The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1913-10-07
The Trials Of q Kid Lawyer
By CHARLES II. MANDY

tionaries his ideals of the ethics of the
profession get a severe jolt and some
times he Slips by the wayside.
Then again the first case In the court t.
of record that comes to a young lawyer
is liable to be a rock on which he splits
One of the most noted criminals in JET
ferson county once stated that me didn't
need a good lawyer, he Just wanted some
one to Scotch for him." This possibly
defines the first client a young fellow
gets He took his kidlets because prob
ably he thought the case not VOLT fight
ing or because no one else would handle
the case. The kid is probably grateful
for the opportunity and he calls to mind
all the eloquent speeches That re had
made before the looking .lass 1T col
lege and he feels that despite the fact
that he has a tough proposition ON his
hands the victory will be all the sweeter
In fancy, he sees his name In the head
lines of the morning paper and dreams
that he will awake to find himself famous.
Pity the kid if he runs against an old
practitioner of the Caesar fSasm type,
whose characteristics are so roreibly por-
trayed by Judge James S. Baldwin, in
the famous case of Higginst,utham VS..
Swjnk Pity him If he runs agaiust one
of the old flre-eaters who delights in bait
ing and badgering witness and will
almost fight il the youthful advocate at
tempts to assert his legal rights and Oh
jects to the methods employed by his
ancient opponent one of the kind who
will shake his finger at tic youngster
and below, DO you impusn my motive,
STRIP and who takes advantage of the
situation to use sarcasm and ridicule with
the boy as a butt. in the place of logic
and argument. Happily that Type is rap
idly passing away, and many of the older
practitioners are very considerate of the
IL Al
can be, consistent with the interests of
their client. The kid does his best and
probably has brought out all the evidence
favorable to his client. He may have
worked early and late in preparing his
case and prepared it well, and yet be-
cause he gets the wrong end of the de-
cision he is rewarded by that's what /
get for fooling with KID or some other
equally ungrateful remark.
But with all that the lawyer Kid is due
a certain number of bumps and certain
1t is that he will get them sooner or
later; but to his credit be ii said that
he takes his medicine like man and
is ready, nay willing, to re-enter the
arena and come to the scratch a smiling.
AS has already been stated some of them
fall by the wayside and are down and
out forever, but in the great majority
of cases the kid hangs on ana by his
grit and perseverance-that is, provided
he has that necessary adjunct. brains
reaches the goal of his ambition and is
classed among the rising Members of
the bar. And. believe me, pardon the
expression) that is going some for kid.
Now. word for the kid lawyer whose
pathway leads to the rock decked, star
spangled entrance to fame and the forum
by the way of father. To their credit
be 1t said that in numberless cases they
have proved worthy sons of worthy sires.
1t is a hard proposition to match up to
the reputation made by famous father
and every act and almost every word
coming from son is watched D. those
who are not friendly, and the ordinary
mistakes of youth are ma gnifed and
necessarily suffer by comparison. So the
kid who treads on velvet has troubles
of his own that match the troubles of
the kid who treads on planks. 1t is SUI g
ly tough proposition to live W to the
rep made by the old man. especially
If the old man made good.
But here's to the kid lawyer anyhow;
whether born to the purple born to
adversely. To him who is in d 'sition
to shirk hard work, but prefers to light
his own lamp rather than live in the
reflected light of reputation made by
his forebears be praise without ani. He
has selected a Greer in which to be Sue
| cessful he must live like a hermit and
work like a horse To the kid who bucks
| the line dependent on his own ability
! and nerve to carry him through, 'be
all honor and glory
! And here's to the legal fraternity as
| a. whole-young, old or middle-aged They
! are often accused of crookedness, when
| as a matter of fact, they are trying to
get some fellow out of his own crooked
dealings. For every crooked lawyer there
are a thousand crooked clients. For every
"shyster" there are a thousand square
and honest disciples of Blackstone. For
every lawyer thug there are 10000 client
thieves. May you all live long and pros
per- provided-you don't live and pros
per on me.