"A fascinating book for lawyers, law students, and anyone who is or might be a client . . . Zitrin and
Langford use a series of cautionary tales for lawyers to engage the reader in the most important ethical dilemmas
that lawyers face."
--Monroe H. Freedman
"As engrossing as good fiction . . . This book is important reading for anyone who cares about the law."
--Richard North Patterson
Books @ Random Web Site, February, 2002
Summary
These are perilous times for Americans who need access to the legal system. Too many lawyers blatantly abuse
power and trust, engage in reckless ethical misconduct, grossly unjust billing practices, and dishonesty disguised
as client protection. All this has undermined the credibility of lawyers and the authority of the legal system.
In the court of public opinion, many lawyers these days are guiltier than the criminals or giant corporations they
defend.
Is the public right? In this eye-opening, incisive book, Richard Zitrin and Carol Langford, two practicing lawyers
and distinguished law professors, shine a penetrating light on the question everyone is asking: Why do lawyers
behave the way they do? All across the country, lawyers view certain behavior as "ethical" while average
citizens judge that same conduct "immoral." Now, with expert analysis of actual cases ranging from murder
to class action suits, Zitrin and Langford investigate lawyers' behavior and its impact on our legal system. The
result is a stunningly clear-eyed exploration of law as it is practiced in America today--and a cogent, groundbreaking
program for legal reform.