Letters to a Young Lawyer

Interesting, if repetitive.

great gift

Every lawyer should read this regardless of career stage

Professor Dershowitz's book is a series of short letters, each proffering a piece of advice to young lawyers. Although the introduction begins with a promise that Dershowitz will try "to be conscious of avoiding the mistake of telling you how to become me," he inevitably falls into that trap and spends many pages lecturing the reader on the evils of particular political views and the corruption of particular high-profile enemies of his.Not a fan of the Bush v. Gore decision? You will find plenty of vitriol in this book to support that view -- sentences like: "The Supreme Court's decision in Bush v. Gore should be followed ... But it should not be respected, any more than the robed cheaters who wrote it should be respected."But on the positive side, the side with far less polarizing rhetoric, Dershowitz is at his best when explaining the moral and intellectual reasons for defending the accused. For instance, "If we move away from the American tradition of lawyers defending those with whom they vehemently disagree ... we weaken our commitment to the rule of law." Dershowitz explains well how the practicing defense attorney can defend a guilty person without any danger of ethical or moral compromise, and what's more, why the lawyer ought to do so.Each of the chapters focuses on one discrete element, and Dershowitz excels at inspiring his reader to think. A myriad of topics are covered, from self-doubt to absolute morality, from winning and losing to dealing with criticism. Whether you agree or disagree with his opinions, Dershowitz provides plenty of food for thought, and I could scarcely read three pages before shutting the book to ponder a new idea. This is a great book to start a young lawyer (or aspiring lawyer) thinking about the profession, but be warned that the language and the rhetoric get a bit heated in places.

Great book, a must read for all new law grads. Only reason I docked a star is because he tends to speak in platitudes and his advice is mostly relevant to criminal law. Still came away with a few great ideas after reading it.