Totally different dynamics this time. The establishment was solidly behind McCain in 2008 and Romney in 2012. Now the establishment candidates have either dropped out or should because of how badly they are doing. Now the leading two candidates are people they don't like. Rubio keeps saying he can unite the party but he can't because no Trump or Cruz supporter would ever vote for him. And Kasich? LOL. Romney campaigning for him is just laughable.
So, here are the facts.
1) Everybody hates Trump besides his current 30 to 40% of voters.
2) Everybody hates Cruz besides his current 20 to 30% of voters.
3) Everybody hates Rubio besides his current 10 to 20% of voters.
4) Kasich? Who the hell is Kasich? Most see him as a weaker Rubio.
5) Rand Paul is the candidate that most Republicans like at least on some level even if he wasn't their choice for president.
6) Rand Paul is able to get along with the establishment.
7) Nobody else the establishment might pick would have a prayer of winning.
Those are the indisputable, undeniable facts. That leaves the RNC with four choices.
1) Just let things continue as they are and get behind the candidate with the most delegates regardless of whether or not he gets enough to win outright. That will be Trump.
2) Swallow their pride and hatred for Cruz who called their dear leader Mitch McConnell a "liar" on the senate floor and maneuver the nomination to him. Some Trumpettes will get on board. Many won't. Alex Jones will go ape$#@! with CFR/Goldman Sachs conspiracy theories and Michael Savage may very well follow suit.
3) Maneuver the nomination to Marco "Amnesty" Rubio who really isn't any worse than Donald "super expensive Amnesty" Trump. No Trumpettes will get on board. Alex Jones, Michael Savage, Mark Levin, Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh will go ape$#@! over that move. Same with going for Kasich. Same with going with any other obvious establishment nominee.
4) Get someone like Rand Paul. It will be much more difficult for the above mentioned talk radio personalities to go ape$#@! over that. Rand Paul can bridge the gap between establishment and non establishment.
Choice 4 is the obvious best choice for the GOP which is probably why they won't do it. But this has nothing to do with "lawyers" at all. It's all politics and strategy and whether or not people in power are willing to work for their own best interests. Donald Trump will destroy the GOP one way or the other if choice 4 isn't enacted. If the GOP goes with choice 1, either Donald Trump loses to Hillary (very possible) or wins and follows up on some of his actual promises like a total assault weapons ban and deporting 11 million then bringing most of the back "rapidly", or he actually turns out to be a good president because he doesn't actually do anything he said he would do. But that would make his supporters ultimately feel betrayed. (Well....they might be okay with him not doing the assault weapons ban.)
Choices 2 and 3 will badly split the party as many Trumpettes will feel betrayed by the party.
Trumpets may feel betrayed by choice 4, but likely less so.