Discourage litigation. Persuade your neighbors to compromise whenever you can. Point out to them how the nominal winner is often a real loser — in fees, expenses, and waste of time. As a peacemaker the lawyer has a superior opportunity of being a good man. There will still be business enough.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) American lawyer, politician, US President (1861-65)

Speech (1850), Notes for a Law Lecture (fragment)
    (Source)

No lecture of the sort given by Lincoln has been recorded. The date was assigned by Niclay and Hay, with nothing concrete to contradict it. The lecture notes might well have been written several years later.