Book Description

This two volume set offers unmatched insight into the lives and careers of 100 of America's most notable defense and prosecuting attorneys. Trial lawyers, noted one observer, are "the closest thing America has to the Knights of the Round Table." In this new two volume encyclopedia, which chronicles the lives and careers of America's 100 greatest trial lawyers, readers can explore the historic legal careers of extraordinary barristers like Thomas Jefferson, the young Virginia attorney who drafted the Declaration of Independence, and Daniel Webster, staunch defender of the union. Readers will also meet contemporary litigators like Lawrence Tribe, who led the fight against the tobacco industry; Marian Wright Edelman, a leading advocate for children's rights; Alan Dershowitz, renowned criminal appellate lawyer and public intellectual; and Johnnie Cochran, the defense attorney whose spectacular victory in the O. J. Simpson trial propelled him to superstardom. In the stories of these preeminent litigators, readers will discover not only what qualities make a great lawyer, but also how much we owe to those who have served as our legal advocates. Full essays on the lives and cases of America's 100 most famous lawyers, from John Adams to Johnnie Cochran Shorter essays on other well-known attorneys, including John Grisham, Barry Scheck, and Leslie Abramson Contributions from more than 50 lawyers, political scientists, historians, and other scholars Entries on famous law partners, Alexis de Tocqueville's view of American lawyers, great trials, and much more