Abraham Lincoln’s Advice to Young Lawyers

“The leading rule for the lawyer, as for the man of every other calling, is diligence. Leave nothing for tomorrow which can be done today. Never let your correspondence fall behind. Whatever piece of business you have in hand, before stopping, do all the labor pertaining to it which can be done…

Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser in fees, expenses and waste of time. As a peace-maker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough…

There is a vague popular belief that lawyers are necessarily dishonest. I say vague, because when we consider to what extent confidence and honors are reposed in and conferred upon lawyers by the poeple, it appears improbably that their impression of dishonesty is very distinct and vivid. Yet the impression is common, almost universal. Let no young man chossing the law for a calling for a moment yield to the popular belief; resolve to be honest at all events; and if in your judgement you cannot be an honest lawyer, resolve to be honest without being a lawyer.”