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Lay Tradition As To The Lawyer, Roscoe Pound

Michigan Law Review

We all know the lay tradition as to the lawyer. Mike Monaghan rhymes lawyer with trier. He tells us that the Probate Court is instituted to see that "iviry mimber of the bair gits a fair chanct at phwat the dicaysed didn't take wid 'im." In the timeworn anecdote of the epitaph "here lies an honest lawyer" everyone is ready to say, "that's Strange."' Laymen, who, sitting as arbitrators, will insist on technicalities which the law would instantly reject, and in corner-grocery discussions will argue that a contract signed with a lead pencil is void for informality, are quite sure …