Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-07-24
SOnE ADVICE
TO A LAWYER

TO A LAWYER
Some years ago when Governor
Roosevelt was at Columbia law school
from St Paul, Mimi, who was very
anxious to make a successful starr in
life and yet was uncertain just how
to begin when he should have gradu-
ated. He admired the character of
Roosevelt and determined to seek his
advice. One day, meeting him, he
said:
I have chosen the law for my pro
fession and I wish TO commence prac-
tice in the city in which 1 was raised.
have friends there, but also many
competitors, cid and established law
ysrs, and 1 am afraid that I may not
have the courage to wait for business
or even to develop it l shall start my
practice with very little money, but
l need advice more than money. Can
you help me?"
Roosevelt carefully questioned him
as to the character of the city. the
other points and then s3id to him:
IF 1 were you l would. on reaching
home and hanging out my single, get
a case I don't care how you get it.
Your own wits ought to find one case
at least which no other lawyer has.
l wouldn't take a justice shop case,
elher. I'd find a case that was right
up in the regular courts and which
possessed some merit. l wouldn't
take it for nothing, either, or on a con-
tingency. 1 would have a decent fee
attached 10 IL In other words. | would
have as many respectable features az
tached TO the case as possible under
the circumstances.
Having got the case" continued
Roosevelt, 4 would try it as if it were
the last case [ ever expected TO have,
or which would ever be in the courts.
I would not make q nuisance of myself.
You know enough 70 avoid that. but
you can be SO persistent that you will
win the respect of every one who n
any way comes into connection with
the trial. Put all of yourself in the
case. Get every side CT it and above
all things hammer il into your client
by the force of your actions hat your
Integrity is above reproach. When
you get done with that case you VIII
have reputation that many lawyers
waste years in other ways trying to
obtain. You will find that a second
case is certain to come 70 you whether
you lose or win the first one
Il would treat he Aecond case" he
continued, Just as did the first one
Live and act as If there was never
such a case in existence before and
master It just as you are required to
master your studies here. If you find
yourself weakening al all use the spur
and the whip until you have created
an enthusiasm in your work that i'm
parts itself to client, court and jury
and results in your victory
He paused after saying this and the
young man ventured to ask:
How about the Fhird case?''
GO at it the same way was the
reply. And for that matter. as your
patronage increases give the same
treatment to all your cases. You will
create q confidence in yourself thai
will insure you 2 constant practice,
and your clients, once secured, wild
never leave you.
Enthusiasm in work is the best an
tidote for no patronage that l know of
for any professional man. In fact, the
rule applies to every walk Of life. Il
your heart IS IN what you have to do,
no matter how small the undertaking,
the greater things are certain to CONF
to you and in rich reward
1t so happened that the first case
which this young man ever had to try
involved at the time a technical pOinf,
not first noticed by him which It would
necess.tate the United States supreme
court to pass upon. He put what he
called "Roosevelt's enthusiasm into
the case. found the technicality, car
ried it through all the courts of the
state, took it to the highest tribunal
and won. The case made his repuJa-
ton and fortune. Il earned for him
also the title Of being the most dis
agreeably persistent lawyer that the
old bar had yet encountered. But at
ter all he was only an exemplifica,iOn
of what Roosevelt is himself-the
strenuous nan.-Chicago Times-Her-
aid.