A deep understanding of the law and the U.S. Constitution is important to many who hope to pursue a career in politics. This deep understanding helps politicians craft policies that will affect change across the United States and many lawyers who have become politicians have had the honor of serving as the President of the United States.
Here at Civille — we love every aspect of the legal world and how it impacts politics is an important part of the equation. When we looked at the impact of lawyers in the political realm, we couldn’t help but ask — which U.S. Presidents were lawyers? The number of past and present U.S. Presidents that have served as attorneys and prosecutors in the courtroom may surprise you.
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How Many U.S. Presidents Were Lawyers?
From the inception of the United States of America until today, we have had 45 different presidents of our great country. Did you know that a fascinating 27 were lawyers prior to taking office as President? That means that 60% of our presidents worked as lawyers or prosecutors. This statistic is surpassed only by the number of presidents who have served in the U.S. Military — an incredible 32 have served in the military and nine were generals.
Here is a closer look at the U.S. Presidents who were lawyers, attorneys, law professors, or prosecutors prior to taking office.
List of U.S. Presidents Who Were Lawyers
- John Adams
- Thomas Jefferson
- James Monroe
- James Quincy Adams
- Andrew Jackson
- Martin Van Buren
- John Tyler
- James Polk
- Millard Fillmore
- Franklin Pierce
- James Buchanan
- Abraham Lincoln
- Rutherford B. Hayes
- James Garfield
- Chester A. Arthur
- Grover Cleveland
- Benjamin Harrison
- William McKinley
- William Howard Taft
- Woodrow Wilson
- Calvin Coolidge
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt
- Richard M. Nixon
- Gerald R. Ford
- Bill Clinton
- Barack Obama
- Joe Biden
President John Adams — 1797 – 1801
A graduate of Harvard Law School, John Adams served as a lawyer in Massachusetts prior to serving in the Continental Congress. President Adams was instrumental in drafting the Declaration of Independence and is also known as the country’s first Vice President.
President Thomas Jefferson — 1801 – 1809
President Thomas Jefferson received his law degree from the College of William and Mary and practiced for several years prior to becoming a politician. Not only did Jefferson help draft the Declaration of Independence, he was the first Secretary of State and established key principles of the justice system to include judicial review and jurisprudence.
President Andrew Jackson — 1829 – 1837
President Andrew Jackson — or Old Hickory as he would come to be called — gained fame as a general during the War of 1812 and many additional conflicts with Native Americans. Andrew Jackson stands out on this list as a self-taught lawyer whose legal experience helped him as President.
President John Tyler — 1841 – 1845
A practicing lawyer in Virginia prior to his time in the White House, President John Tyler was the first Vice President to assume the role as President after the death of President William Henry Harrison. President Tyler relied on a strict interpretation of the U.S. Constitution to guide his policies.
President Abraham Lincoln — 1861 – 1865
Honest Abe gained notoriety as a trial lawyer in Illinois prior to becoming President of the United States. A majority of his legal career was centered on fighting for civil rights and Lincoln had a reputation for representing disadvantaged clients. His pursuit of civil rights culminated in the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, and abolishing slavery as President of the United States.
President James A. Garfield — 1881
President James A. Garfield passed the Ohio bar in 1861 and practiced law for a short time before pursuing a career in politics. Prior to his presidency, James A. Garfield was an Ohio State Senator and U.S. Senator. President Garfield was assassinated shortly after taking office by Charles Guiteau.
President William McKinley — 1897 – 1901
President William McKinley began his career as a lawyer in Canton, OH and later served as a prosecutor for Stark County Ohio. As President, McKinley passed the Gold Standard Act, guided the United States through the Spanish-American War, and acquired Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. McKinley was assassinated by Leon Czolgosz in 1901.
President Woodrow Wilson — 1913 – 1921
Woodrow Wilson was a legal scholar and writer, who served as the President of Princeton University before his career in politics. President Wilson established the Federal Reserve and passed the Clayton Antitrust Act — influencing modern law and our economy.
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt — 1933 – 1945
President Franklin D. Roosevelt served as a New York lawyer prior to a career in politics where he guided the United States through the Great Depression and World War II. He is responsible for social programs like Social Security and the New Deal.
President Bill Clinton — 1993 – 2001
President Bill Clinton had a notable legal career as an attorney and law professor before he took office. While serving as President of the United States, Bill Clinton passed legislation that includes the Family and Medical Leave Act and the Violence Against Women Act.
President Barack Obama — 2009 – 2017
Prior to serving two terms as President, Barack Obama was a noted constitutional law professor at the University of Chicago Law School with an emphasis on civil rights. This legal experience translated to his presidency where he passed the Affordable Care Act and more.
President Joe Biden — 2021 – 2024
You may not know it, but the current President of the United States — Joe Biden is a graduate of Syracuse University Law School and spent time in private practice and as a member of the New Castle County Council before a career in politics that included serving as Vice President to Barack Obama and as President.
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Are you a student of the law and of U.S. history? You may want to know — which U.S. Presidents were lawyers? We have got the answers right here at Civille and we hope this blog post provides you with some entertainment and information.
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