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You think the most successful lawyers are politicians? It's usually the other way around the most successful politicians are lawyers. Obama, Clinton(s), Ghand

You think the most successful lawyers are politicians? It's usually the other way around the most successful politicians are lawyers. Obama, Clinton(s), Ghandi, Lincoln...none of whom were "successful" lawyers, but they all did just fine in politics. As to your point about laws/code not preventing horrible things...they often times do. But no one is claiming laws always eradicate behavior (they can and have) that's why we put people on notice and create penalties because we know people violate the laws/rules anyway. Say Bill Clinton lying under oath, he was caught and the only one who disciplined home was the Bar of his home state: totally disbarred him. In other cases, the law itself might be immoral -take the British colonial law against Indian's making salt, and Ghandi violating it and being arrested, even after, as a politician he was able to change the law and the norms.

inimino 10y ago
"Gandhi" is the correct spelling.
marvy 10y ago
> none of whom were successful lawyers I think your main point is likely right, but your supporting examples are not. Wikipedia (at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln#Early_career_and_militia_service https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln#Early_career_a...) says: Lincoln became an able and successful lawyer with a reputation as a formidable adversary during cross-examinations and closing arguments Likewise, we have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton#Later_Arkansas_years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton#Later_Arkansas... She was twice named by The National Law Journal as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America: in 1988 and in 1991.[123] When Bill Clinton thought about not running again for governor in 1990, Hillary Clinton considered running, but private polls were unfavorable and, in the end, he ran and was re-elected for the final time.[124]
- will_brown 10y ago
  I'll stand by my statement, I didn't say they were failures as lawyers they just simply are not what legal professionals would call the most successful lawyers. A compliment on Lincoln's cross examination skills does not make a successful lawyer, though he did practice and litigate and unlike the others (that I know about) established case law. As far as Hillary, I wouldn't put to much stock in The National Law Journal - it's like the national dean's list, rising star lawyers, AV rating. What do you really know of her career? Did she take cases of first impression; set case law; argue before SCOTUS; set a record on a monetary judgment/damages; become partner at an AM100 firm or white shoe firm; hold a meaningful judicial clerkship; become a federal judge? These are all smart people, successful politicians, but as lawyers I'm not sure anything ranks them in the upper echelons ...that certainly doesn't mean they were failures, which is being read into my statement, I think. Despite the thread opposing me, I don't see any merit based support they were the most successful lawyers.
  - marvy 10y ago
    > most successful lawyers You added the word "most" :) Your revised statement is probably right
    - will_brown 10y ago
      The word "most" was in OP and my original comment
      - marvy 10y ago
        my bad, can't read
adamsea 10y ago
Just FYI, Obama taught at University of Chicago Law School. And he was pretty successful as a lawyer. Looks like he chose to do less corporate work (not judging), which may have resulted in him earning less, but U of C profs definitely do OK. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#Law_career https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#Law_career
dragonwriter 10y ago
Obama's non-academic legal work was fairly brief and secondary to (and overtly a stepping stone for) his public advocacy and political work, but AFAICT he was plenty successful at it.
bryanrasmussen 9y ago
well if you consider that the most successful one can be as a lawyer could be to write or interpret the law then the most successful lawyers would be either politicians or judges. It really depends on your criteria for success.

inimino 10y ago

"Gandhi" is the correct spelling.

marvy 10y ago

> none of whom were successful lawyers I think your main point is likely right, but your supporting examples are not. Wikipedia (at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln#Early_career_and_militia_service https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln#Early_career_a...) says: Lincoln became an able and successful lawyer with a reputation as a formidable adversary during cross-examinations and closing arguments Likewise, we have https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton#Later_Arkansas_years https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary_Clinton#Later_Arkansas... She was twice named by The National Law Journal as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America: in 1988 and in 1991.[123] When Bill Clinton thought about not running again for governor in 1990, Hillary Clinton considered running, but private polls were unfavorable and, in the end, he ran and was re-elected for the final time.[124]

will_brown 10y ago
I'll stand by my statement, I didn't say they were failures as lawyers they just simply are not what legal professionals would call the most successful lawyers. A compliment on Lincoln's cross examination skills does not make a successful lawyer, though he did practice and litigate and unlike the others (that I know about) established case law. As far as Hillary, I wouldn't put to much stock in The National Law Journal - it's like the national dean's list, rising star lawyers, AV rating. What do you really know of her career? Did she take cases of first impression; set case law; argue before SCOTUS; set a record on a monetary judgment/damages; become partner at an AM100 firm or white shoe firm; hold a meaningful judicial clerkship; become a federal judge? These are all smart people, successful politicians, but as lawyers I'm not sure anything ranks them in the upper echelons ...that certainly doesn't mean they were failures, which is being read into my statement, I think. Despite the thread opposing me, I don't see any merit based support they were the most successful lawyers.
- marvy 10y ago
  > most successful lawyers You added the word "most" :) Your revised statement is probably right
  - will_brown 10y ago
    The word "most" was in OP and my original comment
    - marvy 10y ago
      my bad, can't read

adamsea 10y ago

Just FYI, Obama taught at University of Chicago Law School. And he was pretty successful as a lawyer. Looks like he chose to do less corporate work (not judging), which may have resulted in him earning less, but U of C profs definitely do OK. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#Law_career https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barack_Obama#Law_career

dragonwriter 10y ago

Obama's non-academic legal work was fairly brief and secondary to (and overtly a stepping stone for) his public advocacy and political work, but AFAICT he was plenty successful at it.

bryanrasmussen 9y ago

well if you consider that the most successful one can be as a lawyer could be to write or interpret the law then the most successful lawyers would be either politicians or judges. It really depends on your criteria for success.