Unbillable Hours: A True Story Review

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Unbillable Hours: A True Story ReviewIan Graham's "Unbillable Hours" weaves the true narrative of a young lawyer stumbling into counsel for the murder conviction appeal of Mario Rocha. Mario -- a young man who by all accounts appeared innocent -- was the on the wrong end of systemic oversight and miscarried justice that led to nearly a decade of imprisonment (see the documentary of his case, Mario's Story). Graham, whose privileged upbringing couldn't be any farther apart from Mario's, is drawn through a series of biographical twists and turns after moving to California to join an esteemed firm. Graham's navigation of the big law firm is the classic storyline of an overworked but well-paid greenhorn slowly getting trapped in a legal job by status and compensation. His life at the firm caves in from the booze-driven recruiting process that has him hopping LA hotspots to the realistic and joyless grind of combing legal minutiae. Once the gloss wears off, fate sets Graham on a crash course with Rocha's case through a chance assignment from a senior partner and a relentless nun whose faith in her instincts about Mario is unshakeable. Of course, the case is a Hail Mary, and the events that take place only stack up the odds even further, leaving life and death matters in the hands of a kid under 30 who isn't even sure he should be a lawyer. This thing reads like a novel.
At first the writing seemed quite ordinary, but the superb structure draws you into the web of legal hurdles and personal frustrations. The first chapter has a hook to it that pulled me into reading the book in one sitting. Graham eventually tightens up his prose into an extended, detailed Vanity Fair-type exposition of the case and how dedication to Mario's cause kept him going. One important thing to me as the reader was that the author never tried to redeem his own frailties through Mario or make any demonstration of guilt for the opportunistic upbringing he had. When visiting Mario in prison or finding himself arm-in-arm in an impromptu prayer circle in a barrio home, Graham simply went with the situation, leaving behind the typical upper class tendency to revel in a sort of authentic ghetto adventure that they can later tell their gringo friends about over cocktails.
For the prospective law student, this is the perfect complement to Scott Turow's seminal law school experience "One L: The Turbulent True Story of a First Year at Harvard Law School." Careful, though, it strips the polish from big firm life and might result in some self-examination. Or worse, it might not. While Graham doesn't have Turow's mastery of detail, his breezy style is still vivid and probably more accessible to the contemporary reader. This is a four-star plus book, but I'm going to give it five as it is a hell of a first book effort.
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The Justice Game Review

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The Justice Game ReviewBased on a real-life case attorney Randy Singer tried ten years ago, The Justice Game artfully portrays both sides of the gun rights debate. Interestingly, Singer didn't set out to convert anyone. He told me, "I wanted to write a book so balanced that both sides would look at it and say, `That fairly represents our case.'"
The Justice Game opens in TV news reporter Rachel Crawford's point of view. A crazed gunman named Larry Jamison, the subject of a scathing news report, barges into the studio and shoots Rachel dead. The crime is clearly caught on film, but it's not the killer who ends up in court during The Justice Game. Rachel's grieving husband sues the manufacturer of Jamison's assault weapon for her wrongful death. He believes they are responsible since they knew the gun store who sold the weapon was known for illegal straw sales.
But this story isn't about Rachel as much as it's about young and ambitious defense attorney Jason Noble and up-and-coming prosecutor Kelly Starling. Both believe in their clients. Both are on top of their games. And both have pasts worthy of blackmail. Mix in the intriguing concept of a cutting edge company who predicts the outcome of trials for financial gain using shadow juries, and you have a true Randy Singer plot--full of delightful twists and turns you never saw coming.
Pay careful attention during the beginning chapters. Because so many of these concepts are unfamiliar, and many key players aren't introduced until later in the story, there's the potential for confusion. But there's also a great glimpse into the fascinating aspects of shadow juries and we come to understand why gun control is such a visceral issue to so many. At times you'll find yourself nodding in agreement with the defense as they present their case; then you'll empathize with the prosecution as they present theirs. Which just goes to show Singer has succeeded in what he set out to write--a novel that evenly presented both sides.
The Justice Game doesn't feel like an issue novel. We're never pounded over the head with its message. Instead, we're subtly led to our own conclusions as we examine the facts. Should a gun manufacturer be held responsible for a crime committed with one of their guns?
Before Singer finished writing The Justice Game a four minute interactive promotional video was created that presented the closing arguments of his fictional case. Then readers were asked to cast their vote on the verdict, and that would become the ending of the book. Their decision would be final. According to Randy the side that started out ahead stayed ahead.
Randy singer is one of the best Christian legal thriller writers out there in the purest sense. His complex plot spins and colorful, realistic characters combine to bring us a rich reading experience in The Justice Game.
--Reviewed by C.J. Darlington for TitleTrakkThe Justice Game Overview

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