The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1880-07-29
How to be a Lawyer.

The Hon. Leonard SWEET addressed a
class OF law graduates at Chicago, IN
which he gave them the following adj
vice as to how to be lawyers. He said ]:
First of all, he should start poor. The
speaker remembered that when he was
law student he went into the Office of
John Neal, the poet who composed
noted ode to the American eagle. MIR.
Neal remarked to him You are poor.
are you not? Then you will succeed"
Poverty is the only substantial hope Of a
young lawyer. The law is profession
OF unrelentless, Ilnremitting labor.
Nothing but the whip and spur of ne
cessity will urge a young lawyer to sue
cess. ua.i.at..g. ..s.y.a5.a-# s.,.s,
It is doubtful If any man ever gets
entirely rid of the agony that takes pos
session Of him in his first effort at pub
lie speaking. L1 ~ s
The speaker counseled the ACCESSIBILITY
of young law students going to the
country to begin their law practice for
there the best opportunities for use OF
the speaking faculties occur, and the
most frequent and constant practice.
In the country poor law student can
r the more frequently get upon his feet,
shake, and sit down again, and the more
frequently he gets up, shakes, and sits
down, the better it will be for him. The
first thing law student should do is to
go to the country, settle down, and
speak on every possible occasion. Mr..
SWEET remembered the time when a
friend offered him so cents for every time
he would speak in public, and with that
liberal inducement he scarcely earned
the first half dollar.
The next essential thing for young
lawyer to observe is to keep a well-regu-
lated office. Success and dirt do not
run together. The orderliness of a
lawyers office and the care with which
papers are preserved will make clients
feel that he can be trusted, and that his
Office is place of reliability.
Another element of success is honesty.
A lawyer should be honest and true in
his profession. The speaker denounced
those who sacrifice a client to immediate
gain. Nothing should be done to a
client but to do him good. A lawyer
should never have quarrel with a
? client, and should never sue one for a
6 fee. Mr.. SWEET said he would never do
( business with man without agreeing
for the fee in advance; that is the only
fair way for both parties. If the rate Of
! compensation for services is not settled
! beforehand, and the client is inveigled
:, into expensive litigation ere he is aware,
and finally, if refusing to pay, you are
obliged to sue him, you ought to resign
law and give up practice. Clients are
often the most grateful Of men, and pay
their fees readily and gladly. Be good
' to your client and it will bring it's re-
, ward. Lawyers should interfere for the
most speedy peace, and that, too, will
( bring it's reward. You can buy success
by labor.
| The practice of law demands the ex-
] clusion of everything else. A lawyer,
to reach a high standard of success,
\ must not be politician, or a Spectator,
or anything else than lawyer. The
speaker encouraged the graduates by
i Informing them that they belonged to 6
noble profession, one worthy the entire
devotion of the life and energies of any
. young man. He counseled the gradu.
} ates to acquaint themselves with all the
practical affairs of life and all the legiti.
y mate ways of the world. Great care in
" the prosecution of case should be OBJ.
: served. A lawyer cannot win by scram
=, bling all over a case there must beplar
!. in it. You must hunt for the Joints
y every legal case has hinge upon which
it turns. You will be beaten enough
y with all your care, said the speaker; you
should have a plan. The lawyer SHOULD
make his profession the absorbing OBJ
l ject of life. An omniverous devourine
OF literature will clutter the brain an.
v iniure it's legal faculty, and the angel
! will not bring the legal lore andaccume1
j when you want them most.