ABSTRACT
Clarence Seward Darrow was the most well-known and well-respected criminal defense attorney in the first half of the twentieth century. He also has served as an inspiration for legions of lawyers who share his commitment to advancing civil rights and civil liberties. Darrow gained the reputation as a champion for civil liberties and civil rights not only through the cases he defended but also through the many articles and speeches he gave defending the rights of every citizen. Clarence Darrow was born April 18, 1857, in Farmdale, Ohio. At a very young age, he moved with his family into the famed "octagon house" in Kinsman, Ohio, where his father, Amirus, quickly gained a reputation as the "village atheist. When Darrow first moved to Chicago, he represented railroad interests there-an unlikely job to those who know Darrow's reputation. It was through this representation that he met two individuals who became inspirations to him: John Altgeld and Eugene Debs.
