SUCCESS AT LAW

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21146, 23 April 1934, Page 10

SUCCESS AT LAW

A STUDENT'S CHANCES TWO ASPECTS CONSIDERED Difficulties confronting the law student to-day when considering what prospects the profession offers, and what branch of it should be adopted, were discussed frankly and in detail by Mr C. S. Thomas, president of the Canterbury Law Society. in his; address to the law students at Canterbury College on Saturday evening. Dealing first with the solicitor's side of the profession, Mr Thomas said that any man could be successful at such work provided lie had honesty and brains, but slow building was necessary to establish a sound practice. Tf these methods were adopted, a good business would be built up, adding to itself like a snowball. For the solicitor sickness need have no fears, once he was firmly established, for in his absence other members of the firm could carry on the practice. This privilege was absolutely denied to the barrister, whose business ceased whenever he was absent. The Barrister "To be a successful barrister." continued Mr Thomas, "a man needs more than brains and honesty. Courage, above all, is necessary." Again and again, he said, the lack of this quality would be proved by failure as soon as counsel found himself in an awkward situation, and even if his weakness was not evident to his clients and the court, it would be observed by the opposing DjuTister.

A quick brain was also essential and shoufd be combined with powers of speech. By that he did not mean that eloquence was necessary or even desirable as it might cause a man to care more for tine phrases than sound argument. Earnestness and logical exposition were the necessary qualities in addressing the court, and would always carry a man through. Hard work in preparing a case was above all a necessity declared Mr Thomas. Sometimes a case involved many hours of study daily for weeks, and the lawyer who expected to leave his office at regular hours rather than "burn the midnight oil'' when it was necessary could scarcely hope for real success.

Knowledge of Men ' "It is no use hoping to be a barrister just ; from book-learning." cautioned Mr Thomas. "What is needed is a knowledge of the world gained by associating with men and women whom one must understand." Advantage had to be taken of youth while one was free to do so, he believed, for that was the only time to gain that most valuable knowledge required to understand a case completely—both the circumstances and the people in it. Advantages of the barrister's profession were security from outside competition, and a reasonable pecuniary reward for the labour expended. But there was always a risk of proving a failure after actual court work in which case a man had to resign himself to becoming a drudge in a solicitor's office. In addition to this there was the terrific strain of court work and the inevitable loss resulting from the complete cessation of j business when the barrister was abjsent due to illness or when on holiday. "I do want to warn you very seriously on coming to the fixed' conclusion that you are going to be a barrister."' concluded Mr Thomas. Students could in no way judge by any dialectic powers they possessed' during their youth, he declared. Thev should consider the qualities he had mentioned, and then go into the profession without letting the present economic conditions discourage them. There was always a place at the top and the good man would get diere

''Students in New Zealand imagine themselves to be impoverished, but in Europe conditions are much worse," said Mr Alun Richards, to the Canterbury College Student Christian Movement, on Saturday evening. "There students sleep "in garrets and live very frugally. NewZealand is a comparatively rich I country."