MAX D. STEUER

By his son, this is a sketch of Max Steuer who was an outstanding trial lawyer in his time and a selection, from five cases, of word by word testimony which illustrate the perfection of his courtroom techniques. Of poor, East Side, New York City background, Steuer rose as a commercial counsel, acquired a ""specious"" reputation as a specialist in criminal and marital matters, as the best man for the desperate case. The ""specious"" here is open to some question, since Steuer was known to have been unconcerned about the character of his defendants beyond their ability to pay a per diem fee of $1500 for his appearance in the courtroom, and although the ethical- or rather unethical- nature of his practice is understandably evaded here, full due is given to his masterful performances based on an exact memory and an unequaled resourcefulness. The five cases- key sections of which are excerpted here- show the man in action. A legal audience for this one.