--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Nixon years were trying. They honed…" description: "\"The Nixon years were trying. They honed my judgment for everything I did later on. The experience also illustrated for me the importance of training yo..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/fred-f-fielding-37694_also_the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-m_2731483.jpg" --- # The Nixon years were trying. They honed my judgment for… ![“The Nixon years were trying. They honed my judgment for everything I did later on. The experience also illustrated for me the importance of training young lawyers properly.” quote by Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/fred-f-fielding-37694_also_the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-m_2731483.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/fred-f-fielding-37694_also_the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-m_2731483.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/fred-f-fielding-37694_also_the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-m_2731483.jpg) > “The Nixon years were trying. They honed my judgment for everything I did later on. The experience also illustrated for me the importance of training young lawyers properly.” [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The Nixon era sharpened judgment and highlighted the need for proper lawyer training. **In simple terms:** Nixon years taught legal lessons. Key Takeaway Invest in thorough legal education. Themes law judgment training history Mood reflective serious Type professional historical When to use this quote - law school - mentorship - policy reform Key Concepts professional ethics historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - What reforms improve lawyer ethics? - How does history shape current practice? A Different Perspective Training alone cannot prevent ethical lapses. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Also](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/also/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Everything](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everything/) [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Honed Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honed-judgment-2959299/) [Illustrated](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/illustrated/) [Importance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/importance/) [Judgment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judgment/) [Later](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/later/) [Later Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/later-experience-2959297/) [Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyers/) [Lawyers Properly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lawyers-properly-2959298/) [Me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/me/) [Nixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nixon/) [Nixon Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nixon-years-2959296/) [Properly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/properly/) [Training](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/training/) [Trying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/trying/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) [Young Lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young-lawyers-2959295/) ## Related quotes > [“In court, defense lawyers do this properly by mentioning everything their client is accused of, and all the weaknesses of their case, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-voss/in-court-defense-lawyers-do-this-properly-by-mentioning-everything/) [Chris Voss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-voss/) > [“It was the sixties, exactly, all we wanted to do was to smoke a lot of dope and ball a lot of chicks. Vietnam,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-fountain/it-was-the-sixties-exactly-all-we-wanted-to-do-was-to-smoke-a-lot-of/) [Ben Fountain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-fountain/) > [But my later experience has taught me two lessons: first, that things are seen plainer after the events have occurred; second, that the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/but-my-later-experience-has-taught-me-two-lessons-first-that-things/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Young lawyers attend the courts not because they have business there but because they have no business anywhere else](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/young-lawyers-attend-the-courts-not-because-they-have-business-there-2/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [Young lawyers attend the courts, not because they have business there, but because they have no business.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/washington-irving/young-lawyers-attend-the-courts-not-because-they-have-business-there/) [Washington Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/washington-irving/) > [“By: N.T. Alcuaz Illustrated By: Alan and Adam Alcuaz”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/n-t-alcuaz/by-n-t-alcuaz-illustrated-by-alan-and-adam-alcuaz/) [N.T. Alcuaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-t-alcuaz/) > [I always wanted to write something illustrated, and the Details strip finally gave me the opportunity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-moody/i-always-wanted-to-write-something-illustrated-and-the-details-strip/) [Rick Moody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-moody/) > [Everything when I was a kid was illustrated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/everything-when-i-was-a-kid-was-illustrated/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > ['Sports Illustrated' does extremely minimal retouching. Other publications, however... phew. They do a lot; I've watched myself be Photoshopped before. It. Is. The. Worst.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-teigen/sports-illustrated-does-extremely-minimal-retouching-other/) [Christine Teigen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-teigen/) > [“He dreamed of becoming a fully illustrated man.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-davis/he-dreamed-of-becoming-a-fully-illustrated-man/) [Amanda Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-davis/) > [“Om is the things, Om is the ingredient, Om is the container and the content of this universe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banani-ray/om-is-the-things-om-is-the-ingredient-om-is-the-container-and-the/) [Banani Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banani-ray/) > [Once I'm given an idea for a story I have a million ideas on how it should be illustrated, but I don't have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-selznick/once-i-m-given-an-idea-for-a-story-i-have-a-million-ideas-on-how-it/) [Brian Selznick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-selznick/) > [Not to make him blush, but any story illustrated by Mike Mignola does things that prose alone can't accomplish. The illustrations create mood and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-golden/not-to-make-him-blush-but-any-story-illustrated-by-mike-mignola-does/) [Christopher Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-golden/) > [I never thought I'd make the pages of 'Sports Illustrated', because I've always been skinny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-murphy/i-never-thought-i-d-make-the-pages-of-sports-illustrated-because-i-ve/) [Carolyn Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-murphy/) > [My dream was always to be on the cover of 'Sports Illustrated.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-upton/my-dream-was-always-to-be-on-the-cover-of-sports-illustrated/) [Kate Upton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-upton/) ## More by Fred F. Fielding > [This drama between Dean and Ehrlichman took place while I was trying to give the contents to the FBI.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/this-drama-between-dean-and-ehrlichman-took-place-while-i-was-trying/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [Soon after I returned to private practice, former Supreme Court Chief Justice Warren Burger called me one day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/soon-after-i-returned-to-private-practice-former-supreme-court-chief/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [Morgan, Lewis is a very large firm now, but it was not quite as big then. It was exciting for an associate in those…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/morgan-lewis-is-a-very-large-firm-now-but-it-was-not-quite-as-big/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [It is hard for people outside the White House to understand the constant daily problems and issues that come up that require the president's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/it-is-hard-for-people-outside-the-white-house-to-understand-the/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [Dean had just come from seeing his lawyer. That was the first time that I found out that he had consulted a lawyer. