The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-08-31
THE LAWYERS OF LONDON.
The Line Between Barrister and Solicitor.
Costly and vexat. GUS Charges for Liti-
gants-Curious survivals of Medieval
Extortion


length made move to form a bar assoc
citation, with the object of overriding, If
possible the benchers of the different
inns and temples, and doing something
in a practical way for the hetterment OF
their branch of the legal profession.
A call has been issued which is sup
ported by a large majority of the mem
bers of the bar, but it does not define in
specific terms what is proposed.
The great grievance is, of course. the
dearth of briefs, or, rather, the monop-
oily of briefs by the comparatively few OF
the great number of barristers. The
army of London barristers, as one of the
justices of the High Court of Justice
few months ago denominated the gown
wearing lawyers, numbers 9, $50, and the
vast number increases yearly, notwith-
standing the host of unemployed, I'M
briefed members, and the capital re-
quired to enable aspirants to read, eat
the prescribed dinners at the inns or
temples, an d live while waiting for
briefs. The greater numberssof barristers
congregate in London, but there is con-
siderable array scattered over the United
Kingdom.
tute another formidable branch of the
legal profession, 4, 52S of them being in
active practice. The population of Lon
don approximates 100000, including
the adjacent outlying districts. 1t is
not only the commercial and political
centre of Great Britain, but also the seat
of the great Royal Courts OF Justice.
But notwithstanding the great aggrega-.
tion of people and the vast Importance oil
all the interests of every kind and de-
scription concentrated here, the fact that
II, 068 men live by the legal profession
seems a little startling. The plant of
the barristers is, There is not enough
for us to do." One thing is certain, also,
that the excess of gentlemen learned in
the law" does not expedite the course
of Justice in her Majesty's dominion.
It may be of interest to American read
ers to have some particulars about the
great army of legal gentlemen, how they
are called to the bar, or entitled to set
themselves up as solicitors.
The origin of the separation of this
army into two camps is lost IN the twl-
light of English legal history. Until
comparatively recent times the solicitor
had no recognized legal status. Like
many other English Institutions, inn
memorial customn was his only warrant
for existence as part of the legal pro-
fession. In fact, for long period he
was, so to speak, merely the tolerated
scavenger of his brother who wore wig
and gown in the presence of the royal
delegates who administered justice in
the name of the sovereign.
Having become necessity to both the
barrister and his clients, in the course
of time the solicitor was formally recog-
nized, and rules and regulations for his
creation were set down under warrant
Doubtless the original solicitors were
shrewd, clever fellows, who had picked
up a lot of useful legal forms and expert
selves useful to some powerful patrons,
and thus became intermediates between
counsel and client In addition they were
intrusted with certain routine business
affairs, and by and by became indispen-
sable to their patrons and the community
generally. Their advantage to barristers
was that they brought business. man
with the confidence of number OF men
of affairs was able to influence goodly
number of guineas in the course Of a
year for retainers, consultations, fees
for trials of causes, and @refreshers"
The solicitor is not gentleman
Learned in the law" in the sense that
barrister is. In fact he is supposed to
be merely first rate man of business
II6 10 llOU lO4 ullCd w lOdA uliO AOAAA coO&>
of the law, but he must serve an appren-
ticeship in solicitors office. must be
articled fer number of years, and now
he is required to pass an examination IN
the technique of his trade--calling is the
more select and dignitied term. Since
solicitors have become of great import
ance, necessity to the community, gen
erally and have their association" their
calling, I believe, ranks in sense as a
branch of the LEGAL profession.
Every one who is somebody. or who
processes to be man of affairs, must
have solicitor. In old families the firm
of solicitorsis sort of heirloom, or,
perhaps it might better be put, old
families are heirlooms to firms of solicit
tors. In the City"-as the ancient popu-
lation of London is known, that part OF
it which was once walled about, the APP
proaches to which were guarded by gates
solicitors have in some cases become
in these speculative times great mag
mates in financial operations. They are
generally known as ompany solicitors
but they are subdivided also into lead
ing, important, good, fair and unimpor-
tant firms, their rank depending upon the
ability of the firm to influence titled and
rich clients to act as Direcors ofaproposed
public companies or to bring in capital.
They are all supposed to know COM
pany law, and probably most of them
consult barristers or counsel, as the term
usually runs. No matter what the
knowledge of solicitor may be, he will
always tell his client that he must con-
suit his COUNSEL because thereby he has
the opportunity of an extra charge, and
to take counsel's opinion he must state a
case
The Importance of solicitor is sup
posed to be gagged by the number of
clerks he employs, the show of tin boxes
he makes, and the air of importance he
assumes. His desk must be piled high
with bundles of portentous-looking pa
pers-great broad brief paper tied with
red tape and labelled in bold handwrit-
ing. The walls of his office must he lined
with tin boxes one over another ceiling