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The meaning and origin of the expression: A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client

A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client

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What's the meaning of the phrase 'A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client'?

Literal meaning.

What's the origin of the phrase 'A man who is his own lawyer has a fool for a client'?

This proverb is based on the opinion, probably first expressed by a lawyer, that self-representation in court is likely to end badly. As with many proverbs, it is difficult to determine a precise origin but this expression first began appearing in print in the early 19th century. An early example comes in The flowers of wit, or a choice collection of bon mots, by Henry Kett, 1814:

...observed the eminent lawyer, "I hesitate not to pronounce, that every man who is his own lawyer, has a fool for a client.

See also: the List of Proverbs.

Gary Martin - the author of the phrases.org.uk website.

By Gary Martin

Gary Martin is a writer and researcher on the origins of phrases and the creator of the Phrase Finder website. Over the past 26 years more than 700 million of his pages have been downloaded by readers. He is one of the most popular and trusted sources of information on phrases and idioms.

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