Recommendation: It’s fun, I annoyed many people by reading passages I thought were amusing.
Where to read: Around the lawyers in your life
Read with: Awareness that literally noone else will find this interesting
In brief: Pun intended in this case… There isn’t a huge amount of substance here, but it is an enjoyable selection of anecdotes and funny stories from the archives of the legal profession.
“Law” is an interesting literary genre. There are contributions from the Geoffrey Robertson’s of the world, worthy tomes which seek to expose particular issues in (usually) the criminal justice system. There is also the odd judicial biography, some of which are excellent and some…less so.
I Object! sits in a third, less common category – books by practitioners about the day to day of practicing the law. If you are looking for a profound exploration of the Australian legal system or an exposé of the evils of the bar, this is not the book for you. It is, however, a very entertaining set of vignettes which will amuse fellow lawyers, complete with slightly cheeky commentary on a few judicial officers and gaffes by his fellow barristers. There also some client stories which will (probably) sound very familiar.
All in all, it is hardly ground breaking but it does tickle the fancy, a sort of Australian literary version of Queen’s Counsel. There is a preview available on Booktopia here for those who are curious.
Bookshelves & Bourbon 