pettifoggers

He started small, taking what work he could get, and arguing against cheap amateur lawyers called pettifoggers in other words, the competition.

America's First Dynasty Richard Brookhiser 2002

It maintains luxurious lobbies* at every state capital, and at the national capital; and in all the cities and towns of the land it employs an immense army of pettifoggers and small politicians whose business is to attend primaries, pack conventions, get on juries, bribe judges, and in every way to work for its interests.

Chapter 9: The Mathematics of a Dream 2010

In any event, we can afford a few of you becoming non-conformists but we certainly can't afford any of this Class of 2007 becoming pettifoggers.

Coleen Rowley: The Law School Commencement Speech that Alberto Gonzales Did Not Give 2008

You can always go back to the ivory tower and the gated community and debate arcane points of the law with pretentious pettifoggers.

I think I'm going to have to stop watching "American Idol." Ann Althouse 2008

Although this quote, from a book on the Vietnam War, was referring to the deliberate underestimating of enemy troop strength by certain military generals and administration officials during that war in order to falsely project American victory and draw attention away from mounting American casualties, I fear that the phrase about becoming "a nation of pettifoggers" may be more true today than it was back then.

Coleen Rowley: The Law School Commencement Speech that Alberto Gonzales Did Not Give 2008

In the late 17th century, justices of the peace, sheriffs, and clerks, acted as attorneys in New Jersey.155 In the literature, there are constant complaints against unauthorized lawyers, pettifoggers, shysters, and lowlifes—unprincipled men stirring up unprincipled litigation.

A History of American Law Lawrence M. Friedman 1985

John Adams complained, in 1759, that the “practice of Law was grasped into the hands of deputy sheriffs, pettifoggers and even constables who filled all the writs upon bonds, promissory notes, and accounts, received the fees established for lawyers, and stirred up many unnecessary suits.”

A History of American Law Lawrence M. Friedman 1985

In the late 17th century, justices of the peace, sheriffs, and clerks, acted as attorneys in New Jersey.155 In the literature, there are constant complaints against unauthorized lawyers, pettifoggers, shysters, and lowlifes—unprincipled men stirring up unprincipled litigation.

A History of American Law Lawrence M. Friedman 1985

John Adams complained, in 1759, that the “practice of Law was grasped into the hands of deputy sheriffs, pettifoggers and even constables who filled all the writs upon bonds, promissory notes, and accounts, received the fees established for lawyers, and stirred up many unnecessary suits.”

A History of American Law Lawrence M. Friedman 1985

In the late 17th century, justices of the peace, sheriffs, and clerks, acted as attorneys in New Jersey.155 In the literature, there are constant complaints against unauthorized lawyers, pettifoggers, shysters, and lowlifes—unprincipled men stirring up unprincipled litigation.

A History of American Law Lawrence M. Friedman 1985