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Compulsory Incorporation of the Bar from the Country Lawyer’s Viewpoint

The proposed compulsory incorporation of the bar has awakened little interest in the country lawyer and his voice has been unheard in the debate that preceded and followed the introduction of the measure. As the conditions under which I practice are more rural than urban, I approach this discussion from the viewpoint of the country lawyer.

Advocacy as a Specialized Career

Proposals of higher educational qualifications for admission to the bar bring out a sharp divergence of opinion between the metropolitan bar and sections of the upstate bar. The country lawyer does not appreciate the gravity of the evils that have developed in city practice, and the city bar cannot understand the rural lawyer's resistance to higher standards.

Functions of the Trust Company in the Field of Law

What has happened to those whom Woodrow Wilson called the "dwindling body of general practitioners, who used to be our statesmen"? A generation ago a lawyer was identified with the family fortunes, counseled the indiscreet youth, approved title to the new home that came with manhood, drew the articles of co-partnership or incorporation when a shop or store was acquired, collected the business accounts, drew the Will, handled settlement of the estate and then started over the same road with another generation.

An Organized American Bar

Critical re-examination of the structure of the American Bar Association is a manifestation of the bar's anxiety for its collective welfare. The same sense of insecurity as to the profession's future has initiated in every state movements to strengthen bar associations either by incorporation or by federation of existing voluntary bodies. Bar association speeches drop the old tone of self approval and take on a tone of apprehension and uneasiness.

Address to the Daughters of the American Revolution

It is interesting to see so many uncompromising conservatives assembled in memory of a revolution and to see many who a year ago almost shuddered at the thought of a mere change of administration gathered here to commemorate the birth of Washington, who overthrew the established government by bloodshed to give the American of his day a "New Deal". It is one of those strange traits of human nature that very often those strongest for ancestral revolts are strongest against present ones, those more ardent for the first revolution are most cold to the latest one.

Delayed Justice in New York State

The task still ahead of us is one of interpretation of the data assembled and of devising remedies for the abuses uncovered. The research work was so specialized that the Bench or Bar generally could not join in it, but the task from now on is your task as much as ours and as soon as our report is made available for study, we invite the help and suggestions of all men.

Introductory Address to the Bureau of Internal Revenue Legal Office

In the first meeting the entire legal staff of what is said to be the largest law office in the world, I must make a confession and perhaps do penance. I have never before been in the Government service and have never specialized in the practice of law before its Executive of Legislative Departments. I confess I have had the conventional attitude among those who are rather far removed from the government service. It seemed to me that the government service was a place where all matters met with interminable delay without much effort to close them up; where the character of the service they received was of doubtful competency and indifferent character.  

Changes in Treasury Tax Policy

Among the most controversial and vital problems of the coming years are those relating to taxation. Lawyers will further impair their already declining leadership if they fail to bring disinterested and intelligent influence to bear upon the economic and legal questions involved.

The Lawyer; Leader or Mouthpiece?

I have come to regard many of the things about which we complain as symptoms of an underlying weakness in the position of the profession itself, and in its method of work, rather than as causes of weakness. If our associations, by and large, are inanimate, incoherent and unrepresentative, if it be true that our neighbors prefer to trust bankers rather than lawyers to settle their estates, if law makers are taking judicial functions away from lawyer-dominated courts and turning them over to lay tribunals, if misconduct by a few shysters can bring a whole profession into public contempt, should we not look deeper to see what keeps us from effective organization, what weakness makes us subject to invasion, why public opinion judges all lawyers by the worst instead of by the best?

Problems of the Federal Tax Bar

The American Bar Association's Committee on Taxation wisely has called those lawyers engaged in tax practice to meet and consider their common problems. In addition to difficulties which vex the general profession, tax practice presents some of its own. Need for a clearing house for the exchange of views, and a voice to speak for the tax bar is so apparent that I hope you may perfect at least a preliminary organization and perhaps a section for the purpose.