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/dean-had-just-come-from-seeing-his-lawyer-that-was-the-first-time/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [The last eight years have created a lot of deep-seated hostility. People take political decisions very personally, and today there is a constant, ongoing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/the-last-eight-years-have-created-a-lot-of-deep-seated-hostility/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [It became evident to me that there was a very serious political element at work. I know that the term impeachment was bandied about.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/it-became-evident-to-me-that-there-was-a-very-serious-political/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [I'm still friendly with Dean. He still calls me on the phone from time to time. John Dean was fired and later ended up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/i-m-still-friendly-with-dean-he-still-calls-me-on-the-phone-from-time/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [But look, you did not have to be well versed in politics to know that some stupid things were going on. It is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/but-look-you-did-not-have-to-be-well-versed-in-politics-to-know-that/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [One regret I have is that I did not learn more about what was happening very early, so that I could have tried to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/one-regret-i-have-is-that-i-did-not-learn-more-about-what-was/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) > [It was frightening because it was the first time I had gotten a sense of how serious the problem was. It became clear from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/it-was-frightening-because-it-was-the-first-time-i-had-gotten-a-sense/) [Fred F. Fielding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) [Explore all 12 Fred F. Fielding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/) ## More Also quotes > [I'm a workaholic, but I also like to vacation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karrueche-tran/i-m-a-workaholic-but-i-also-like-to-vacation/) [Karrueche Tran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karrueche-tran/) > [I've also directed, shot, and edited several music videos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-king/i-ve-also-directed-shot-and-edited-several-music-videos/) [Richard King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-king/) > [Movies have power. Power to impact society and the choices we make. I want to entertain, but I also want to say something to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-prince-bythewood/movies-have-power-power-to-impact-society-and-the-choices-we-make-i/) [Gina Prince-Bythewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-prince-bythewood/) > [I'm not against gay people. I have a relative who is also gay. We can't help it if they were born that way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manny-pacquiao/i-m-not-against-gay-people-i-have-a-relative-who-is-also-gay-we-can-t/) [Manny Pacquiao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manny-pacquiao/) > [I want to make myself and the crowd happy by way of something different, and that makes things difficult. I'm never playing something that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tiesto/i-want-to-make-myself-and-the-crowd-happy-by-way-of-something/) [Tiesto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tiesto/) > [My parents are divorced, and seeing that was really painful for me. Really painful for me. But that's also a big part of why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banks/my-parents-are-divorced-and-seeing-that-was-really-painful-for-me/) [Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banks/) > [With all the technology we're inventing and what they're coming up with scientifically, people are having longer lifetimes. It's scary, but in the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brittany-murphy/with-all-the-technology-we-re-inventing-and-what-they-re-coming-up/) [Brittany Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brittany-murphy/) > [I like 'The Usual Suspects'. Great film. I also like 'Scarface', films like that. Lots of gangster films. I really like watching all kinds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barkhad-abdi/i-like-the-usual-suspects-great-film-i-also-like-scarface-films-like/) [Barkhad Abdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barkhad-abdi/) > [I'm in 'Madagascar 2.' I'm Testy the Lion. The franchise moves to Africa, and Bernie Mac is also in the film. I loved working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-lister-jr/i-m-in-madagascar-2-i-m-testy-the-lion-the-franchise-moves-to-africa/) [Tom Lister, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-lister-jr/) > [I was born with a silver microphone in my mouth, and that was an advantage. My father wrote books and was also a great…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-dimbleby/i-was-born-with-a-silver-microphone-in-my-mouth-and-that-was-an/) [Jonathan Dimbleby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-dimbleby/) > [I always like to look for adventure when I go away. I have gone on several horse adventures with my wife - from Guangxi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-gormley/i-always-like-to-look-for-adventure-when-i-go-away-i-have-gone-on/) [Antony Gormley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-gormley/) > [It's important for American soldiers to be culturally sensitive when deployed in foreign countries. But it's just as important for the U.S. never to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/it-s-important-for-american-soldiers-to-be-culturally-sensitive-when/) [Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/) > [It is true that from a behavioral economics perspective we are fallible, easily confused, not that smart, and often irrational. We are more like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-ariely/it-is-true-that-from-a-behavioral-economics-perspective-we-are/) [Dan Ariely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-ariely/) > [Especially for those of us who lived in single cells, you had the time to sit down and think, and we discovered that sitting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/especially-for-those-of-us-who-lived-in-single-cells-you-had-the-time/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [I like men who are very cool but who are also so brilliant that they are almost insane. Sean Penn, Gary Oldman, Bob Dylan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jolene-blalock/i-like-men-who-are-very-cool-but-who-are-also-so-brilliant-that-they/) [Jolene Blalock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jolene-blalock/) [Browse all 3,822 Also quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/also/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Nixon years were trying. They honed my judgment for everything I did later on. The experience also illustrated for me the importance of training young lawyers properly.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fred F. Fielding" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-my-judgment-for-everything-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Also" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-my-judgment-for-everything-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/fred-f-fielding-37694_also_the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-m_2731483.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/fred-f-fielding-37694_also_the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-m_2731483.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/525/fred-f-fielding-37694_also_the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-m_2731483.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Nixon years were trying. They honed my judgment for everything I did later on. The experience also…” — Fred F. Fielding", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Fred F. Fielding", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fred-f-fielding/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Nixon years were trying. They...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-my-judgment-for-everything-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fred-f-fielding/the-nixon-years-were-trying-they-honed-my-judgment-for-everything-i/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```