Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 22.pdf/15

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The Bar and the Young Man

I.

5

THE YOUNG MAN AND THE BAR

In the ﬁrst place, every young man who can, should, before taking up the study of law, have at least one year in college. I do not believe that this is essential to the making of a good law

failure of a trial at one of the bar exam inations of their state. I remember that when I took my examination there was a man taking it with me who had practised law in another state, so he

yer; but, other things being equal, it will

told me, for seventeen years.

assuredly enable the one who takes it to pass in the race others who have not had such an advantage. In the next

man had to take three examinations before he succeeded in passing one of them. There seems to be a difference between a successful practitioner and a good lawyer. The consummation devoutly to be wished is that you may become both a good lawyer and a suc cessful practitioner. It is very true that “the best way to learn to practise

place, when he takes up the study of law, he should do so in a law school, and

in a law school of reputable standing. The law school comes ahead of all methods I know of. But this article is written as much for the young man who

But that

cannot go to law school as for him who

law is to practise law "; but if you know

can. So I say again that the law school is not essential. It is in the college that men give their entire time and study to making lawyers of you, men who are thoroughly trained and deeply interested

enough law to pass the right kind of bar examination, the practice will come easily enough. Some matters of prac

in their work. But you will ﬁnd just as good teachers in law offices as you will ﬁnd in law schools: the fact which offsets this status is that it is very diﬁi cult to ﬁnd a practising lawyer who will give his time to you. But if you cannot go to a law school, take up your study in a lawyer's office, if possible in the office of one who will help you by explaining diﬁiculties that you meet in your reading, and quizzing you regularly on the matter you have read. You should not make the mistake of believing that you can learn more by looking after small matters for the law yer than by reading your text-books.

tice you ought to know, of course, and

some day the bar is going to require that you know them before it will allow you the privilege of displaying to the admiring public your framed license, or an unframed one, for that matter. But

that must come in addition to the text book reading, and not as a substitute for it. As a preliminary warning, let me ad vise you not to put very much faith in correspondence schools. I am inclined to believe that these schools depend for

their success on a new crop of young

in a certain line of work; but what you

men each year, rather than on any repu tation they have made for efﬁciency and straightforwardness. I believe that the law can be successfully taught by cor respondence; but whether or not it is now being done by any person or school

want is to prepare for entrance to the

is a diﬁerent question.

bar, and such preparation is very differ

Taking it for granted that you have found it impractical to attend a law school, I assume you will be interested in a few of the steps you should take in

The former will prepare you for practice

ent from preparing for any one phase

of actual practice.

Some of our most

successful practitioners would make a