After graduating from college, a lawyer's son was pondering his future. Unsure about his career path, he asked his father whether he might be permitted to observe his work from a chair in the corner of the office to determine whether the law appealed to him as a profession. The father thought it was an excellent idea, and so the son joined him in the office the following morning. The first client was an impoverished tenant farmer who proceeded to outline his case. "I work for the Henderson farm on the north side of town. For many years, I have tended their crops and animals, including some cows. I have raised the cows, fed them and generally looked after them. And I was always led to believe that I was the owner of these cows. Now old Mr Henderson has died and his son has inherited the farm. He believes that since the cows were raised on his land and ate his hay, the cows are his. In short, we are in dispute over who owns the cows." "Thank you," said the lawyer. "I have heard enough. I will take your case. Don't worry about the cows." The next client was a wealthy landowner. "My name is Henderson," he said by way of introduction, "and I own a farm on the north side of town. We have a tenant farmer who has worked for my family for many years, tending crops and the animals, including some cows. I believe the cows belong to me because they were raised on my land and were fed my hay, but the tenant farmer believes they are his because he raised them and cared for them In short, we are in dispute over who owns the cows." "Thank you," said the lawyer. "I have heard enough. I will take your case. Don't worry about the cows." After the client left, the lawyer's son could not help but express his concern. "Father, I know very little about the law, but isn't there a conflict of interest here? It seems we have a very serious problem concerning these cows." "Don't worry about the cows," said the lawyer. "The cows will be ours."