National Affairs: MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. . .

National Affairs: MAY IT PLEASE THE COURT. . .

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,890793,00.html

JOHN WILLIAM DAVIS, 80, a white-maned, majestic figure in immaculate morning attire who looks type-cast for the part, has argued more cases (140) before the Supreme Court of the U.S. than any other lawyer living or dead. His first, Pickens v. Roy, came on in 1902—when the present Chief Justice of the U.S. was eleven. Big Steel paid John W. Davis more than $100,000 last year to win the historic Steel Seizure case (Youngstown Sheet & Tube v. Sawyer). Davis' fee for taking segregation's side last week was more modest: a silver tea service, gift of the South Carolina legislature.

As senior partner of ihe 104-year-old Wall Street firm of Davis Polk Wardwell Sunderland & Kiendl (95 lawyers). John W. Davis represents A.T.&T., Standard Oil Co. (N.J.), Guaranty Trust Co. of New York, International Paper Co., et al. He did not need another client, and he already owned a tea service. ...