The public mind divides lawyers into two great classes of honest and dishonest. When considering the professions and walks of life it gives necessary consideration to the proportion of mere weakness in human nature, but the defaulting solicitor is always set down as a knave. Now, the law admits of as much simple frailty as the Church, medicine, or commerce, while the temptations are at least as strong and as frequent. Mr. R. A. Pinsent’s counsel to the members of the Birmingham law society yesterday afternoon, when he drew lessons from the Milward case for their benefit, was founded on recognition of this fact. In a carefully considered and really valuable address, he pointed out the importance of avoiding temptation. Anything in the nature of scrivening — the reception of money intended to be lent on security, not in the name of the owner but that of the practitioner — was to be avoided. Clients’ money must not be mixed but kept rigidly separate. Auditing must be welcomed and encouraged. From these items, which formed the gist of Mr. Pinsent’s sermon, it will be seen what he means by the avoidance rather than the resistance of temptation. … … (continues) … … Though the lawyer has so much greater opportunity that his fraud causes widespread suffering, his crime very often begins in a similar way. Mr. Pinsent has rendered good service by showing how “Get thee behind me, Satan” may be adopted as a practical policy in every lawyer’s office.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0738 Devonport: Richard Alfred Pinsent: 1852 – 1948
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive