[rayiner]

When a class-action lawyer sues to enforce anti-trust laws, at least theoretically he is creating wealth. The transfer of money is incidental to an enforcement system that seeks to control the incentive structure of monopolists. Monopolies, of course, create deadweight losses in the economy. Avoidance of deadweight losses are functionally equivalent to creation of wealth.

Now, I'd certainly argue that entrepreneurs create more wealth more effectively. That said, the more we learn about economics the more situations we find where market failures undermine efficient allocations of productive capital. And by and large our solution to those market failures has involved writing laws which are enforced in many cases by plaintiff's lawyers.