Alice Petry said that Atticus has "become something of a folk hero in legal circles and is treated almost as if he were an actual person." Examples of Atticus Finch's impact on the legal profession are plentiful. Morris Dees says that Atticus Finch was the reason he became a lawyer, and Richard Matsch said that Atticus influenced him greatly. Some people, however, criticize Atticus, saying that he does not use his legal skills to change the racism in his town.