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Editorial
August 20, 1903
The Somerset Reporter
Skowhegan, Somerset County, Maine
What is this article about?
An unsigned editorial in Everybody's Magazine defends the legal profession against general suspicion, arguing that most lawyers are trustworthy, as evidenced by the implicit confidence the business world places in them daily through their deeds and professional ethics.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Professional Trust.
To any who regard the whole legal profession with suspicion I can only answer: "You are probably right in saying that if a lawyer had played the vulture he would not tell of it, yet in truth these evil birds of prey are not the majority in the law. If they were more than a small minority all profession could not sustain the almost boundless confidence it enjoys from the whole business world. Remember. a lawyer is judged day by day. and by his deeds he is justified or condemned If a significant number of us were traitors to our clients or if by our hypocrisy we undermined the body of professional ethics. the keen and undeceived men of this generation would not be placing in lawyers' hands every day their most momentous interests and trusting implicitly in the honesty of their advice. Suppose we do have our little professional attitudes and poses and pomposities; those are but superficial mannerisms which may make us awkward and tedious when we. too. would write a popular article but which have nothing under heaven to do with our faithfulness to our clients. On that faithfulness we meet our judgment day six times a week."
Everybody's Magazine
To any who regard the whole legal profession with suspicion I can only answer: "You are probably right in saying that if a lawyer had played the vulture he would not tell of it, yet in truth these evil birds of prey are not the majority in the law. If they were more than a small minority all profession could not sustain the almost boundless confidence it enjoys from the whole business world. Remember. a lawyer is judged day by day. and by his deeds he is justified or condemned If a significant number of us were traitors to our clients or if by our hypocrisy we undermined the body of professional ethics. the keen and undeceived men of this generation would not be placing in lawyers' hands every day their most momentous interests and trusting implicitly in the honesty of their advice. Suppose we do have our little professional attitudes and poses and pomposities; those are but superficial mannerisms which may make us awkward and tedious when we. too. would write a popular article but which have nothing under heaven to do with our faithfulness to our clients. On that faithfulness we meet our judgment day six times a week."
Everybody's Magazine
What sub-type of article is it?
Moral Or Religious
Social Reform
What keywords are associated?
Professional Trust
Legal Ethics
Lawyer Integrity
Business Confidence
Professional Judgment
What entities or persons were involved?
Legal Profession
Lawyers
Business World
Editorial Details
Primary Topic
Defense Of Lawyers' Professional Integrity
Stance / Tone
Defensive And Affirmative Of Legal Profession's Trustworthiness
Key Figures
Legal Profession
Lawyers
Business World
Key Arguments
Unethical Lawyers Are A Small Minority, Not The Majority
The Profession Sustains Boundless Confidence From The Business World
Lawyers Are Judged Daily By Their Deeds
Clients Trust Lawyers With Momentous Interests Due To Honesty
Professional Mannerisms Do Not Affect Faithfulness To Clients