Lawyers' Poker
A young lawyer moved from Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) to Texas in the early spring of 1888. He rented a small office and put his shingle on the door, but he still had to be admitted to practice. On the way to Austin for his personal interview before the Texas Supreme Court, he was apprehensive, but felt ready for what he expected to be a rigorous examination by the hard nosed justices. Surprisingly, however, they asked him only four questions: Had he studied Blackstone? Did he read the Bible? Did he know his Shakespeare? And could he play poker? The first three questions were easy to understand. Blackstone's Commentaries was the basic reference book for lawyers everywhere. The Bible and Shakespeare were essential to understanding human nature, a neccesary quality for successful law practice, then as now. But gambling was a vice. Still he had to answer honestly. The lawyer cautiously confessed that he was seven-card stud player. The Court admitted him to practice on the spot. Once he was safely sworn in, the young lawyer got up the nerve to ask the court about the poker question. "Your Honors," he said, "I know why you inquired about Blackstone, Shakespeare, and the Bible, but what on earth does poker have to do with the practice of law?"
The Chief justice looked down from the bench and sternly replied, "Young man, how else do you expect to make a living during your first three years as a lawyer?"
Great poker players are master tacticians. Not only do they calculate odds with lightning speed and astonishing precision, but they also cunningly anticipate and manipulate the actions of their adversaries. In short, they boast skills that every lawyer can envy. The best card players, like the best lawyers, have a knack for getting their adversaries to react exactly as they want, and that talent separates the winners from the losers. Join Steven Lubet as he draws on the insights of seasoned card players to show that attorneys have much to learn from poker players. An irresistible guide to successful lawyering, Lawyers' Poker is an enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in law. No poker knowledge required.
Don't miss Ripped from the Headlines -- Steven Lubet's Top 10 Law & Poker Lessons
A young lawyer moved from Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) to Texas in the early spring of 1888. He rented a small office and put his shingle on the door, but he still had to be admitted to practice. On the way to Austin for his personal interview before the Texas Supreme Court, he was apprehensive, but felt ready for what he expected to be a rigorous examination by the hard nosed justices. Surprisingly, however, they asked him only four questions: Had he studied Blackstone? Did he read the Bible? Did he know his Shakespeare? And could he play poker? The first three questions were easy to understand. Blackstone's Commentaries was the basic reference book for lawyers everywhere. The Bible and Shakespeare were essential to understanding human nature, a neccesary quality for successful law practice, then as now. But gambling was a vice. Still he had to answer honestly. The lawyer cautiously confessed that he was seven-card stud player. The Court admitted him to practice on the spot. Once he was safely sworn in, the young lawyer got up the nerve to ask the court about the poker question. "Your Honors," he said, "I know why you inquired about Blackstone, Shakespeare, and the Bible, but what on earth does poker have to do with the practice of law?"
The Chief justice looked down from the bench and sternly replied, "Young man, how else do you expect to make a living during your first three years as a lawyer?"
Great poker players are master tacticians. Not only do they calculate odds with lightning speed and astonishing precision, but they also cunningly anticipate and manipulate the actions of their adversaries. In short, they boast skills that every lawyer can envy. The best card players, like the best lawyers, have a knack for getting their adversaries to react exactly as they want, and that talent separates the winners from the losers. Join Steven Lubet as he draws on the insights of seasoned card players to show that attorneys have much to learn from poker players. An irresistible guide to successful lawyering, Lawyers' Poker is an enjoyable read for anyone with an interest in law. No poker knowledge required.
Don't miss Ripped from the Headlines -- Steven Lubet's Top 10 Law & Poker Lessons
