Have you ever wondered why so many attorneys write novels? And ones that are incredibly successful to boot? Consider the works of authors such as John Grisham and Scott Turow, who can captivate their readers with fascinating tales that keep us turning pages until the end.
Both gentlemen have an extensive background working as attorneys in the criminal justice system. They have seen the horrific effects that crime has had on victims, their families and the lives of those who commit crimes.
In many cases, criminal behavior results from a raging emotion that has broken through the surface of regular life. The legal system makes many efforts and contributions to guarantee that everyone stays peaceful and in order.
Even though we hold this idea of tranquility in high regard, everyone is intrigued by the possibility of what lies beneath it. The emergence of its antithesis captivates our attention. The insanity, as some refer to it.
Naturally, it is there in other people but not in us, at least not that we know. Imagine putting a lawyer in the middle of a situation where they have to deal with significant emotional stakes while also attempting to keep some order.
In what ways does a person’s vulnerability to this risk manifest itself? For example, both natural outcomes can result from burnout or the decision to pursue a different line of work.
Some lawyers can mentally toughen themselves, continue working, and bury the consequences the job has had on them somewhere deep within their minds.
Other attorneys view this as not only an opportunity but also as something that unquestionably satisfies a need. In addition, legal work gives them a unique perspective on people.
Attorneys work with cases of homicide, burglary, and fraud every day. They are aware of the worst aspects of human nature but make it their mission to uncover the most significant elements and strike a healthy balance. How could an attorney not consider this and offer some commentary on it?
How can she not conclude her experiences and learn from such dramatic situations?
Most of us live our lives immersed in the material world, behaving as if this is the only reality. We have our family, our houses, and our cars. We spend time at the office, shopping mall, movie theater, and eating out at various restaurants.
However, despite appearances, there is much more to human nature than meets the eye at some point or another.
Every day, the newspaper tells us so. We read that last night, a man raped an older woman and stole ten dollars from her purse, and a mother took her child’s life. There must be a whole other dimension to life, but not ours. I like to think that there is much more to human life than meets the eye.
Joseph Campbell, a writer and mythologist but not a novelist, once stated that the most recent version of Oedipus, the ongoing romance of Beauty and the Beast, stands today on the street corner of Forty-second and Fifth Ave, waiting for the traffic light to change. Oedipus? You must be acquainted with the person whose name was given to the mother complex, right?
What on earth could Campbell have meant? Simply this, every one of us, whether or not we are conscious of it, is acting out all the tremendous mythological themes and dramas in our lives and the lawyer has a front-row seat in the action. So how could they not write about it? Such work is tremendously popular because we like to glimpse that side of human nature from the safety of an armchair.
Now, I am just an estate lawyer. I have never had a murder or rape trial. But, in my practice, I have seen the innermost workings of families. For example, when a parent dies, I have learned that there is often far more at work than just a tidy accounting.
In other cases, I have seen almost every variation of elder abuse, whether physical, financial, or emotional as another form of murder or rape.
An estate lawyer is a witness to and participant in every conceivable human relationship and interaction at a highly volatile time. And so, that has been my window into the world and the inspiration for three novels:
Conduct in Question, Final Paradox, and A Trial of One are all part of the Osgoode Trilogy, in which I like to explore the effects of this dark side of humanity on Harry Jenkins. Who is Harry? He is an estate lawyer and the protagonist of the trilogy, in which there is plenty of murder and fraud in estate distribution.
Indeed, I’ve thrown plenty of questions at him, such as how much money is enough? Can love and forgiveness be found amid fraud and deceit, and must you be selfless to be compassionate? And so, the question is, how can a lawyer not be inspired to write, especially when they witness so many human relations?