Presidents | High school or equivalent | Graduate school |
---|---|---|
James Garfield | Geauga Seminary | none |
Chester A. Arthur | Schenectady Lyceum and Academy | State and National Law School (did not graduate) |
Grover Cleveland | Clinton Academy | none |
Benjamin Harrison | Farmers' College | none |
George Washington James Madison William Harrison Zachary Taylor Andrew Johnson Ulysses Grant 17 presidents who were not lawyers James Garfield Theodore Roosevelt (law school dropout) Warren Harding Herbert Hoover Harry Truman Dwight Eisenhower John Kennedy Lyndon Johnson Jimmy Carter Ronald Reagan George W. Bush
Another famous early president, Andrew Jackson, also entered the legal profession as a self-taught lawyer. Other US lawyer-presidents include Franklin Roosevelt, James Madison, John Quincy Adams, Woodrow Wilson and Bill Clinton.
Buchanan, who was the only president to remain a life-long bachelor, studied law in Pennsylvania. His niece was his acting First Lady. Lincoln, who is often times ranked as one of the greatest presidents, attended school for less than a year before becoming a lawyer in 1833.
In practical terms, a legal career can set the stage for a political career by permitting a person to build a powerful reputation and make the right contacts — people who can help fund political campaigns down the line. However, successful lawyers must also master certain skills that can be invaluable to the difficult job of US president.
Most people are surprised to learn that eight lawyer-presidents did so. In addition to Harrison and Taft, the advo-cates were John Quincy Adams, James Polk, Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, Grover Cleveland, and Richard Nixon.
In all, 25 of the 44 men to hold the office of President have been lawyers. Before taking office, many other presidents previously served as soldiers, farmers, businessmen or teachers. However, the large number of presidents who were able to leverage prior legal experience into public service is telling.
James Polk: He was a lawyer, surveyor and railroad worker He was the eleventh President of the United States. Millard Fillmore: He was a lawyer, political leader, minister of finance, diplomat and statesman.
No, President George Washington was not a lawyer. George Washington was the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the Revolutionary War...
As a young country lawyer, Jefferson practiced law on a circuit, following the meetings of the colonial court as it traveled to various district seats throughout Virginia.
Attorney vs Lawyer: Comparing Definitions Lawyers are people who have gone to law school and often may have taken and passed the bar exam. Attorney has French origins, and stems from a word meaning to act on the behalf of others. The term attorney is an abbreviated form of the formal title 'attorney at law'.
William Howard Taft (September 15, 1857 – March 8, 1930) was the 27th president of the United States....William Howard TaftBornSeptember 15, 1857 Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.DiedMarch 8, 1930 (aged 72) Washington, D.C., U.S.Political partyRepublicanSpouse(s)Helen Herron Taft13 more rows
Eureka College1928–1932Eureka College1932Dixon High SchoolRonald Reagan/Education
William Howard Taft was elected the 27th President of the United States (1909-1913) and later became the tenth Chief Justice of the United States (1921-1930), the only person to have served in both of these offices.
As the third president of the United States, Jefferson stabilized the U.S. economy and defeated pirates from North Africa during the Barbary War. He was responsible for doubling the size of the United States by successfully brokering the Louisiana Purchase. He also founded the University of Virginia.
Alexander Hamilton became a leading voice of the Federalists who believed that the federal government needed to be strong. On the other side, Thomas Jefferson, a Republican, argued that too much power in the hands of the federal government would lead to tyranny.
George Washington and Abraham Lincoln were presidents of the United States of America. George Washington was the first president of America, and Abraham Lincoln was the sixteenth.
Some of the US presidents who got their start in law are also among the most well-known. Although he never actually attended law school, Abraham Lincoln may well be one of the most famous lawyer-presidents.
Spread the love. Aside from their election to the most powerful position in the US, Barack Obama, Richard Nixon and Thomas Jefferson all share another key accomplishment: Each one studied and/or practiced law before they became US presidents.
Truman studied law at the University of Missouri-Kansas School of Law, then called Kansas City Law School, but never earned a degree, while Roosevelt studied law at Columbia without ever completing his degree. Many other presidents have come from a political background — for example, formerly holding a state office.
Barack Obama follows in the footsteps of Rutherford B. Hayes , the 19th president, as the second Harvard law graduate to make his way to the Oval Office. The Wall Street Journal provides a complete list of US presidents who came from a legal background.
George W. Bush’s pedigree included a stint as governor of Texas and an MBA. In fact, Bush was the first US president to hold an MBA. While we may see more future leaders with business degrees, it’s highly likely that many more US presidents will have studied law.
In fact, more U.S. Presidents have been attorneys by trade than any other profession. In all, 25 of the 44 men to hold the office of President have been lawyers. Before taking office, many other presidents previously served as soldiers, farmers, businessmen or teachers.
Abraham Lincoln was another future president with extensive legal experience. Prior to serving as the 16th President, Lincoln practiced law in Springfield, Illinois, where he represented a variety of different clients. In 1841, he served as a defense attorney in the bizarre Trailor brothers’ murder trial.
Alexander Strub is a legal assistant and the lead content writer at Gillespie, Shields, Goldfarb & Taylor. He has a B.A. from Brigham Young University and an M.A. from the University of Missouri-Kansas City (both in History). He and his wife Annalee have been married for 11 years and have one daughter.
Having a familiarity with the Constitution and the law would certainly be beneficial for any would-be president, given the preponderance of legislation that crosses the president’s desk.
Having a famous name doesn’t always help. Adams practiced law in Boston but had a hard time building his practice, even though his father was the Vice President at the time.
Richard Nixon. After graduating Duke University School of Law, Nixon hoped to join the FBI but never received a response to his letter. That led to him moving back to L.A, passing the bar, and later getting into politics. He is the only former president that was born and raised in California.
It’s also impossible for a person to become a lawyer without a lot of sacrifices. Lawyers are always busy working, studying, and sacrificing their personal and family time in order to be successful. This can affect a person’s personal time and work-life balance.