One focus of this book is to look at the interrelationship between the old Philadelphia upper class and the legal profession. The upper class refers to a group of old Philadelphia families whose members are descendants of financially successful individuals. Through their families, those men have had the means to enter, train in, and practice law. While over the two centuries covered here the percentage of upper class lawyers decreased, their influence for many years continued to surpass their numbers. In 1944, about 10 percent of all lawyers were listed in the Social Register. In the eight largest law firms in the city they accounted for 37 percent of the partners and 23 percent of the associates. But by 1990, their influence was waning: they represented only about two percent of all lawyers in the city. Moreover, in the eight largest law firms in the city, 12 percent of the partners were in the Social Register, but only one percent of the associates. Indeed, with the twenty-first century approaching, the old upper class was - and is - becoming increasingly irrelevant to Philadelphia law. In each chapter, an examination is made of the emerging American legal system and the training and practice of law in a given historical period. Before the Revolution most American law was British law. After the Revolution there were often bitter struggles over the continued use of British common law. Rapidly the British common law was modified, giving way to American common law - and that was the major focus of law up until the Civil War. Following the Civil War and well into the twentieth century the major thrust of law was related to business and industry, especially corporations. By the 1930s there was an increasing focus on Federal Commissions and statute law. Over the decades the training of lawyers underwent change. Until the twentieth century, most lawyers were trained in law offices, and it was only slowly that law schools became the accepted means of legal training. For most of American history, the lawyer practiced alone and often appeared as an advocate in court where his forensic skills were highly valued. For the various historical eras, this study attempts to show how the Philadelphia lawyer lived, some of his values, how he learned the law, and how he practiced it. Anecdotal material is used to illustrate these points whenever possible. Forty-two Philadelphia lawyers were interviewed who, for the most part, had first entered the bar in the 1920s and 1930s. Six modern-day Philadelphia lawyers were interviewed at length, and their insights are presented in the epilogue. Following each chapter there is a profile of a Philadelphia lawyer contemporary to the period discussed. Most of the profiles are of men who, considered outstanding lawyers in their own time, have come to be regarded as outstanding in the history of Philadelphia law.

In the transatlantic world of the late eighteenth century, easterly winds blew radical thought to America. Thomas Paine had already arrived on these shores in 1774 and made his mark as a radical pamphleteer during the Revolution. In his wake followed more than 200 other radical exiles—English Dissenters, Whigs, and Painites; Scottish "lads o'parts"; and Irish patriots—who became influential newspaper writers and editors and helped change the nature of political discourse in a young nation. Michael Durey has written the first full-scale analysis of these radicals, evaluating the long-term influence their ideas have had on American political thought. Transatlantic Radicals uncovers the roots of their radicalism in the Old World and tells the story of how these men came to be exiled, how they emigrated, and how they participated in the politics of their adopted country. Nearly all of these radicals looked to Paine as their spiritual leader and to Thomas Jefferson as their political champion. They held egalitarian, anti-federalist values and promoted an extreme form of participatory democracy that found a niche in the radical wing of Jefferson's Republican Party. Their divided views on slavery, however, reveal that democratic republicanism was unable to cope with the realities of that institution. As political activists during the 1790s, they proved crucial to Jefferson's 1800 presidential victory; then, after his views moderated and their influence waned, many repatriated, others drifted into anonymity, and a few managed to find success in the New World. Although many of these men are known to us through other histories, their influence as a group has never before been so closely examined. Durey persuasively demonstrates that the intellectual ferment in Britain did indeed have tremendous influence on American politics. His account of that influence sheds considerable light on transatlantic political history and differences in religious, political, and economic freedoms. Skillfully balancing a large cast of characters, Transatlantic Radicals depicts the diversity of their experiences and shows how crucial these reluctant émigrés were to shaping our republic in its formative years.

Clarity and precision in legal writing are essential skills in the practice and study of law. This book offers a straightforward, practical guide to effective legal style from a world-leading expert. The book is thoughtfully structured to explain the elements of good legal writing and its most effective use. It catalogues all aspects of legal style, topic by topic, phrase by phrase, usage by usage. It scrutinises them all, suggesting improvements. Its 'dictionary' arrangement makes it easy to navigate. Entries cover matters such as abbreviations, acronyms, active and passive voice, brackets, bullet points, citation methods, cross-referencing, fonts, document design, footnotes, gender-neutral language, numbering systems, plain legal language, punctuation, the use of Latin in law, structures for legal advices and documents, and techniques for editing and proofreading. Also covered are many words and phrases that non-lawyers find opaque and obscure-the aim being to show that lawyers can usually substitute a plain-English equivalent that captures the legal nuances of the 'legalese'. Other topics include ambiguity, deeds, definitions, provisos, recitals, simplified outlines, terms of art, tone, and the various principles of legal interpretation. With an emphasis on technical effectiveness and understanding, the book is required reading for all those engaged in the practice and study of law.

Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Russia presents issues peculiar to the Russian legal system and legal culture generally. The culmination of perhaps years of arbitration, enforcement of arbitral awards is a crucial element of arbitration and a subject best not taken lightly or left to the last minute. The Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Russia parses the judgments of Russian courts, with a particular focus on the decision-making processes of Russian judges as reflected in their judgments. The Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Russia addresses several questions, such as: • Which Russian courts enforce awards and what are they like? • What laws, treaties, and rules apply? • How do the courts reach their decisions? • Do those courts sometimes reach anomalous conclusions? • What should an applicant for enforcement watch out for? • What are the common pitfalls? With the help of Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards in Russia non-Russian readers will be able to ask intelligent questions, earlier rather than later, of the local counsel who will be making an application for enforcement in the Russian courts.

Lawyer's Desk Book is an extraordinary guide that you can't afford to be without. Used by over 150,000 attorneys and legal professionals, this must-have reference supplies you with instant, authoritative legal answers, without exorbitant research fees. Packed with current, critical information, Lawyer's Desk Book includes: Practical guidance on virtually any legal matter you might encounter: real estate transactions, trusts, divorce law, securities, mergers and acquisitions, computer law, tax planning, credit and collections, employer-employee relations, personal injury, and more - over 75 key legal areas in all! Quick answers to your legal questions, without having to search stacks of material, or wade through pages of verbiage. Key citations of crucial court cases, rulings, references, code sections, and more. More than 1500 pages of concise, practical, insightful information. No fluff, no filler. Just the facts you need to know. The Lawyer's Desk Book, 2017 Edition incorporates recent court decisions, legislation, and administrative rulings. Federal statutes and revised sentencing guides covered in this edition reflect a growing interest in preventing terrorism, punishing terror-related crimes, and promoting greater uniformity of sentencing. There is also new material on intellectual property law, on legislation stemming from corporate scandals, such as the Sarbanes- Oxley Act, and on legislation to cut individual and corporate tax rates, such as the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act. Chapters are in sections on areas including business planning and litigation, contract and property law, and law office issues.