The constitutional doctrine of the separation of powers is the cornerstone of American democracy. Unlike the British system, the framers of the U.S. Constitution designed a government consisting of three coequal branches that serve as a check and balance on one another. Oppressive conditions in the colonies, in 1776, lead the people to declare a state of war against the King of England. The Declaration of Independence details the oppression visited upon the colonies, such as no right to vote, no representation by the people or forced representation by the King's appointee. Judicial decisions are replete with references to the old common law of England - the same law that caused the American Revolution.
Lawyers claim to exist in America from the birth of our nation.
The truth is, there were very few paid lawyers. Most early lawyers were sympathetic to the King and left for England when the Revolutionary War broke out. The connection is obvious. Greedy land owners, loyal to the King, exerted enormous influence and power in the colonies and gradually took over the powerful lawyering business. The takeover is a continuing process spanning the last two hundred years and continues unabated today.