Omaha daily bee., 1896-11-28
THE LAWYERS OF PARIS.
They Have Hard Times Compared
with Their American nreIhrcn.

They Have Hard Times Compared
with Their American brethren.
Lawyers in France according 10 a Roch-
ester gentleman who has just returned from
a three years sojourn in Paris, do not have
such an easy tine as they do in this coun-
try. There, far from encouraging the bright
young men OF the lard to enter the legal
profession, i. would seem that they are dis
couraged and every obstacle thrown in their
path, the result generally being that it is
a rich man who can be lawyer.
Under TIE regulations at present in force
there" says this gentleman to the Rochester
Union, "barristers, after they have kept
their terms and passed their bar eXamind-
tions have to pass through sort of three
years novitate, during which they have the
title of advocate, but have no voice in the
deliberations of the council OF discipline
and are not inscribed on the rolls. They can
plead during the three years of probation,
but it is a sort of empty privilege in nine
cases out of ten. When an eminent barris-
ter in France employs a junior 1t is gener-
ally some one inscribed on the rolls; should
he employ the prObationer the honor thus
accorded him must suffice, He does not pay
Kim.
But he must live, and here is where the
problem comes in, which is much more
easily solved by the American or English
young lawyer than it is by his Partisan
brother. In the first place there is the out
close to so francs unless he prefers to hire
1t at the rate of Toe per day. Then he must
engage some one TO teach him department,
for this is an essential qualification in this
land where King Etiquette rules with an
iron hand The services of a professor of
the conservatory must also be called in to
train his voice, unless nature has been kind
to him in that respect. But these expenses
are mere incidents. He must above all not
live in small chambers and rent dingy Of
fees Poverty is a poor key to open the
pockets of clients. The Partisan barrister
has personal interviews with his clients,
and the direct consequence of these inter-
views Is that he must be able to show them
into a nicely furnished reception room and
private office, though he may sleep in gar
ret He cannot well answer the bell him
self, hence he must employ servant, even
II he has no money with which to pay one.
The visitor must not see bare walls, conse-
uuently there must be a display Of a we'll
stocked law library. The client Will not
consider that the lawyers library is often
luxury and that the barrlster's studies
might just as well be pursued at the ST.
Genevieye library, but he must be able to
glance at SO many calf-bound volumes,
"Voltaire well summed up the essentials
of a French lawyer when he said An adj
vocate Is a man who for three years studies
the laws OF Theodosius and Justlnian In or
der TO learn the common law OF Paris, and
who, having matriculated at last, has the
right to plead for money, provided be has
a strong voice. The only way / would mod
ify Voltaire's definition Is by adding that
the modern French client does not even eX-
pect to be asked fee. although he requires
Just as much Of his advocate az they did