Sources of the History of the American Law of Lawyering - Foundations of the American Law of Lawyering

The professional behavior of lawyers was a topic that attracted a good deal of attention during the nineteenth century. It was examined directly in bar rules, essays and books and indirectly in biographies, histories, testimonials and funeral orations. Despite the quality and range of this literature, some of it produced by such eminent jurists as Joseph Story and David Dudley Field, it is mostly forgotten today. This is due in part to the assumption that these writings are out of date. It is also difficult to locate many of the finest examples. Compiled from a broad array of scarce materials, Sources on the History of the American Law of Lawyering invites a reappraisal of the history of lawyering during the nineteenth century and addresses topics on legal ethics and professional behavior that are as relevant today as they were in the nineteenth century.