He used to employ me almost always as senior when he had a
case to argue to a jury, or an important law argument in Court.
He would put off the engagement until just as the case was
coming on. He used to intend to try his cases himself. But
his heart, at the last moment, would fail him. He was as
anxious about his clients' cases as if they were his own.
He was exceedingly negligent about his pleadings and negligent
in the matter of being prepared with the necessary formal
proofs of facts which were really not doubtful but which
were put in issue by the pleadings. When I was retained
my first duty was to prepare an amendment of the declaration
or the answer or plea, or, perhaps, to see whether he had
got the attesting witness to prove some signature. But when
we had got past all that I used to find that he had prepared
his evidence with reference to what was the pinch of the
case of what was likely to be finally the doubtful point in
the mind of court or jury with infinite sagacity and skill.
I have rarely known a better judge of the effect of evidence
on the mind of ordinary juries.
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