<P> Philadelphia Lawyer is a term to describe a lawyer who knows the most detailed and minute points of law or is an exceptionally competent lawyer . Its first known usage dates back to 1788 . Alternatively, a usage dating to the second half of the 20th century denotes "the ultimate in crooked lawyers". </P> <P> Philadelphia - based Colonial American lawyer Andrew Hamilton, a lawyer best known for his legal victory on behalf of printer and newspaper publisher John Peter Zenger, is believed to have inspired the "Philadelphia lawyer" term . This 1735 decision helped to establish that truth is a defense to an accusation of libel . </P>

Where did the term philadelphia lawyer come from
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