Navigation Be a Lincoln Lawyer
Jim Vickaryous
I drive a Lincoln and have a Bar card, so naturally, I enjoyed watching Matthew McConaughey in the movie The Lincoln Lawyer, based on Michael Connelly’s book. It goes without saying that a Bar card in your Lincoln’s glove box does not make you a Lincoln lawyer. The real Lincoln lawyer, Abraham Lincoln, was built of much hardier stuff. In 1856 Lincoln came to a politically unpopular conclusion with his peers: slavery was evil and its geographic expansion should be stopped. Being a trial lawyer, he was a pragmatist. He joined a new party created by abolitionists, even though he was not, reasoning that, “…the man who is of neither party is not — cannot be — of any consequence.” He lost a number of elections. Perhaps Lincoln thought that despite the obstacles, he could win on an unpopular platform because it is a universal truth that all men are created equal. We all know the results of his simple but profound choice: he won an election, won a war, freed the enslaved, and took a bullet in the head for his reward.
Abraham Lincoln is often remembered as one of America’s greatest presidents. But before he led our nation, he was a gifted lawyer. His legal career embodies qualities that remain the bedrock to the practice of law today. Being a Lincoln lawyer means embracing honesty, humility, resilience, hard work, and a deep commitment to justice — while maintaining a hardy sense of humor and a gregarious common touch. His example offers timeless lessons for lawyers seeking inspiration and success.
