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100 years ago
1oo years ago only certain people were allowed to be lawyers. For example, women, african americans, and asains weren't typically allowed to practice law. However, in 1922, Helena Normanton was the first women to lead a murder trial, obtain a divorce client, and be one of the first women on the King's Counsel in 1949. source:https://www.thelawyerportal.com/blog/lawyer-survive-100-years-ago/ -
Unauthorized pactice of law
In the 1920's and 1930's the American Bar Association (ABA) convinced states to pass "unauthorized practice of law" which effectively gave lawyers a monopoly over the sale of legal information.
https://www.mcguffey.net/pdf/UPL%202015.pdf -
Too many lawyers
Between 1932 and 1937, around 9,000 new lawyers graduated law school each year. Since there was a surplus of lawyers and businesses were poor, less people needed lawyers causing their wages to go down. https://www.encyclopedia.com/social-sciences/culture-magazines/1930s-government-politics-and-law-topics-news -
Guild lawyers
In the 1940's Guild lawyers were hired by the government to fight off facist cases against the Nazi's. Later, they came together to form the first national plaintiffs personal injury bar association. https://www.nlg.org/about/history/ -
Civil rights movement
Around the 1950's is when the push for racial equality began. Laywers fought for equality and to strike down racist Jim Crow Laws. One of the most famous cases is Brown vs. Board of education. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/the-experiences-civil-rights-lawyers-the-1950s-and-1960s -
The growing of law firms
The 1960's was the rise of bigger lawfirms. Especially in the practice of civil rights cases. https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/the-experiences-civil-rights-lawyers-the-1950s-and-1960s -
Higher income for lawyers
The 1980's was a great time for lawyers. Clients had need for lawyers everywhere and didnt have a choice but to hire them. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3129&context=sclr -
Requirements for a lawyer
Around the 1990's is when the requirement for lawyers was rasied. Now they were required to have some sort of bachelor's degree or law degree. https://scholarcommons.sc.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=3129&context=sclr -
Early 2000's lawyers
In the early 2000's lawyers began to make the switch from practicing many different types of laws to only specializing on one or two. The purpose of this was to conquer the local place around them and essentially being a big fish in a small pond. https://thepractice.law.harvard.edu/article/the-lawyers-lawyers/ -
Lawyers today
Today there are many different lawyers that specialize in different practices of law. Lawyers are booming with business and they are everywhere. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/legal/lawyers.htm#:~:text=Lawyers%20typically%20do%20the%20following,and%20analysis%20of%20legal%20problems