Final answer:
It is standard practice in real estate to have closing documents reviewed by an attorney. The provided context does not clearly indicate if Tom was right or wrong, but prioritizing clients' rights to legal counsel is a professional responsibility.
Step-by-step explanation:
Based on the provided excerpts, it cannot be discerned definitively whether Tom was right in discouraging his clients from taking the closing documents to an attorney.
However, the standard practice in real estate transactions is to ensure all documents are reviewed by the client's legal counsel.
The excerpts suggest a complex situation with a character named Bartleby whose behavior led to various professional complications and legal considerations.
Professional advice should typically prioritize the client's rights to due diligence and legal scrutiny of documents, which includes review by an attorney if desired by the client.
This is to ensure that all contractual obligations are clearly understood and any potential legal issues are identified and addressed before finalizing a transaction.