The Total solution for NCERT class 6-12
Yes, the lawyer was a gullible and an inexperienced man. There are mutliple things that he could have done to avoid being taken for a ride and made fun of. He could have tried to find out how the witness he was going in search of i.e. Lutkins looks. He could have spoken to other people at the station and interrogated about Lutkins rather than believing one person who appeared to be overly friendly being a total stranger to the lawyer. Also, he should have been the one to interrogate about the whereabouts of Lutkins while visiting the places Lutkins mostly hangs out at.