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3 Docket Call 1 (1968)

handle is hein.abarchive/dockcalog0003 and id is 1 raw text is: Published by Section of General Practice American Bar Association Volume III, Number 1 SPECIALIZATION Is it necessary? . . . feasible? .... desirable? Below is the text of the talk by John D. Randall, Sr., Cedar Rapids. Iowa, former President of the American Bar Association and former Chairman of the General Practice Section, made at the National Institute Program in Dallas last October, in which he places these questions in a thought-pro Poking perspective. We are presently living in a technological age where every effort is directed toward making our life one of physical ease, and, a continuation of this course will either result in total destruction or will result in a life with the sole problem of determining how to spend our leisure time. The truths have caused certain of our brethren to examine the legal profession to determine wheth- er or not we will be able to fit into not only the lei- sure life as it is expected to be lived in the distant future, but also whether or not it fits into our pre- sent society. Whether the urge to establish the specialist arises from the emphasis which is placed upon our financial well being or as a means of establishing a group who will be better able to fulfill a professional responsibility in the leisure life is difficult to determine. It is my view that the basis upon which the profession should determine the need is how we can best serve the public. To do this we must first examine ourselves and determine what we as lawyers wish to exemplify, by that I mean, do we wish to be a trade or do we wish to continue as a profession. If it is our purpose to become a trade, then we should hire efficiency experts to tell how to best run our *At the annual meeting in Honolulu, the House of Delegates authorized the Board of Governors to study the question of specialization. A committee thereafter was appointed, chaired by Chesterfield H. Smith. Uakeland. Florida, and com- posed of a broad representation from the Bar, including Ben Dutton, member of the Council of the General Practice Sec- tion. A report is expected at the Philadelphia meeting in August of 1968. business to make the engineers set up production lines so that we can get the maximum return for the minimum amount of effort. It is my view that the present need is for the lawyer as a professional man and not as a tradesman. Dean Roscoe Pound defined a profession as a dedication to public service, he observed: By a profession, such as ... law . . . we mean much more than a calling which has a certain traditional dig- nity and certain other callings which in recent times have achieved or claimed a like dignity. There is much more in a profession than a traditionally dignified calling. The term refers to a group of men pursuing a learned art as a common calling in the spirit of public service-no less a public service because it may incidentally be a means of livelihood. Pursuit of the learned art in the spirit of public service is the primary purpose. Gaining a livelihood is incidental, whereas in a busi- ness or trade it is the entire purpose.... It is interesting to note that our Bar Association has been built upon the professional ideal. The American Bar Association is not a trade association, attempting to organize the profession for commercial advantage. Since its inception, the American Bar Association has been concerned with the advance- ment of the science of jurisprudence, the administra- tion of justice, and the improvements of our law. I think this is significant for, if America is to grow in the light of her ideals, her professional organization must offer guidance and direction, as well as con- structive criticism when we, as a Nation, fall short of our principles. To so function, professional Associa- tions must always remain free from the partisan (Continued on page 3) March, 1968