Earl Rogers was one of the most famous criminal defense attorneys of the early 20th Century, and a “technological” pioneer in his day. He was the first attorney to use visual aids — blackboards, charts, and blow up displays — in a trial, a move that revolutionized the way that evidence was presented in the courtroom. Rogers had a flare for theatricality, a trait that often resonated very well with juries. His most famous client was fellow Trial Lawyer Hall of Fame inductee Clarence Darrow when the latter had been accused of bribing a jury. He acted as the defense counsel for 77 clients, and lost only 3 of those cases. His reputation became so great that everyone who was accused of crime would say, “Get me Earl Rogers,” a phrase that is quite common among criminal defense attorneys. Rogers was forever immortalized in the character of Perry Mason, which author and attorney Erle Stanley Gardner based on Rogers.
His reputation became so great that everyone who was accused of crime would say, “Get me Earl Rogers.”