Eulogy of Lawyers

In 1936 Piero Calamandrei, an Italian lawyer and law professor, published Elogio dei Giudici Scritto da un Avvocato, a wry collection of maxims, anecdotes and observations on the nature of the legal process. Translated in 1946 as Eulogy of Judges, Written by a Lawyer, it gradually acquired a reputation among sophisticated legal circles as the best lawyer's book ever written. Written by a self-described member of the "Piero Calamandrei Freemasonry Society," Eulogy of Lawyers revives the spirit of its great predecessor while shifting the focus to the other side of the bench. Preface by Bryan A. Garner, President, Law Prose, Inc.; Distinguished Research Professor of Law, Southern Methodist University, Dallas, Texas; Editor, current editions of Black's Law Dictionary. "Stein is a rare breed: a superb, noted advocate - one of the finest of his day - who is also a literary essayist. I can think of only two comparable predecessors: Lord Brougham and Clarence Darrow." --Bryan A. Garner, Preface, xii-xiii. Jacob A. Stein has, for over 60 years, conducted a trial practice. He has been an adjunct professor at American University Law School, George Washington University Law School, and Georgetown University Law School where he has taught for the last 21 years. He has been president of the District of Columbia Bar. He has served on various judicial committees connected with the Federal Judiciary. He was appointed in 1985 to serve as the United States Independent Counsel to inquire as to the suitability of the President's choice as Attorney General of the United States. His articles have appeared in The American Scholar, Times Literary Supplement, The Washington Post, The Wilson Quarterly, the Washington Lawyer, the Green Bag, Litigation, and other publications. His books include Legal Spectator & More (2003), The Law of Law Firms (1994), Closing Argument: The Art and the Law (1969) and other titles.