New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-06-15
"SHYSTER" LAWYERS.

NeW-JprSPy appears 10 nave II pIhsuc vi
"shvster" LAWYERS The courts there nave re-
Gently had before them n large number or
cases I'm which members of the bar have been
charged with unprofesslonal conduct. and sew
eral disbarments have been the result Great
efforts are being made TO sft thoroughly al
candidates for admission 10 practice. ana rlgld
reouirements are enforced as to learning in the
law and testimonials 10 moral character. Such
high standards for entrance 10 the prolessIoh
certainly are useful They protect the puDhc
and the courts from being made prey 10 utter
Ignorance and disrepute hut they do not pro-
tect them from the large class OF men or clev-
erness who maintain a semi-respectaDle charac-
ter. but who Use their privileges Id the ieghi
profession without any reverence for the high
traditions of their calling
The New-Jersey bar is not peculiarly I'M
fortunate In that respect 1t may be doubted
If II is any worse off than the New-iork bar
Our standards OF learning and character are
high here. 1t IS not easy for n young man TO
be admitted. but once admitted 1t Is not easy
70 compel him to avoid "shyster' methods.
lot of young men, generally persons of foreign
parentage, go into the law just as they might
90 into the clothing business. with no desire
the obligations of their profession, but they
have capacity for work. and, having always
behaved themselves II ls easy for them to get
testimonials to good moral character ana pass
the bar examinations Once admitted. they
are free 10 so 10 practising with the shopkeep-
er's and the advertisers methods. Their
trouble is that their good character Is one OF
outward conduct, without any OF that solid
aaTf tth ich
Is supposed to characterize m officer OF the
court pledged TO help and not hinder the doing
Of Justice. They are the men who are ever OH
the lookout for n chance to make trouble. Ihey
watch for petty accidents. they scan the news
papers for Items which to found libel suits,
they go TO people who have no grievance
against anybody and persuade them that they
have been wrongcd, and offer 10 get money Tor
them They do this because the profession Is
crowded at the bottom. and there IS constant
tendency in the struggle for existence for the
men of low ideals to get on by questionable
methods. but they could not flourish II the
courts were not lenient TO them.
The English bench has recently given Us
some good examples Of dealing with lawyers
who bring frivolous The Lord CHER
Justice has been throwing ono libel suit after
another out OF court without ceremony, ana
lecturlng lawyers on their habit OF persuading
people into litigation when they have suffered
no substantial wrong. As result. lawyers are
likely 10 be much more circunspect In their
conduct If our courts would treat "shyster'
practice with the same direct courage, instead
OF giving It full liberty up 10 the point of be-
coming actually criminal we should have
much better bar. Shyster methods are difficult
TO deal with, but they must be dealt with II
our theory that lawyers arc officers OF the
court. bound to uphold law and right, instead
OF using their knowledge 10 overthrow them, IA
to be anything but Il fiction and farce. Our
trouble Is not so much with requirements ms 10
reputation and knowledge FOR admission 20 the
bar as with our requirements for continued
practice at II. The Bar Association does much
10 maintain a high standard in the profession,
but there is nced that the courts and the law
yers should unite to break down the technical
OF "shyster' practices 10 enforce the
law with regard TO contingent fees and make II |
unpleasant and Improbable for the men who
drum up cases which are frivolous on their /,
focce