YMCA Night Law School - Triangle Yearbook (Cincinnati, OH)

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.ggi 1+ :axe-nf. The Dignity and Honor of the Legal Profession Another milestone passes in your lives. You are leaving the classroom to take your respec- tive places in the world as members of a useful and honorable profession. In the years just past you have devoted yourselves to the tedious mastery of legal principles, and the development of mind necessary therefor, and now you are entitled to reap the reward of a vocation which is one of the noblest and most distinguished in human society. To assist in the settlement of disputes and the administration of justice between men -in applying the rules of equity and reason instead of might and caprice -is one of the most honorable and dignihed callings which can fall to the lot of man. Those privileged to take part in this work have a distinction almost godlike in its nature. It is unfortunate that many minds, even among the profession, do not adequately appre- ciate the high dignity and honor of those who assist as officers of the court in the effort to apply equal and exact justice among men - as well as human institutions can. Some persons scoff at the profession and at our legal system because perfection often is not attained in this effort -forgetting that miscarriages of justice result from the weaknesses inherent in the human agencies which must administer our laws. Playwrights seldom portray lawyers except in cari- cature as scheming and tricky individuals, seeking to take advantage of some one. Nlany others take this theme and like to speak of lawyers as trained sophists, willing to espouse either side of an argument with equal ardor, and this thought sometimes gains a prevalence which takes from many minds the respect, dignity and honor which should be accorded members of a distinguished and honorable profession. In truth, however, members of the legal profession have been leaders of men in every field in which their talents have been applied. The training which they receive as lawyers, the strength of character and mind developed by the exercise of the responsibility and self-denial required by their work, fits them for leadership among men. Their contributions to govern- ment have been greater than that of any other class of workers, they have always been in the forefront in molding and crystallizing public opinion, in the development of governmental poli- cies and in the making of laws. Our Supreme Court, a body of lawyers, interprets these laws and restricts them to the safe channels laid out in our Constitution - which is also the crea- tion of legal minds. lVIost presidents of the United States have been members of the bar -pa great majority of our lawmakers, national, state and local, have always been from the legal profession, and it is not lacking in modesty to say that lawyers have exercised a greater influence on the public life of our country than any other group in the professional or business world. Any criticism, therefore, of the legal profession, or of its members, as a class, is purely defensive. The distinction and responsibility of our calling imposes, however, many obligations. Some- times they require that a lawyer live like a hermit and work like a horse, and it may also bc added, that he have the courage of a lion. Sometimes the only friend a client has is his lawyer, Q5

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11: . . '-sf ,- ---.-1 7:1150-'-' J 1929 Triangle Staff 5 J 4 If ' 1 I GURDON W1LsoN, ,30 VINCENT REUscHER, '30 Editor-in-Chief Business Manager ASSOCIATE EDITORS James . Donovan, ,Q9 Robert Hair, '30 Conrad NIagrish, ,30 William Bechtold, '31 Frank VVessel, '30 Irvine Forrester, '31 Howard Williams, ,30 M. B. Plunkett, '39 Thomas Johnson, '30 Elwyn C, Hoffman, ,32 George Shives, '30 ART EDITOR Adrian Zeigler, '30 Q4

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I ?s'lA G -.Uh-i.. . ,-.31-,gcv , '77 ?fLEiZflix and the lawyer must be able to convince others, often unwittingly predisposed against his client, of the merits of his clientis case. This does not mean that he must make black appear white, or use intellectual dishonesty to procure an unjust result. but it does mean that he must be able to properly present and urge upon the minds of his hearers the merits of his client's case. Cases never reach a lawyer's oHCicc in which every consideration favors one side and there is nothing to be said for the other side. Our system of jurisprudence contemplates the represen- tation of both sides by counsel, and even though you think the weight of the argument favors your opponent, it is your duty to fully stress your client's position so that his case receives that measure of consideration which it deserves. Remember, your own power of evaluating your client's case may be faulty, and others may see the case in a different light. Aggressive clients may sometimes seek an unjust result, but a lawyer should never lend himself to this purpose to earn a fee or please a client. Good will is never based on injustice, and a disingenuous or dishonorable act, while redounding to the client's benefit, may swing ba.ck like a boomerang on a lawyer's reputation. Good reputation is a lawyer's most precious asset and a blemish upon it is never fully eradicated. A reputation for character and integrity brings success to many lawyers even though their mental endowments are not unusual. Simi- larly, others are respected by courts and clients and their word is accepted without question even though they enjoy no eminence or prominence. And others, of far greater brilliance of mind never attain the high standing their talents justify because they have not the quality of character to inspire conndence in relations of trust and responsibility. You are to be congratulated upon having reached the status where you will soon become officers of the court under an oath of fidelity to the principles of reason and justice underlying our legal system. Those character-building qualities which you have demonstrated in pur- suing your legal education, under difficulties, will certainly stand you in stead in meriting success in your chosen profession and also that respect and dignity which your honorable callin O' deserves. 7 D x ALPHONSE G. RIESENBERG. 26