THE RELEVANT LAWYERS

by Ann Fagan--Ed. Ginger ‧ RELEASE DATE: Nov. 13, 1972

This is a collection of edited transcripts of 1970 sessions at Ms. Ginger's Tom Paine Summer Law School in Berkeley where movement lawyers spoke informally about their practices -- political trial work (Charles Garry represented Huey Newton and Fay Stender represented the Soledad Brothers), labor law, trying war criminals (Mary Kaufman was a prosecutor at Nuremberg), legal aid, community law, civil rights law and tax consulting. The book isn't stylish but it meets the major concerns of lawyers who see the law as an instrument for social change, not just a way to earn a living (although how to combine the two is discussed at length). Topics include legal issues in various kinds of cases (for example, conscientious objector thais), technical questions like how a jury is selected or how to find a judge after 5 PM, and practical problems of meeting office overhead while handling nonremunerative political cases. The politics of the lawyers involved range from radical to old-fashioned liberal; what they have in common is practical skill at marshalling the system's resources to change that system. The dialogue format is accessible to any intelligent reader but the focus is on professional issues of law and lifestyle, thus making this of particular interest to present and would-be lawyers.

Pub Date: Nov. 13, 1972

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Nov. 1, 1972

Categories: NONFICTION