Page:The Green Bag (1889–1914), Volume 24.pdf/87

 The Green Bag may entertain a different view, I hold charge of his functions as an aid to the the opinion that the American bar, as a courts in the administration of justice; whole, has declined in popular confidence hence he develops a growing disinclina and respect in some very important tion towards those functions. particulars. If I believed that this de A few years ago I happened to be cline was permanent and beyond remedy asking a member of one of the most suc I doubt if I should have the courage to cessful law firms in a western city some venture this opinion. But as I do not thing with reference to the procedure in so believe, I shall proceed to state the his local court. "Oh!" said he, "I grounds of my opinion with the less hesi know nothing about that. We never tation. In the first place, I do not wish go into court; when we have a case that for a moment to be understood as saying must be tried we send one of the boys or believing that any loss of popular es in the office to try it." That was his teem which the profession may have exact language. It made such an im suffered in these later years has been due pression on my mind that I have never to any deterioration in the character of forgotten it. the individual lawyer. It is true, of Doubtless the case which I have thus course, today, but no more than it was cited is an extreme one — not all law fifty years ago, that a certain percentage firms conduct their practice in that way of shysters and tricksters are to be found — certainly not in Maryland. Nevertheless it is undoubtedly true at the bar. There is a certain percent age, and always has been, of men of this that in the great cities of this country character in all professions, trades and (and it is the cities that furnish the bulk lines of business. When I speak of law of the litigation for our courts) there has yers in this paper I am not speaking of been a steady drift in the direction of that class, and I entertain no doubt just such a practice. The usual course of a successful city whatever that the typical American lawyer of today is no whit inferior in lawyer is something like this — he be character or intellect to his predecessor gins his career by making a reputation of fifty or one hundred and fifty years for ability and skill as an advocate in the ago. The phenomenon which I am dis trial of cases in court. As he advances cussing is due to altogether different in years this reputation, if accompanied by a belief on the part of the public in causes. What I shall have to say on this point his integrity and trustworthiness, brings refers almost entirely to the lawyers of him an increasing business. Much the great cities. The status of the coun of this business will be what is popularly try lawyer has changed very much less. called "office business," which means The trouble with the average city law almost any kind of business requiring, yer is that he has become more of a busi or which is supposed by the layman to ness man than a professional man, and require, some knowledge of the law. In fact it is a kind of business in which the more successful he has been in his profession, as a rule, the more he has England is handled by the solicitors ex tended to drift out of the professional life clusively, and with which the bar proper into the business life of his community. in that country has nothing to do, and He makes more money by conducting does not attempt to meddle, except to and directing the business affairs of his the extent of furnishing opinions touch clients than he can make by the dis ing the legal questions growing out of