Every Law Student Should Read These 5 Books

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As every law student or experienced prosecutor knows, the law is an immensely complex yet important staple of our refined civilization. It’s what we all rely on the keep us safe, to seek justice when necessary, and to make sure that the flow of the economy is, for the most part, aimed in the right directions. The law can be one of the most difficult disciplines to navigate, no matter what country you reside in. International law also takes things up a step further, as what might work in one country is actually the opposite of normal expectations in another.

Those who are embarking on a career in law can expect long nights studying and hard internship programs, but ultimately a satisfying and infinitely interesting career that can whisk them places they never dreamed of. A good lawyer can also claim they’ve made a real, impactful difference in people's lives, whether that’s seeking justice or compensation for those victimized, or correct punishment and punitive reparations toward those who have been a willful burden on society.

It’s true, while lawyers aren’t necessarily considered to be modern day heroes, in many ways they actually are. The front line of defense or attack in a lawyer's repertoire is the knowledge they hold, the flexibility they wield, and the surprises they must envision and prepare for. In many ways, they are an intellectual soldier.

For students getting into the law, the first few years can seem like a daunting task, even for those naturally pre-disposed to be skillful at it. What follows is a list of the eight most influential books either featuring complex cases or real life educational manuals that, even if not on the curriculum of your course, will enable you to gain an increasing and varied perspective of the discipline you’re acclimating to.

Sure, watching ‘Suits,’ can be a fun way to envision how your career will pan out, but when it comes to the nitty gritty, reading around your subject is the best course of action anyone can take. Whether you aim to join the ranks of the criminal defense lawyers, the prestigious city prosecutors or aim to be a politician one day, the following books will come as a handy analog as to the flaws and strengths of legal systems throughout history. This list includes both works of nonfiction and fiction. This list also includes books from both the UK and US.

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“In Cold Blood” - Truman Capote 1966.

What many consider to be a masterpiece of lawful storytelling and the story that emotionally ‘broke’ Truman Capote, “In Cold Blood” is the story of a brutal and seemingly reasonless murder of a farmer and his family, which shook the town of Holcomb, Kansas to its core in 1956. This novel was one of the first ‘True Crime’ novels, which spawned a genre now amazingly popular today.

The book was crafted from the 8000 pages worth of notes, commentary, and transcripts from which Capote collected over the course of the criminal justice trial. The upshot of this is that he was able to write a book more intimate, accurate, detailed and grounded than any crime novel had been before.

Not only does the book go into grisly detail about the murders themselves, but also the effects they had on the local community, and how many responded in various, unexpected ways. Capote spent much time interviewing the murderers in their prison holding cell, even to the point of striking a pseudo-friendship with one of them. The book also follows the trial and the aftermaths that the verdict had on the community, and Capote themselves. When released, “In Cold Blood” was an unparalleled look at the criminal mind, and still holds true today as a fine example of how the criminal justice system has a tantamount effect on the lives of those who aren’t being convicted or compensated.

“Damages” - Barry Werth 1998.

Damages is a touching and gut-wrenching book in which medical malpractice in a delivery room is explored in an uncompromising light, and reflects the often torturously long process of which a case can become. Beginning with a mother who is delivering twins, her first born arrives limp and not breathing. He is resuscitated while the second twin is found to be dead upon delivery. Tony Sabia, the first child, was severely disabled, counting cerebral palsy as one of his multiple medical conditions he fights with on a daily basis.

Was there fault in the delivery room on behalf of those delivering the baby? How do you prove that? What function should the law serve here? Compensation for those afflicted, or protection for those who can’t be proven to have made a mistake, despite suspicious circumstances? The book doesn’t necessarily put the blame on anyone, or even paint them in an unwelcoming light. It’s a vivid and enlightening book about the difficulties of the relationship between law and medicine, as well as being one of the most human dramas possible that should give any law student more of an understanding as to the infinitely complex situations any lawyer might have to grapple with.

“The Rule of Law” Tom Bingham 2010.

Oft considered the text prospective lawyers return to time and time again, if this isn’t on your course curriculum, you should check it out immediately. It provides a gravitational ethical and moral framework in which to correctly understand the responsibilities of being a lawyer.

Bingham was both senior judge and chief justice in his time so has a worthy amount of wisdom to impart. It is one of the most entertaining texts that pertain to the nuts and bolts of methodical law work, going over the most important developments of law in his time with a sense of jovial nostalgia. For those who might need more motivation to trudge through the endless foundational learning of their course, this is that book. For those hoping to understand what makes a person achieve the top of their field within their practice, this is that book.

“Eve Was Framed” Helena Kennedy 1993.

“Eve Was Framed” is an impassioned critique of the English legal system. The treatment of women in courts in the primary focus, and it’s condemnatory, to say the least. Not only is it a flowing tale with some enlightening conclusions to be drawn, but it also shows the power of the law, if misdirected, to marginalize and oppress certain populations, even those attempting to better the discipline itself.

It offers a glowing historical perspective of how misogynistic attitudes shaped the course of courtrooms in Britain at that time, and while much of those issues are resolved today, a historical insight of the failings of the law to treat its own dispassionately is worthwhile for any student of the law to understand.

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“End of Lawyers? Rethinking the Nature of Legal Services” Richard Susskind 2010.

Despite surface considerations of those not involved in the legal world, the law should be considered as an organism, evolving with the times while consistently trying to streamline and adapt to external circumstances. The law is subject to cultural norms and changes more often than most people realize. It’s easy to see the scales of justice outside a courtroom and consider it to be a deeply static institution that doesn’t adapt for stability, but the opposite is true. For stability to be optimal, it needs to adapt. The fantastic book “End of Lawyers?...” is a lucid study of how the law should grapple upcoming future challenges in response to technology, and how society will shift around it.

For those willing to get the best idea of how our rapidly evolving culture will adapt and strengthen to the ever-shifting tides of silicon invention and cultural norms in the legal world, Richard Susskind’s text is a worthy draw of your attention.

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“Bleak House” by Charles Dickens 1853.

“Bleak House” was one of Charles Dicken’s first major novels, and was published in serialized format between 1852 - 1853. Another suspenseful tale about the injustices of the English legal system in the 1800’s, and helps you gain insight and respect for the law's ability to self-correct while also giving you a historical perspective of the British legal system. This is also recommended reading for anyone who needs to grapple with the parlance of the time, as irregularly referring to laws centuries old can take place in any lawyer's career. Plus, grappling with difficult texts is somewhat one of the first responsibilities of any lawyer with his/her salt.

For those looking for a more philosophical text that revolves around a court case to gain a greater understanding of historical and human attitudes towards criminal justice, To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee and The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoevsky are both stellar examples.

If nothing else, reading outside of your subject can often re-inspire your reasons for embarking on your chosen career path or give you fresh insight into issues that the greatest minds have tried to address within the legal system. For those who aren’t studying to become a lawyer or partake in law work, these books will still give you a beneficial understanding of the often dizzying nuance of the shifting forms the legal system can take.