Other Contributions by Lawyers

Roland Berrill and Lance Ware, two English lawyers, founded MENSA, the international society for individuals with high intelligence.

Edwin De Turck Bechtel was an art historian and scholar and wrote an important book on printmaker Jacques Callot. Edwin also grew and wrote about roses and was the subject of a biography by Louise Bechtel, The Boy With the Star Lantern (privately printed, 1960).

In the horsing around category: Glen Keller, a noted bankruptcy attorney and judge, is also active in “equine activities” and was Colorado Horseman of the Year in 1995.

Henry Clay Folger was a lawyer whose collection of Shakespeariana became the nucleus of the Folger Shakespeare Library. Charles Penney donated an important collection of twentieth century art to Buffalo State College. Greek lawyer Alexander Soutzos donated his collection to the National Art Gallery in Athens.

Judge John Worth Edmonds (1816-1874) was an early convert to Spiritualism and claimed to have developed abilities as a medium himself.

Carroll Righter (1900-1988) was a University of Pennsylvania Law School graduate who developed a second career as an astrologer.

Bernard Ernst, who acted as Harry Houdini’s attorney, was himself elected President of the Society of American Magicians. Other lawyer-magicians include Warren Kaps, John McManus, who donated his collection of magic memorabilia to the Library of Congress, Henning Nelms (who also wrote under the name Hake Talbot), Charles Carter, Alton Sharpe and Karl Germain.