Divorced from emotion, representation even for the most despicable of organizations powers the feedback loop of the judicial system, allowing it to set precedents, identify holes in law, etc.

I think the dynamics of defence and prosecution don't end at "One defends, one prosecutes". Defence forces Prosecution to devise a bulletproof case, they promote rigorous case preparation and ensure legal integrity. It's the same reason why we have opposition parties in politics. Without defence, how comprehensive would the prosecutions case be? Further illegal activity commited by the defendent gets uncovered all the time by prosecution, during the trial, due to the pressures applied on the prosecution by the defence.

Yes, the chemical companies actively poisoning the people should be burned to the ground, but, for the judicial system to function, they should receive zealous representation, and those representing them, should not be viewed as less-than.

That's my current take on it. Happy to be called naive and discuss this further.

This is the biggest injustice in the world today. So much corporate harm is caused by their impunity. If I commit some kind of fraud that results in deaths of 10 people, I will probably get life sentence. But corporations do it routinely and nobody goes to jail.

They are only people when it suits them.