Legal Research

"Why Lawyers Rule the U.S. and What It Says About Our Culture"

Posted by Carolyn Elefant: "As far back as the 1830s, French historian Alexis de Toqueville observed the prevalence of lawyers in America's ruling elite. Now, a century and a half later, nothing's changed. If anything, lawyers holding public office are more prominent than ever in the Obama administration, with both the president, the vice president and many top cabinet members holding JDs.

So what is it about the American culture that attracts lawyers to politics and accounts for their ascendancy? That's one of the topics considered in this fascinating piece, "There was a lawyer, an engineer, a politician," from The Economist (April 16, 2009), which examines professional paths to the top and how they vary by country..."

Full text and active links are available at the source site listed below.

Source: Legal Blog Watch, 29 April 2009

Full post as published by Stark County Law Library Blawg on April 30, 2009 (boomark / email).