The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-29
nav he roughly divided as follows. real

may be roughly divided as follows: real
estate law, the law Of corporations, criminal
law, the law practiced In the courts Of
the surrogates or ordinaries, which has TO
do with wills and the settlement and care
of estates, admiralty law, which relates
to collisions at sea- maritime dealings, etc.
There is also insurance and patent law.
The most lucrative branches of the law
in these modern days are patent law and
in the surrogates' courts; young lawyers
who desire to make money having been
To be a patent lawyer a general knowledge
at least of mechanics, chemistry and other
branches of natural philosophy is requisite.
GENERAL PRACTITIONERS.
Country lawyers, of course, having a.
varied practice, do not as rule, make a
speciality of one branch of the law.
Let us take the case Of a young man liv-
ing on a farm or in a village who wishes
to become a lawyer. All the States require
the applicant to pass an examination and
to be over twenty-one years of age and
many States require a clerkship to be
served in the office of some lawyer.
AS rule those serving such clerllships
are not paid, although in the large cities
they sometimes receive much SO
$12 week The aspirant, therefore, should
commence his period of clerkship in the Of
flee of some neighboring lawyer, fulfilling
his required period of clerkship at such
times as he is able to attend Necessary
books he should be able to sorrow from the
lawyer. Much OF his study for admission
to the bar will have to be done at home.
If he is studying at an academy or high
school, he could attend the law office dur
ing his free hours. The examinations for
admission to the bar are usually quite easy.
young man who, studying for three hours
each day or evening during a period of
eighteen months, cannot learn enough law
to pass successful examination for adj
mission to the bar of any of the states,
had better give UP all idea of becoming
lawyer
Once admitted, the young lawyer may
remain in his native town or village. or
seek his fortune in the large cities In the
country and small towns the salary paid
the beginner in a law Office is small if in
deed it is possible TO obtain situation as
law clerk. On the other hand, the living
is cheaper, and the beginner is surrounded
by his friends, who may bring him bust
ness. The country lawyer has more time
for study and can devote himself to local
politics, and the study of the law VIII have
fitted him for politics as well as profession
al life.
In the cities, on the other hand, clerk
ships paying about SIS q week can be OBJ
tanned by a bright young lawyer, and his
subsequent advancement depends upon HIM
self.
The hours in the city Offices are usually
from to half past or g. The clerk learns
much practical law, but must devote many
evenings to study If he expects to read the
law reports and keep up his knowledge of
the principles of law. The rewards of the
successful lawyer are great. A large num-
Der or lawyers IN New YORK city make over
$4,000 a year, and to get this return they
have risked no capital. The successful bus
mess man works as hard as the success
full lawyer, but TO obtain an income equal
that of the lawyer he has had to risk
his capital and often run the chance of
bankruptcy or total ruin. The number of
lawyers in the commercial cities is large,
but so is the volume of legal business The
transfers of real estate, mortgaging real
and personal property, Organization of cor
porationS and formation of partnerships,
drafting of railroad mortgages and agree
ments, formation of clubs, and drawing of
wills are few instances of the affairs in
which the supervision of a lawyer is re-
Quired, although there Is no controversy to
be tried in a court. AS a rule, each news
paper of Importance has a regular sala ried
lawyer to defend it's libel suits and attend
to its contracts and other legal business,
and banks and corporations furnish great
volume of business.
1t is true that young and unknown
lawyer, hanging out his banner in a city
like New York, might wait long time for
business; but the large law offices always
who is not afraid of work and who, by
making his services Indispensable to his
employers, provide for his own success
1t is a noteworthy fact that hardly one
lawyer of prominence in New York is a
native of that city, and most of the sue
cessful lawyers began life without money
or friends to help them on, New England
and western New York furnishing a ma
jority. 1t will be gathered from the above
that q young man contemplating the pro-
fesson of the law may practically begin
his legal studies at school. by giving his
attention to a course of reading, to study
and methods that will be a preparatory in
PRODUCTION and basis of his legal education.
In conclusion let the student remember
that there Is always room at the top"