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 The Green Bag Volume XXIV

February, 1912

Number 2

The Law in Milwaukee BY DUANE MOWRY, LL.B. OF THE MILWAUKEE BAR THE approximate number of ad mitted attorneys residing in the city of Milwaukee, the metropolis of the state of Wisconsin, is seven hundred. This includes those who are in the active practice of the law, as well as those who are engaged in other lines of endeavor, and those who are not ac tively engaged in any line of work at all. It is probably quite close to the actual facts to say that there are five hundred practising attorneys in Mil waukee who are using the profession as a means of livelihood, either in whole or in good part. Of the remainder, it may be said that most of them are en gaged in mercantile pursuits; a few have drifted into other professions; and a few, on account of old age and having a competence, have retired to private life. The number of lawyers who have made a financial success of the practice of the legal profession residing in Milwaukee is, indeed, quite small. There are a goodly number of well-to-do members of the Milwaukee bar, but their financial worth was secured outside of the legiti mate practice of the law. Investments in real estate and in other ventures assisted in making the fortunes for

these lawyers. One does not find the royal road to great wealth in the prac tice of the law in Milwaukee. But this is a digression. The courts of Milwaukee consist of the United States Circuit Court; the United States District Court; six State Circuit Courts; two County or Pro bate Courts; one Municipal Court; one District Court; seven Civil Courts; one Juvenile Court; and Justices Courts, which are not courts of record, and which, on account of recent legislation, are not likely to do much business here after. The state courts of record abovementioned are all very busy in dispos ing of the litigation brought before them. The United Slates courts are not so busy, although the bankruptcy proceedings do bring considerable busi ness into the district court. The United States courts are similar to those elsewhere in the country and have like jurisdiction. Hon. William H. Seaman, a resident of Sheboygan, in this state, was promoted from district judge to the position of presiding judge of this court on the retirement of Judge James G. Jenkins, who had reached the age limit. Judge Seaman is a clean-cut, affable gentleman and of undoubted