971 The Lawyers, by Martin Mayer (read 23 Oct 1968) I found this book of interest, but have no post-reading note so cannot intelligently say more, since I read it over 40 years ago. When Mayer died on August 1, 2019, his New York Times obituary included this re this book: “It is a highly researched, many-faceted presentation of what a lawyer is, how he is trained, what he does to earn his money, how many different kinds there are, what opportunities are open to him and how he makes out financially in comparison to the rest of us.” ( )

In many ways, this book is more interesting now than when it first appeared, for it describes a legal profession that no longer exists: where lawyers didn't advertise, a firm with a hundred partners was huge, clients paid unitemized bills, "white shoe" wasn't just a metaphor, WASP's and Jews moved in separate circles (and women were present only as secretaries), the "going rate" for first year associates in New York was $9,600, legal research relied on Shepherd's and West headnotes, telephones were answered by human beings, faxes didn't exist (much less e-mail), carbon paper was the mainstay of copying technology - I could go on and on.

My own legal career began just as this era was passing away. It probably wasn't better than what came after, but it was distinctly different. Martin Mayer does a fine job of portraying it, warts and all. ( )