Famous Lawyers You Should Know

From the great orators of ancient Rome and Greece (like Cicero and Demosthenes), all the way to lawyers of the modern day (like Robert Kardashian and Alan Dershowitz), there have been many famous lawyers that you have likely heard or read about before.

In this blog, we will take a look at 10 well known attorneys from US history, both past and present. It's also interesting to see just how many Presidents have come from the field of law.

1. Robert Shapiro

Robert Shapiro is one of the best-known lawyers in American history. He is well known as an American Civil litigator. He was originally admitted to the State Bar of California during the 1960s. His biggest role came as a member of the defense team for OJ Simpson, who had been accused of murder. He was the leader of a dream team of attorneys who successfully defended him against these charges. Robert Shapiro later went on to found LegalZoom.

2. Thurgood Marshall

Thurgood Marshall was one of the most famous lawyers in American history. In addition to being a lawyer, he was an Associate Justice for the Supreme Court of the United States, being admitted as its 96 Justice. Furthermore, he is well-known as the first African-American judge to serve on the Supreme Court. Thurgood Marshall was originally licensed to practice law in Maryland. His biggest legal accomplishment was leading the case Brown vs. Board of Education, which desegregated public schools in the United States.

3. Woodrow Wilson

When people think about Woodrow Wilson, they usually think about the President who successfully navigated the United States through World War 1. In addition to serving as the 28th president of the United States, he was also an outstanding lawyer. He was admitted to the State Bar of Georgia and served as an attorney. He also earned his Ph.D before serving as President of the United States.

4. Johnnie Cochran

Johnnie Cochran is another famous American lawyer who served in the defense and acquittal of OJ Simpson. In addition to representing OJ Simpson, he also represented Jim Brown, Michael Jackson, Snoop Dogg, Tupac Shakur, Sean Combs, and Todd Bridges. He was originally licensed to practice law in California during the 1960s. His career started as a criminal prosecutor in Los Angeles before he moved into the private world.

5. William Howard Taft

A lot of lawyers decide to go into politics and William Howard Taft was no different. He served as the 27th president of the United States. He also served as the 10th Chief Justice of the United States. He has the distinct honor of being the only person to hold both positions. Taft was originally admitted to the Ohio Bar. He served as an assistant prosecutor for Hamilton County. He eventually went on to serve as president of the United States just before the United States entered World War 1.

6. Andrew Jackson

Andrew Jackson a busy career, including one as a lawyer. Many people associate the man on the $20 bill with his Service as president of the United States. In addition to serving as the seventh President, he was also admitted to the North Carolina bar in 1787. He was one of the youngest prosecuting attornies in the history of the United States at the age of 21. He is also one of the original founders of the Democratic party. His service as United States President, US Senator, military governor, soldier, and lawyer earned him a place on the $20 bill.

7. Abraham Lincoln

Abraham Lincoln is best known as the 16th president of the United States, leading the country through the Civil War, one of the darkest periods in its history. In addition to serving as a politician, he was also an incredibly successful lawyer. He passed the bar in the state of Illinois in 1836 and began working as a lawyer immediately. Abraham Lincoln was a versatile lawyer, representing clients both in criminal and civil matters. Lincoln and his Partners handled more than 5,000 cases before he entered politics.

8. Robert Kardashian

Even though many people associate the Kardashians with the entertainment world, their father is one of the most famous lawyers in American history. He earned his law degree from the University of San Diego and passed the bar shortly thereafter. In addition to serving on the OJ Simpson case as a member of the defense team, he was also active in the civil world as well. Even though he passed away in 2003, his legal progress continues to amaze those in the industry.

9. Richard Nixon

Richard Nixon is certainly one of the most controversial presidents in American history, being one of the few to be impeached. Prior to his service as a politician, he was also a successful lawyer. He practiced law in the state of California, graduating from Duke University Law School in 1937. Even though he was an extremely successful lawyer, he is best remembered as the only president to resign.

10. Barack Obama

Barack Obama is an American politician and lawyer who also served as the 44th President of the United States, the only President of African-American heritage. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from Harvard Law School in 1991. After this, he returned to Chicago and practiced as a lawyer in the Civil Rights field. This eventually led to a successful career in politics.

Famous Lawyers in United States History

These are just a few of the best-known lawyers in United States history. There is certainly a strong theme between the legal field and the political field; however, the legal field is vast and there are lots of different lawyers out there.

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