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In Approaching the Bench: Tales of a Private Damage Lawyer, legal professional Jan Weinberg shares a few of his most fascinating circumstances over a profession that has spanned many years. Starting with tales of his time at Harvard law Faculty-years marked by anxiousness and skipping classes-to his first project to a consumer whereas nonetheless a law pupil, after which being a accomplice in a law agency and eventually practising on his personal in Hawaii, Weinberg provides a revealing portrait of not solely the purchasers, judges, and opponents he confronted within the courtroom, but additionally a have a look at how being a lawyer at occasions affected his private life.
Anybody who loves good courtroom drama will discover a lot to take pleasure in on this book. There are fascinating particulars about how Weinberg researches his circumstances and finds precedents for his arguments; there are feminine purchasers extra serious about hitting on him than having him defend them, and there are some heart-wrenching tales of purchasers who desperately wanted somebody to face up and battle for his or her rights, and Weinberg was in a position to do this for them.
Whereas I can not element each story right here, I will briefly point out a number of of my favorites. One case Weinberg wasn’t concerned in however that was a key case he discovered about in law college was the case of the bushy hand-in this case, a physician did a pores and skin graft by taking pores and skin from a affected person’s chest and utilizing it for his hand-when chest hair grew on the affected person’s hand, the affected person was not glad. This case is one each good law pupil apparently is aware of about.
In Weinberg’s first case, which he was assigned whereas nonetheless a law pupil by means of Harvard Authorized Support, he dealt with a divorce. He rapidly found how a lot he nonetheless wanted to be taught regardless of his law college coaching. His consumer was getting divorced for the primary time, however her good friend, who accompanied her to her appointment with Weinberg, had been divorced thrice and apparently knew extra about courtroom protocol when it got here to divorce circumstances than he did, so he discovered a factor or two from her.
In one other case, Weinberg was assigned to do a little analysis in a professional bono case the place a accomplice was representing a convicted financial institution robber in his enchantment. The conviction was primarily based on an identification of the consumer’s left elbow that was hanging out of the getaway automotive’s window.
All through his profession, Weinberg has confirmed himself superb at researching his circumstances and getting ready for trial in addition to analyzing and cross-examining witnesses. As Weinberg states at one level, “So, if an legal professional is not prepared to spend time after hours and on weekends to consider circumstances whereas strolling, gardening, understanding, and even performing fundamental bodily features, to analysis, to query, and to fret, then an space of law aside from a private damage observe would virtually definitely be a greater match.” Weinberg’s tales and outcomes testify to the truth that he was all the time, like Perry Mason, making an attempt to determine his circumstances and technique from each angle attainable.
One story that basically made me admire Weinberg’s strategies within the courtroom was when he was questioning a physician who was an skilled witness within the trial for his facet. Feigning full disclosure, however actually to get the jury’s sympathy, Weinberg requested the physician whether or not it was true that he was a convicted felon. The person replied, “Sure, I’m a convicted felon. However, please, might I clarify. As I instructed the jury, I’m a Hungarian. Chances are you’ll recall that in 1956, the Soviet Union despatched tanks and troops to overhaul our nation. I used to be a younger man then, and with different younger males stuffed Coke bottles with gasoline and inserted rags in them. We’d run as much as the tanks, gentle the rags, and throw the bottles beneath the tanks. We known as ourselves ‘freedom fighters.’ The Soviets known as us ‘terrorists.’ I used to be convicted of terrorism and spent two years in a Soviet jail in solitary confinement.” Weinberg goes on to say that the physician “spoke in a mellifluous tone of voice, with a definite Hungarian accent. His efficiency was operatic. He was mesmerizing. He spoke on to the juror who gave the impression to be drawn to him. She had tears in her eyes as he completed his reply. The Hungarian dance of affection seemed prefer it was succeeding.”
Loads of different tales within the book will fascinate, shock, and entertain readers. One landmark case from 1996 that Weinberg was concerned in involved a pedestrian who was hit by a driver who might have been utilizing a cellphone. This occurred lengthy earlier than there have been discussions concerning the risks of cellphone use whereas driving. Mockingly, twice through the trial, the driving force’s cellphone rang, which solely made her look worse to the jury. Different tales show how handwriting samples are used to find out potential jurors’ personalities, and the way Weinberg has used mock jury trials to find out the strengths and weaknesses of a case earlier than going to trial.
Approaching the Bench will enchantment to law college students, legal professionals, and anybody else concerned with the courtroom system or just a fan of courtroom drama. I am certain that after so a few years of practising law, Jan Weinberg has solely shared the tip of the iceberg with the tales on this quantity. I would not be shocked if he writes one other book sometime. I am certain followers of this quantity will welcome it.
