Because he used press conferences and public appearances as part of his strategy, because he took on infamous and high profile clients in newsworthy trials, and because he developed some ethical issues of his own, Bailey was perhaps the most famous defense attorney since Clarence Darrow.

He was known as a master of cross-examination, and many think that his skillful cross-ex of Mark Fuhrman was the trigger for the jury to declare “not guilty” in the OJ trial. Bailey lured the officer into committing perjury very blatantly, thus placing the entire prosecution under a cloud.