2. He was not a poor frontier lawyer for long
Although Lincoln’s law practice started as one with a paucity of clients, a situation found by most attorneys who start their own practice, it did long remain that way. Lincoln studied the law by reading it, passed an oral examination conducted by practicing attorneys, and received his law license in September, 1836. He then went into partnership with John Todd Stuart, a Springfield, Illinois attorney in 1837, taking over most of the legal work for the firm while Stuart concentrated on getting himself elected to Congress. When Stuart was elected to Congress Lincoln took over the firm, and was soon netting $1,000 per annum, a respectable salary for a country lawyer. He then partnered with another lawyer for a time, Stephen Logan, and when that partnership dissolved in 1844, Lincoln partnered with William Herndon, with Lincoln the senior partner.
Lincoln’s partnership with Herndon continued through the rest of his life, including his presidency, an indication of Lincoln’s intentions upon leaving the White House had he lived to do so. By the mid-1850s their practice was about one-third based on criminal law and Lincoln gained a reputation for effectiveness before juries. Lincoln included among his clients railroads and shipping companies, including winning in one notable case precedence for land based shipping companies to bridge waterways. His law practice prior for leaving for Washington as president-elect included over 5,000 cases, including over 400 appearances before the Supreme Court of Illinois. Far from a poor country lawyer, Lincoln was one of the most eminent attorneys in Illinois, and his home in Springfield befitted his financial success and status as a prominent member of the community.