Patrick Henry ("Give me liberty or give me death!")
Member of Continental Congress; Virginia Governor;
handled more than eleven hundred cases in 3 years.

John Jay
Admitted to the bar in 1768, he became our first Chief Justice of the U.S. ( Supreme Court)

John Marshall
Another excellent Supreme Court Justice;
passed his bar exams in 1780.

William Wirt - Began practicing law in Virginia at age 20,
eventually becoming United States Attorney General.

Roger Taney
Began practice in 1799, working his way up.  He served as U.S. Treasury Secretary,
then Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court.

Daniel Webster
Earned notoriety for superlative courtroom oratory and victories;
subsequently appointed US Secretary of State in 1841

Salmon Chase - US Senator, Chief Justice of US Supreme court
earned his reputation as a young lawyer defending runaway slaves.

Abe Lincoln - 1 6th President of the US,
an occupation greatly enhanced by his prominent experience as a lawyer.

Stephen Douglas - Admitted to bar in 1834, later became US Representative,
then US Senator. He debated Lincoln, & later served in his cabinet.

Clarence Darrow - Attorney of world renown, argued many trials,
including the famous Scopes-Monkey trial; had a high record of wins.

Robert Storey Quite the mover and shaker, he was twice elected President of the American Bar Association.

Strom Thurmond - Admitted to the bar in 1930, he later became governor of South Carolina,
then US Senator   (still serving in that capacity at the age of 99!!)

Patrick Henry             John Jay        John Marshall  

William Wirt         Roger Taney       Daniel Webster    Salmon Chase

Abe Lincoln      Stephen Douglas      Clarence Darrow

Robert Storey         Strom Thurmond 

 
Twelve outstanding attorneys of singular and significant renown.