“TOUTING" BY LAWYERS

Evening Star, Issue 14512, 2 November 1910, Page 8

“TOUTING" BY LAWYERS

The Bar Association of New York proposes to discipline all lawyers who tout for clients “on courthouse steps, in corridors, and on the stairs leading to the courtroom.” In America the roles of counsel aud solicitor do not exist separately, but both functions are combined in one practitioner, so that the entire legal profession here is' besmirched by the reprehensive practices of a few. American lawyers have not much admiration for the aloofness of the English barrister who does not “ hustle ” for business in the American style, but it is admitted that the system observed in the Inns of Court is preferable to canvassing for orders in public places. Magistrates have endeavored to prevent “ touting ” for cases, but with such little success that the Bar Associations now contemplate joint action in defence of a profession which in its highest departments is just as dignified, learned, and efficient in America as on your side of the Atlantic. The persistence, subterfuge, and determination exhibited by petifogging lawyers here, it is complained, have violated all the ethics of the New York Bar. Mr Adler, magistrate of Yorkvillo Police Court, New York, has addressed a communication to the Police Commissioner on the subject, in which he says: “ The pavement leading to the court is "occupied by lawyers and runners who intercept persons entering the courtroom. . . . They stand on the courthouse steps, iu the corridors, and on the stairs leading to Uie courtroom, and even ply their business of catching clients in the court itself. American counsel are allowed to advertise, to make any bargain they please with a client, to work cither by the job or on commission, or even for nothing, and to sue for fees; but it is thought that touting such as Mr Adler describes is stretching professional privilege 100 far. It was recently made a penal offence for a lawyer to advertise to procure a divorce, and no longer do wo read advertisements such as “ Divorce procured without publicity.” At tire time of cabling, however, I have before me a column of lawyers' advertisements, ■ in which six different practitioners notify the public that they will deal with “family troubles” or “domestic difficulties,” and that no fee will bo charged unless they are successful.—Nw York correspondent ‘ Daily Telegraph.’