Evening star., 1935-01-27
BAR REFORM UNDER WAY
BY FREDERIC ]. HASKIN.

Public Indignation against unethi-
cal conduct by members of the Ameri-
can bar and the demand which has
been voiced for general reform of the
bar in many directions are being
needed by the legal profession. The
American Bar Association and the
American Judicature Society as well
as local organizations of lawyers are
taking up the matter and there ap-
pears to be considerable promise of
amendment.
The type Of lawyer who has come
to be called an ambulance chaser, a
bill collector, shyster or gangster S
friend has come in for an ever-in-
creasing amount of criticism at the
hands of the public. Indeed, the
prevalence Of crime in the United
States. the practice of racketeering
and allied evils frequently are direct
ly connected with the activities of the
shrewd and unscrupulous lawyer who
has neglected, in his own interest, the
public interest.
The American Bar Association has
for many years had a committee or
professional ethics which rebukeS
unethical lawyers and disbarmentS
have not been infrequent. Neverthe-
less, the impelling force of oppor-
tunity has tempted large numbers oi
lawyers to conduct their practice in
manner inimical to the broad in
tereStS of the whole public.
One of the reasons advanced fol
the condition of the bar is that there
are too many lawyers. Sidney Teiser
leader of the Oregon bar, has made
special study of this matter and has
come forward with some fascinating
suggestions for bar reform. He shows
very clearly that the American bar is
overcrowded and finds that, if there
were fewer lawyers, those remaining
in practice would not be SO hard put
to it to make living and would, in
consequence, observe higher ethical
standards.
To remedy conditions, he makes
the revolutionary proposal that mem
bership in the bar be limited and that
until such time as the congestion Is
thinned out by deaths and retire
ments, new admissions to practice be
very strictly limited or else, perhaps
suspended altogether.
Mr.. Teiser's figures on the over
crowding Of the American bar are
Illuminating. He bases them or
studies of Alexander B. Andrews Of
the North Carolina bar, who has
looked into the condition of the legal
profession in important countries.
Figures for Foreign Countries.
The country in which the closest
comparison with the United States
may be made is England. American
law follows English law very closely,
Even the American Constitution
adopted its fundamental principles
from the English. There are differ
ences in methods of procedure in the
two nations, but member Of the
American bar can, with little adap-
tation, practice at the British bar.
In England and Wales there is one
lawyer for each 2,l00 of population
or AZ for each 100000 of population.
That statement contrasts strikingly
with the statement that in the United
States here is one lawyer for every
1862 persons or l3l per 100000 OF
population
Some of the figures for other
foreign countries are of interest. In
France, where canon law and the
Code Napoleon are followed, there
is lawyer for each 4,500 of popu-
Iation. or only % for each 100000 of
population. The same proportions
obtain in Germany, Hungary and
the Netherlands. In Italy there is a
lawyer for each $500 persons, or
about 40 per 100000 of population,