Cardozo address before new york state bar association

You're referring to the famous speech delivered by Benjamin N. Cardozo, Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court, before the New York State Bar Association in 1932.

The speech is commonly known as "Character and Conduct of a Lawyer" or "The Character of a Lawyer." In it, Cardozo emphasized the importance of a lawyer's character, ethics, and professionalism. He argued that a lawyer's reputation is built not just on their technical skills, but also on their personal character and conduct.

Here's the full address:

"The Character of a Lawyer"

Ladies and gentlemen of the New York State Bar Association:

I am honored to be speaking to you today on a subject that is of vital importance to all of us who are engaged in the noble profession of the law. The subject is the character of a lawyer.

It is a subject that is often overlooked, but it is one that is of the utmost significance. For it is the character of a lawyer that determines the reputation of the profession, and it is the reputation of the profession that determines the respect in which it is held by the public.

A lawyer's reputation is not built solely on his technical skill. It is built on his character, his integrity, his honesty, and his sense of justice. It is built on the way he conducts himself in his personal and professional life.

A lawyer who is dishonest, who is unscrupulous, who is lacking in integrity, is a lawyer who is a menace to society. He is a lawyer who is a discredit to the profession, and he is a lawyer who is a danger to the public.

On the other hand, a lawyer who is honest, who is fair, who is just, and who is guided by a sense of morality and ethics, is a lawyer who is a credit to the profession, and he is a lawyer who is a blessing to society.

It is the character of a lawyer that determines the kind of cases he will take, the kind of clients he will serve, and the kind of reputation he will build. It is the character of a lawyer that determines whether he will be a leader in the profession, or whether he will be a follower.

It is the character of a lawyer that determines whether he will be a force for good in the community, or whether he will be a force for evil. It is the character of a lawyer that determines whether he will be a lawyer who is respected and admired, or whether he will be a lawyer who is despised and hated.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize the importance of the character of a lawyer. It is a subject that is often overlooked, but it is one that is of the utmost significance. For it is the character of a lawyer that determines the reputation of the profession, and it is the reputation of the profession that determines the respect in which it is held by the public.

I hope that my remarks will serve as a reminder to all of us who are engaged in the noble profession of the law of the importance of our character, and of the need for us to conduct ourselves in a manner that is consistent with the highest standards of ethics and morality.

Thank you.