He had been in the private practice of law for about five years and was not doing well. He concluded to get into the corporation counsel’s office and make municipal law his specialty. He was fortunate to get an appointment and soon developed into a first class lawyer for the city, and won a good reputation from his work done. The community in which he resided had a population of 350,000 to 400,000, and after about two years’ work for the city he went in practice for himself. He made a specialty of the municipal law. Any matter that was to come before the council, or any service that he might render people with reference to city affairs, was the kind of business he was after. He used none but creditable methods and he left no stone unturned which would bring him in touch with business of the best character.
There are many ways an attorney, who understands municipal law, can render service to the people in large cities. After five or six years of private practice all the attorneys in his community would not take a case involving city affairs unless they had his advice or he was put in on the case. In return he sent cases to his fellow attorneys and did not engage in any but municipal law practice.
Municipal law practice is very profitable, as the clients are invariably able to pay for the service rendered.
The medical men have their specialties, other kinds of work has its specialties and the lawyer is behind the times who does not consider this when he enters the practice of law.
PLAN No. 658. A LAWYER MAKES A SUCCESS IN A LARGE CITY
This young attorney located in a small town in Oregon and there, with the co-operation of one of the leading politicians of the state, was able to build up a good practice.
His acquaintanceship and connection established him in the community of 15,000, in which he made his initial step, and soon he had a small, but substantial practice. His plan was eventually to go into the city of Portland. He possessed one excellent ability, and that was to make friends. He was quiet in manner, a fair speaker and a good student. His friends were people of the best class and meant much to his ultimate success. In business he had good judgment.
After three years’ practice in the little town he went to the large city and made his beginning. He was able to keep some of his clients from the small town. He met people in the large city with whom his political friends were on very good terms, and was able to get into connection with a good law firm. He was not admitted in the partnership, but was allowed an office in the same suite, and used their library and had the privilege of their stenographer’s services. This association meant much to him. After twelve years of building, he now enjoys a big practice and is permanently established in the community, and counts many of the best people of the city as his friends.
No, he did not take up politics and has taken no part in it. He has aspirations in that direction, but he feels it is essential first to have a strong financial standing before he enters into any political campaign. “The average young lawyer does not realize how important it is,” he says, “to establish, cultivate and make the best kind of people their friends. They not only shape and mould the lawyer’s own life, but are, by reason of their standing, able to determine what his success shall be.” He believes that people are known by the friends. He says this is particularly true in a large city. Fifty friends of the right kind are worth a thousand that are not.