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June 22, 2006

New book tells scorching good tale about Columbus lawyers

Just in time for summer beach reading, an intimate new book about the Columbus legal community will have you flipping pages faster than The Da Vinci Code.

The book, Reflections on Life and the Law: Wit and Wisdom from Columbus Bar Association Attorneys, is published by the Columbus Bar and features utterly candid war stories and lessons learned from fifty area attorneys.

“This is a tell-all book in the best sense of the word,” said Columbus Bar President Belinda Barnes. “I think you will laugh - you might even cry - but you will definitely see yourself in these pages before you put it down.”

Think you were the only great attorney whose client turned out to be right, while you were wrong? Guess again. Lose sleep worrying about filing procedures and technical errors? You and the best known attorneys in the city. When the “big case” took over your life, were you undertaking a proud responsibility for future generations or carrying the weight of the world on weary shoulders? Read two honest takes from Columbus colleagues who have been there and lived to tell about it.

Like every great summer read, these tales also contain mystery, intrigue, sex and mayhem – all part of a lawyer’s work, if not everyday. A client seeking asylum enters with a shadowy story, leaves with strings mysteriously pulled in his favor and teaches the skeptical attorney a lesson in credulity. An excitable spouse revives the husband she drugged with a ballpeen hammer, asking later if the incident would hurt the custody case. “Not if we offer custody to the victim,” the steadfast lawyer replied. There’s even a dead parrot in a bankruptcy hearing room.

“For more than a year the Columbus Bar embarked on a mission to solicit a farrago of true stories from members,” said Mark Kitrick, who spearheaded the project and served as the book’s Editor-In-Chief. “Applause to our authors and friends who have unselfishly imparted their anecdotes, which emanated from trials and tribulations, sometimes with tears and fears.”

The book is available in limited quantities to Columbus Bar members at a cost of $14.95 per book, which includes shipping and handling, or $12.95 with pick-up at the Columbus Bar offices. Don't forget your sunscreen!