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FEBRUARY/MARCH 2015
SUMMARY
JUDGMENTS
REVIEWS, REVIEWS, REVIEWS!
When Lincoln Speaks
Lincoln’s Counsel: Lessons From America’s
Most Persuasive Speaker
By Arthur L. Rider
ABA Publishing, 2010
Reviewed by Daniel A. Cotter
M
ore books have been published
about Abraham Lincoln than
almost any other person in our
nation’s history. In Washington D.C., one
can visit the site where he died and find
an exhibit of every known book published
about him–a three-story, growing spiral that
contains hundreds of books on the man.
In yet another book,
Lincoln’s Counsel:
Lessons From America’s Most Persuasive
Speaker,
Arthur Rizer, a lawyer and pro-
Daniel A. Cotter is Vice Presi-
dent, General & Secretary at
Fidelity Life Association, and
a member of the CBA Record
Editorial Board.
fessor, takes a different approach in the
Lincoln biography genre. He provides
some historical context and background
on Lincoln’s early years, but focuses on
Lincoln’s speeches and the cases he argued
during his long legal career. Lincoln was
one of our country’s only lawyer-presidents
who practiced law up until his inaugura-
tion. (Incidentally, he kept his firm with
WilliamHerndon in place so that he could
return to it.)
This book can best be characterized as a
cross between a biography and the popular
genre known to some as “Leadership Les-
sons from [Insert Great Leader Here].”
It is entertaining and informative. After
discussing a segment of Lincoln’s legal or
political career, the book then provides
“Lessons Learned,” a list of behaviors and
practices that the reader can emulate to
better his own practice. The best part of
the book may be when Rizer addresses
Lincoln’s various partnerships and legal
jobs. Much of this information has not
been addressed in significant detail in
other biographies, because they focus on
his presidency.
Rizer asserts that Lincoln’s interests in
law stemmed from his interest in politics.
That may be true, but the author does not
make those arguments definitively. And he
occasionally mentions that Lincoln gave
up on politics at various times because of
a defeat in a race or for other reasons.
The author admires Lincoln, and of
course there is much to admire. Lincoln’s
honesty, his preparation for trial, and his
use of humor and stories served him well
and are attributes from which lawyers
could learn to improve their own reputa-
tions and behaviors. He also was a gifted
orator and storyteller whose height gave
him additional presence.
The book includes an appendix of a
number of Lincoln’s great speeches. These
should be required reading in civics les-
sons. However, the appendix lacks any
of Lincoln’s complete closing arguments,
although there are some small portions
of courtroom exchanges in a few cases.
Although Rizer notes that many of Lin-
coln’s cases were simple and his closings
short, it would be interesting to see
Lincoln’s gift with words displayed in his
courtroom presence.
Rizer has done a good job of gleaning
some “Lessons Learned” from Lincoln’s
biography and work. Young lawyers espe-
cially can learn a thing or two about how to
conduct themselves in the legal arena. The
book is a quick read and offers an enjoyable
way to learn some unknown facts about our
16th President, who also is remembered as
one of Illinois’ greatest attorneys.
Police and Citizens’ Rights
to Information
Thursday, March 19, 12:00-2:10 pm
MCLE Credit: 2 IL MCLE Credit
Location:TheChicago Bar Association, 321 South
Plymouth Court, Chicago, IL 60604
Presented by: YLS Civil Rights Committee
The goals of the seminar are to provide young
lawyers engaged in the practice of civil rights
litigation with information about an important
discovery tool–FOIA requests. Discussion will
center around a broad policy goal, increasing
transparency in government, and work that
citizens and attorneys are doing to achieve that
goal. Two other information-gathering tools,
eavesdropping and police body cameras, will
also be covered.
Speakers:
MatthewTopic, Loevy & Loevy; Jamie
Kalven, Journalist and Human Rights Activist,
The Invisible Institute; and LindsayMiller, Roger
Baldwin Foundation of ACLU, Inc.