5 famous people who were lawyers

Yes, it is true! Law is one the toughest professions to pursue in the world, primarily because you are expected to work long hours and you most definitely never stop studying. Well, as much as this is true, it is still a great profession to be in because at the end of the day, lawyers help bring out the truth and bring justice to people.

Many of the people who brought about a revolution and made a mark for themselves as well as their cause in the world have been from the law background.

Click here to know who are the famous Indian lawyers.

In this article, we will be talking about some such people who with their clear objective and thought process helped make the world a better place to live in.

Nelson Mandela

Famous as the crusader of the anti-apartheid movement, Nelson Mandela was a professional lawyer and attended the Fort Hare University and the University of Witwatersrand, where he studied law. He was the only South African in his law class.

In 1952, Mandela established the first black law firm in South Africa with Oliver Tambo. However, his active participation in the African National Congress saw him quitting his full-time law career.

Mahatma Gandhi

Famous to employ non-violent civil disobedience to support a cause he truly believed in, Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi was also a lawyer by profession. Commonly referred to as the ‘Father of the Nation’, Gandhi’s family wanted him to be a barrister, as it would increase the prospects of him succeeding to his father's post (who served as the diwan of Porbander state).

Gandhi travelled to London in 1888 where he studied law and jurisprudence and enrolled at the Inner Temple with the intention of becoming a barrister.

After completing his studies he returned to India where he practiced law briefly but felt that he was “psychologically unable to cross-question witnesses”. After this, he accepted a year long contract from Dada Abdulla & Co, an Indian firm, to a post in South Africa. Gandhi originally went there as a legal adviser, but his life changed as he became an advocate for the rights of the oppressed.

On returning to India, Mahatma Gandhi led India to independence and inspired movements for civil rights and freedom across the world.

Abraham Lincoln

Known to be an extremely talented lawyer, Abraham Lincoln had very little formal schooling. He was not neat or orderly, but usually had many cases in court. For twenty three years Lincoln was a trial and appellate lawyer. One of Lincoln's greatest skills was cross examination and he was extremely good at making oral arguments.

He was the 16th president of the United States and is known to have led US through the Civil War. He is also the man who abolished slavery, strengthened the federal government and modernised the economy of America.

He is considered by many to be the greatest US President of all times.

B R Ambedkar

An Indian jurist, politician and social reformer, Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar (BR Ambedkar) was commonly referred to as Babasaheb. Ambedkar earned his law degree and various doctorates from Columbia University and the London School of Economics. He also made a reputation for himself in the field of research in law, economics and political science.

In his early career he was an economist, professor, and lawyer. His later life was marked by his political activities, where he became involved in the negotiations for India's independence, contributing significantly to the establishment of the state of India.

As independent India's first law minister, he was principal architect of the Constitution of India.

Barack Obama

The first African American to become the President of USA, Barack Obama is a graduate from the Columbia University and Harvard Law School. He also served as the president of the Harvard Law Review. He was a community organiser in Chicago before earning his law degree.

He worked as a civil rights attorney and taught constitutional law at the University of Chicago Law School from 1992 to 2004. He attained national attention in 2004 during his campaign to represent Illinois in the United States Senate. He was finally elected as the President of America in 2009 when he defeated Republican nominee John McCain in the general elections.