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In Your Defence: Stories of Life and Law

£8.99

Sarah Langford is a barrister. Her job is to stand in court representing the mad and the bad, the vulnerable, the heartbroken and the hopeful. She must become their voice: weave their story around the black and white of the law and tell it to the courtroom. These stories may not make headlines but they will change the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary ways. They are stories which, but for a twist of luck, might have been yours. To work at the Bar is to enter a world shrouded by strange clothing, archaic rituals and inaccessible language. So how does it feel to be an instrument of such an unknowable system? And what does it mean to be at its mercy? Our legal system promises us justice, impartiality and fair judgement. Does it, or can it, deliver this? With remarkable candour, Sarah describes eleven cases which reveal what goes on in our criminal and family courts.

In stock

Description

‘As thrilling as a detective novel.’ The Times
‘Powerful, moving and often captivating.’ Financial Times
‘A compelling read for anyone who cares about fairness, justice and humanity.’ Observer

The Sunday Times bestseller

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Sarah Langford is a barrister. Her job is to stand in court representing the mad and the bad, the vulnerable, the heartbroken and the hopeful. She must become their voice. Sarah weaves their story around the black and white of the law and tell it to the courtroom. These stories may not make headlines but they will change the lives of ordinary people in extraordinary ways. They are stories which, but for a twist of luck, might have been yours.

With remarkable candour, Sarah describes eleven cases which reveal what goes on in our criminal and family courts: these are tales of domestic fall out, everyday burglary, sexual indiscretion, and children caught up in the law. They are sometimes shocking and they are often heart-stopping. She examines how she feels as she defends the person standing in the dock. She also shows us how our attitudes and actions can shape not only the outcome of a case, but the legal system itself.

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What readers are saying:

***** ‘Absolutely fascinating . . . thought provoking, powerful and a compelling read.’
***** ‘This book broke my heart at times but also contained humour and such poignant insights into the criminal justice system.’
***** ‘Sarah writes incredibly well – she’s informative while maintaining suspense and tension, and conveys so much emotion in her writing

Read a sample here

Additional information

Weight 0.22 kg
Dimensions 19.8 × 12.7 × 1.9 cm
Author

Publisher

Imprint

Cover

Paperback

Pages

x, 308

Language

English

Edition
Dewey

340.092 (edition:23)

Readership

General – Trade / Code: K