors? Not sure they have that discretion.
Prosecutors absolutely have that discretion. They don't have to take every case to court and they don't have to seek the harshest allowable punishment for every case they do take to court. They are supposed to be serving the public interest, not seeking to imprison as many people as possible.