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A Lee Isaacs, Esq. Novel
by Jeanne WinerA legal drama that centers on Lee Isaacs, a female defense attorney on the cusp of turning 60, who, out of curiosity, determination, and desire for a big, even impossible, professional challenge, chooses to take on a tough murder case in which a largely uncooperative young man is accused of helping kill a gay gang member.
This beautifully-written novel, which has earned starred reviews from Kirkus, Library Journal and Booklist, is built around not only a gradually resolving mystery, but by fully fleshed-out characters, particularly the strong-willed and sharp-witted Lee. It is a breath of fresh air to see someone of Lee's standing achieve career and personal success as an older single woman who grieves the recent loss of her husband, but continues her daily routine of law and karate, fighting tooth and nail to prove her client not guilty.
(Note: The author, Jeanne Winer, is herself a longtime defense attorney in Boulder, Colorado, and a black-belt karate expert.)
CHAPTER ONE
Someone was knocking on her office door, but Lee didn't move or call out. It was much too early to deal with other people's problems. Her first appointment wasn't scheduled until nine, an hour and a half away, so whoever was knocking so insistently wasn't one of her regular, semi-normal clients.
Her regular clients may have broken the law, perhaps even a very serious law, but they knew about etiquette. You called, made an appointment, and waited downstairs in the beautifully appointed lobby until the receptionist phoned the lawyer and she came down to meet you. So, more likely than not, it was her new court appointment, a client suffering from borderline personality disorder in the first phase of her relationship with Lee: I love you; you're my savior; I have to spend all my time at your feet. Later, in about a month, the second phase would begin: I hate you; you're about to fuck me over; I want a new lawyer.
The knocking stopped and Lee could hear footsteps retreating ...
Here are some of the comments posted about Her Kind of Case in our legacy forum.
You can see the full discussion here.
Did you agree with Lee's decision to call Rab to the stand? Has there ever been a moment in your life when you took a great risk that ended up paying off?
I can't think of a risky decision I have made. I don't consider myself a risk taker. Lee is a risk taker but it's so much easier to take a risk when you're not the person who will suffer the consequences. Lee trusted her gut and in this case it ... - sharalynnep
Did you appreciate Jeremy's loyalty or resent it? Do you think that you would be as loyal as Jeremy, or turn on your friends to save yourself?
I feel that Jeremy's view of loyalty was skewed due to his bad family life and the replacement of the "gang" as his family. He was also very naive and young. It is easy to see this as an adult and as a reader, I neither appreciated it or resented ... - scgirl
Do you have a Dan of your own, someone who is an adversary at work, but whom you still greatly respect?
My job was a little bit different. As a classroom teacher, collaboration was essential for what we hoped to accomplish. Additionally, we shared many of the same values with regard to helping kids and wanting them to learn. While our individual ... - acstrine
Do you have any hobbies that help prevent one thing taking over your life?
Yes, I have hobbies. I love to sew and I love to read. Both of these things relax me. I also belong to things going on at our senior center. I go to a lunch ladies group and go to coffee and conversation once a week. I also go to a book group and... - nancyh
Do you have hope for Jeremy? What kind of future do you imagine for him?
I do have hope for Jeremy. He has found a group of like minded people who will support him in his recovery. He is a good person that will need extensive therapy to cope with grief. He had the strength to do the right thing in the case. He was ... - jant
Winer's writing is unrelentingly superb as the novel progresses, astutely capturing the intricacies of defending someone accused of murder ... Lee Isaacs is a complex figure, simultaneously confident in her abilities and afraid of failure; a kick-ass, take-no-prisoners type of woman that one can't help cheering for, with hidden vulnerabilities that make her more sympathetic. And Lee isn't the only stand-out character; Winer imbues nearly all her creations with huge personalities that make them feel real and keep readers hooked...continued
Full Review (590 words)
(Reviewed by Kim Kovacs).
The protagonist of Jeanne Winer's Her Kind of Case is a criminal defense attorney who has been in the legal profession for over 30 years.
While female lawyers aren't rare, law is still an area where women are underrepresented (as are minorities of both genders). According to a 2016 New York Bar Association report, women make up just 25% of attorneys in lead counsel roles across every level of court throughout the state, in spite of the fact that they comprise about half of law school graduates (and have since the early 1990s). The Washington Post reports that women and men are equally represented at the associate level, but that women are twice as likely to leave the profession early, citing work-life balance concerns. The same article ...
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