Time was when much of lawyering consisted (according to turn-of-the-century lawyer and statesman Elihu Root) in "telling would-be clients that they are damned fool's, and should stop.

George F. Will
About This Quote

Elihu Root, one of the most influential lawyers in American history, once said that "time was, much of lawyering consisted (according to turn-of-the-century lawyer and statesman Elihu Root) in telling would-be clients that they are damned fool's, and should stop." Root was a very successful lawyer, but he had an uncharacteristic approach to his practice. He was rather blunt and harsh at times. One day he told a client that his wife was pregnant. The client then asked if the baby would be a boy or girl. Root replied, "Damned fool!"

Source: The Woven Figure: Conservatism And Americas Fabric

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