wow, I'm sorry that my link didn't work for you (have others had a problem?). the article I cited didn't get into this (seemingly) frivolous kind of litigation, but talked about a couple of theories as to why lawyers are so poorly regarded. one is the "'dentist theory' based on the observation that people encounter lawyers at unhappy, painful times in their lives"; the other (more viable) one is the "'bartender theory', which begins with the observation that clients actively seek out many of the lawyers' worst attributes. The vindictive spouse looks for the carpet-bombing divorce lawyer; the dishonest business wants shady help in stiffing its creditors; the person nursing a dubious injury claim looks for the skilled exaggerator."
if we want to get at the real reasons behind the state of the "bar" in the US, we should take a look at these ideas rather than just debunking the urban legends. but that's just me.
