A. Lincoln, Esquire: A Shrewd, Sophisticated Lawyer in His Time

Rating:
Summary: Poorly organized, written and edited
Review: As a physician I looked forward to reading this, but it is poorly organized, written and edited. The author bounces back and forth within a chapter. I expected a straight discourse on each case instead there was a mishmash. For example in one chapter I thought he was going to discuss two malpractice cases that Lincoln defended. Instead there is an eassay on Medical Malpractice from 1830s through the 1850s. In another chapter about a malpractice on a broken leg that was not set as the patient wanted, there is a three page discourse on all the medical literature that Lincoln COULD have used. IN the end the case was setteld, but then we never find out the particulars of the settlement, why it was settled or such.Overall a major disappointment for me.

Rating:
Summary: lincoln the lawyer
Review: Like everything else concerning Lincoln's life, his law practice has acquired the patina of legend over the years. Mr. Spiegel's book does an excellent job of dispelling myths and presenting Lincoln as a well respected attorney with a thriving practice. The strongest part of the book are the introductory materials and the first two chapters. Lincoln is shown to be willing to argue any side of a case based on his clients' needs. In a case where two men had a monetary dispute Lincoln was hired by one man for the trial and by the other man during the appeal. Reamrks about the difficulty assessing an attorney's effectiveness based on the won-loss record are well considered.
However, later chapters seem somewhat unfocused. The author adds interesting tidbits unrelated to the topic and outside the time of Lincoln's practice. I had hoped that a ten year research project would focus more extensively on his actual practice. Still, this is a good reference for scholars and Lincoln "buffs."

Rating:
Summary: Abraham Lincoln WAS a Shrewd Lawyer
Review: Many people believe that Abraham Lincoln was just a hick lawyer. This book cites more than 60 cases and shows that Lincoln was a top notch shrewd, sophisticated lawyer. In addition, Lincoln took on all types of cases and earned a good iving. He represemterd a slave owner even though he opposed the idea of slavery. He defended people accussed of murder and he prosecuted murderers. He represented corporations and he handled many individual bad debt cases. It was particularly interesting to read about Lincoln's daily mixture of law, politics and activities in the society of his time. For the first time, this book uses newly discovered legal documents about Lincoln's practice and the author describes cases that were previously unknown. There is a large mass of references and a substantial bibliography - about 40 pages of material. If lincoln had not been elected president, there is no doubt that he would have become one of the leading lawyers in the nation. Obviously, lawyers will enjoy this book along with historians and the general public. I heartedly recommend this book.