DEAR MISS MANNERS: As a lawyer, due to the nature of my work and the nature of the law, I’m frequently in the position of having to give unwelcome news to clients. This often results in entirely unwarranted verbal abuse — a version of shooting the messenger. While I sympathize with clients’ frustrations, and with personal challenges that may aggravate their responses to a situation, at times it is very difficult to take. Is it more polite to 1. simply be silent and end the conversation quickly; 2. try to continue explaining, in hopes of advancing a client’s understanding; or 3. object to pers…