Laws and customs may be creative of vice; and should be therefore perpetually under process of observation and correction: but laws and customs cannot be creative of virtue: they may encourage and help to preserve it; but they cannot originate it.
—Harriet Martineau (1802–76) English Sociologist, Economist, Essayist, Philosopher
In cross examination, as in fishing, nothing is more ungainly than a fisherman pulled into the water by his catch.
—Louis Nizer (1902–1994) American Lawyer, Author
The severity of the laws prevents their execution.
—Montesquieu (1689–1755) French Political Philosopher, Jurist
Lawyers spend a great deal of their time shoveling smoke.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Jr. (1841–1935) American Jurist, Author
By birth and interest lawyers belong to the people; by habit and taste to the aristocracy; and they may be looked upon as the natural bond and connecting link of the two great classes of society.—They are attached to public order beyond every other consideration, and the best security of public order is authority.—If they prize the free institutions of their country much, they value the legality of these institutions far more.—They are less afraid of tyranny than of arbitrary power.
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–59) French Historian, Political Scientist
All breathing, existing, living, sentient creatures should not be slain nor treated with violence, nor abused, nor tormented, nor driven away. This is the pure unchangeable law.
—Buddhist Teaching
Whatever the human law may be, neither an individual nor a nation can commit the least act of injustice against the obscurest individual without having to pay the penalty for it.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Only lawyers and painters can turn white to black.
—Japanese Proverb
Fools and obstinate men make lawyers rich.
—Common Proverb
A priest sees people at their best, a lawyer at their worst, but a doctor sees them as they really are.
—Common Proverb
No civilization would ever have been possible without a framework of stability, to provide the wherein for the flux of change. Foremost among the stabilizing factors, more enduring than customs, manners and traditions, are the legal systems that regulate our life in the world and our daily affairs with each other.
—Hannah Arendt (1906–75) German-American Philosopher, Political Theorist
It is better to be a mouse in a cat’s mouth than a man in a lawyer’s hands.
—Spanish Proverb
The best laws cannot make a constitution work in spite of morals; morals can turn the worst laws to advantage. That is a commonplace truth, but one to which my studies are always bringing me back. It is the central point in my conception. I see it at the end of all my reflections.
—Alexis de Tocqueville (1805–59) French Historian, Political Scientist
Woe unto you also, ye lawyers! for ye lade men with burdens grievous to be borne, and ye yourselves touch not the burdens with one of your fingers.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The robes of lawyers are lined with the obstinacy of clients
—Common Proverb
The laws and the stage, both are a form of exhibitionism.
—Orson Welles (1915–85) American Film Director, Actor
A successful lawsuit is the one worn by a policeman.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
A good lawyer is a bad neighbor.
—French Proverb
Laws are like sausages. It is better not to see them being made.
—Otto von Bismarck (1815–98) German Chancellor, Prime Minister
Lawyers know life practically. A bookish man should always have them to converse with.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Our demands are simple, normal, and therefore they are difficult to satisfy. All we ask is that an actor on the stage live in accordance with natural laws
—Constantin Stanislavski (1863–1938) Russian Actor, Theater Personality
A lawyer needs three bags: one full of papers, one full of money, and one full of patience.
—French Proverb
The priest’s friend loses his faith, the doctor’s his health, and the lawyer’s his fortune.
—Italian Proverb
Unless Hell is full, no lawyer will ever be saved.
—French Proverb
It is difficult to make our material condition better by the best law, but it is easy enough to ruin it by bad laws.
—Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Explorer
As to lawyers, their profession is supported by the indiscriminate defense of right and wrong.
—Junius Unidentified English Writer
He is no lawyer who cannot take two sides.
—Charles Lamb (1775–1834) British Essayist, Poet
Our profession is good if practised in the spirit of it; it is damnable fraud and iniquity when its true spirit is supplied by a spirit of mischief-making and money-getting.—The love of fame is extinguished; every ardent wish for knowledge repressed; conscience put in jeopardy, and the best feelings of the heart indurated by the mean, money-catching, abominable practises, which cover with disgrace some of the modem practitioners of law.
—Daniel Webster (1782–1852) American Statesman, Lawyer
The lawyers’ truth is not Truth, but consistency or a consistent expediency.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Laws are the sovereigns of sovereigns.
—Louis XIV of France (1638–1715) King of France