The Coconino weekly sun., 1893-12-28
THE LAWYER OF TO-DAY.
Changes Wrought in the Profession in tn,
 Last Half CenfnrY.


 Last Half Century.
 ''There is as much learning here in the legal profession as ever, but it is not on exhibition" said a PhilG delphia lawyer 'In the first place the courts will not countenance it's undue display. la old times an advocate was allowed great latitude. Formerly, in a case of damages caused by neglected side walk, the attorney would be allowed to eXpound not only the laws relating to damages for neglect but he might stray off into the realms of medical jurisprudence at great length, and even perorate with an allusion to the magma charter, the constitution and the Amer ican eagle. At present lawyer must contine himself to the real merits of his case. The machinery of our courts has grown too costly to permit such waste of time. It follows that there is less oratorical skill displayed than in former days, especially at the period when some of our leading lawyers made a speciality of criminal defense. Now, few lawyers of eminence, either in Philadelphit or the east generally, un- dertake the defense in a criminal case.
 To-day the practice of law, like other professions, is becoming more and more specialized. A law office is simply n business office, as you may discover by visiting some of the handsome new office buildings down town. l know of one office where there are several part ners, that would remind you of bank ing office, and where bookkeeper and cashier is employed to pay off clerks, typewriters and other en- ployes. You will, however, still find veteran members of the bar pursuing old-time methods in a cosy, quiet office, sitting at Undiscovered table, amid n wilderness of we'll thumbed books They carry dark green bag filled with briefs when they go to court, precisely as all lawyers did fifty years ago, and as London barris- tcrs still do
 "As to young lawyers. however tal- ented they may be, if without social or political prestige their struggle to ad- vance in the profession is sure to be hard one. Practice now is often inher- ited or transmitted i3 some other way. l could point out to you in Philadelphia law firms that have been confined to the members of one family, or its col lateral branches. since the revolution.
 'I may say that there is an evident impetus to change many useless old legal methods. The remark of Lord Coleridge, when in this country, that there were many volumes of English legal decisions which it would do no harm to destroy, would answer as the handspring of this impetus. Legis!a- tion is certainly advancing in this that merely experimental general laws are passed with greater difficulty than for merly."
 Another lawyer, older than the other, said: Progress in the legal profes- sion? Progress is hardly term to apply to law, for i: is founded on prece- dents, sometimes the older the better. For this reason jurisprudence is the least progressive of the sciences. Still there have been. no doubt, improve lnents in methods of practice, though am not much of a code lawyer have had to study hard all my life. The younger lawyers appear to do little of that. They seem to believe, with Aaron Burr that law is whatever is boldly advanced and plausibly main- tained. '"-Phila;lelphia Record.