Clarence Darrow, a famous American attorney once spoke for twelve hours and a letter concerning discrimination against female articled clerks.

Law Society’s Gazette, October 1959

Attorney for the Damned By Clarence Darrow. Edited by Arthur Weinburg. [Reviewed by] R. E. KitchingClarence Darrow (pictured) was an American who died in 1938 at the age of 81 after a very successful career as a "defense attorney"… His greatest strength was his ability to win over juries in the face of overwhelming popular prejudice against his clients – racial, religious or political – of an intensity such as advocates in this country can seldom have had to contend with in modern times. "Darrow pleads for mercy: mobs riot", ran a succinct newspaper headline in 1924.

It was not only with juries that Darrow was successful. His greatest triumph was in [a notorious murder case where] he spoke for over twelve hours (has any English advocate ventured to mitigate at such length?) and we are told that when he finished "tears were streaming down the judge’s face".

The Law Society’s Gazette October 1969

Discrimination against female lawyers [letter to the editor]I cannot understand why a firm of solicitors should not be allowed to say that they do not want a woman articled clerk (August) without a great moan going up under the somewhat aggressive heading ‘Discrimination against female lawyers’. Surely this is being unnecessarily sensitive; they might just not have got around to finding out yet that we are less expensive (and) there are plenty of firms who do want us.

I once had a most charming letter from a solicitor turning me down as his assistant because I was a woman; the reason being, as he courteously explained, that he had nothing but females on his staff, and wanted a little ‘male balance’.

Penelope Rieu, London N6Clarence Darrow