”Toimistoa ei ollut organisoitu tieteellisesti ennen kuin Cravath otti ohjat sen johdossa” – modernin asianajotoimiston synty 1900-luvun alun New York Cityssä
Avainsanat:
oikeushistoria, asianajo, asianajotoimisto, Paul Cravath, liikejuridiikka, juristirekrytointiAbstrakti
“Before Cravath took charge, there was no scientific organization in the office”: Emergence of the modern corporate law firm in early-twentieth-Century New York City
The article discusses the emergence of the modern corporate law firm in New York City during the first decades of the twentieth Century. Known as “the Cravath system,” the modern corporate law firm employed salaried associates, hired them from among the most successful graduates of elite law schools, trained them at the office, inaugurated the “up-or- out” policy, and mandated no business outside the firm, as well as discouraged political activity. Why was such a model introduced and why has it remained the industry standard up until today? The article outlines three historical forces that gave rise to the model. First, it seemed to be in line with the project of jurisprudence so characteristic of American law from the 1870s to the 1920s.This project aimed at enhancing the quality of the administration of law through jurisprudence, better legal education, and codification. Second, Cravath’s activities represent “search for order”, a powerful impulse among the American middle class of the era. Third, the Cravath system supplied high-quality legal services in corporate law at a time when modern American corporations were emerging. The article closes with a brief discussion on the future of the system.
