A lawyer who doesn't know the law

This joke relies on a clever bit of wordplay, specifically a double entendre revolving around the word "appeal." When we say someone "has no appeal," we typically mean they lack charisma, attractiveness, or general likeability. It suggests they're not very engaging or impressive, which would certainly be true of a lawyer who can't even grasp the basics of their own profession. They wouldn't exactly be clients' first choice, nor would they likely make a compelling argument in court.

However, the humor truly lands with the word's legal definition. In the world of law, an "appeal" is a formal request to a higher court to review and potentially reverse the decision of a lower court. This is a highly specialized and intricate process, demanding extensive knowledge of legal precedents, statutes, and procedural rules. A lawyer who "doesn't know the law" would be utterly incapable of successfully filing or arguing such a case. Thus, they literally have "no appeal" in the professional sense, making the punchline a perfect, concise summary of their professional uselessness.