Reviews
Review: Christmas wine
<p><em><strong>Buy excellent-value wines sharpish before the New Year/Brexit price rises, advise Counsel’s own wine critics Seán Jones QC and Professor Dominic Regan</strong> </em> </p>
<p><strong>This is the time to buy as many bottles as you can afford! </strong> </p>
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Film review: Sea Sorrow
<p><strong><em>‘I hope the film may be of some help to the agencies who do their utmost to support the refugees who have survived, most especially to their children.’ Dir: Vanessa Redgrave </em></strong> </p>
<p>On 3 October the Bar Human Rights Committee (BHRC) hosted a thought-provoking and inspiring film screening of Vanessa Redgrave’s <em>Sea Sorrow </em>. </p>
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Book review: The Panama Papers: Breaking the Story of How the Rich & Powerful Hide Their Money
<p><strong>Authors: Bastian Obermayer and Frederik Obermaier<br />
Publisher: OneWorld Press (2016)<br />
Paperback: 384pp<br />
ISBN: 978-1786070470<br />
Price: £12.99</strong> </p>
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Book review: Darien: a Journey in Search of Empire
<p><strong>Author: John McKendrick QC<br />
Publisher: Birlinn Ltd (2016)<br />
Hardcover: 288pp<br />
ISBN: 978-1780273204<br />
Price: £20</strong> </p>
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Book review: Marshall Hall: A Law Unto Himself
<p><span style="display: none;"> </span><strong><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Author: Sally Smith QC <br />
Publisher: Wildy, Simmonds & Hill<br />
Hardcover: 302 pages <br />
ISBN-13: 978-0854901876<br />
Price: £25.00</span></strong><span style="display: none;"> </span> </p>
<p>Sally Smith QC’s biography of the legendary Sir Edward Marshall Hall KC gives a remarkable insight into the character and make up of one of the most formidable advocates of all time. <em>A Law Unto Himself </em> examines Marshall Hall’s early life, giving clues as to how early set-backs, disappointments and personal tragedy helped mould his strengths as a barrister. </p>
<p>What Marshall Hall lacked in legal learning was more than made up for by his complete commitment to the cause, his win-at-all-costs attitude and his disregard for the judiciary and the finer points of convention that bound many of his colleagues. After exploring his early formative life, the reader is taken on a rollercoaster ride through the career and personal life of a showman whose oratory and instinctive nose for a defence saved more people from the gallows than any other barrister in history. </p>
<p>Inevitably, such a colossus had his own weaknesses – and Marshall Hall was no exception. Insecure, self-indulgent, reckless, he was also big hearted, loyal and fearless in the cause of his clients.His instinctive compassion for the underdog and the disadvantaged helped shape the thinking of the time and ultimately led to a change in the law of diminished responsibility and provocation – and paved the way to the introduction of an offence of infanticide. </p>
<p>When Marshall Hall began in practice in the late 19th century, women were not able to serve on juries and defendants were unable to give evidence in their own defence. Legal representation was poor or non-existent and punishments ranged from floggings, hard labour and hanging. </p>
<p>Marshall Hall soon achieved a celebrity status unheard of before or since; his every word reported in the press. Such was the reverential tone used to describe his outstanding ability, it was even suggested that advance reporting of some of his trials could amount to a contempt of court. Although a tireless defender, his own personal life was far from blameless and he apparently had countless affairs. An avid antique collector and dealer, his fortune fluctuated along the way and on more than one occasion he was involved in personal scandal and controversy. </p>
<p>His trials read like stories from Agatha Christie. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in the psychology of jury advocacy and is compulsive reading. Once started, it is impossible to put down. </p>
<p><strong>Reviewer Philip Noble, Thomas More Chambers</strong> </p>
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Summer wine
<p><em><strong>Counsel wine columnists Professor Dominic Regan and Sean Jones QC celebrate some good seasonal buys – lighter on both palate and pocket</strong> </em> </p>
<p>There are some great bottles to be had right now. The summer propels one in the direction of lighter, less alcoholic wine. </p>
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Editorial Board’s summer books
<p><em><strong>Introducing the Counsel Editorial Board, which shares some alternative reads</strong> </em> </p>
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Bar Leaders’ 5 best books
<p><em><strong>The 2017 Bar Council leadership team, Andrew Langdon QC and Andrew Walker QC, share their most influential reads</strong> </em> </p>
<p>Andrew Langdon QC, Vice Chairman of the Bar Council </p>
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Book review: The Law of Legal Services
<p><strong>Editor: John Gould<br /><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Publisher: Jordan Publishing 2015</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Hardback: £185 </span><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">E book: £168<br />
ISBN: 9781846619359</span></strong> </p>
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Book review: Love Lose Live
<p><strong>By: Mary Banham-Hall<br /><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">Publisher: Focus Mediation, February 2016</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">320pp Paperback: £8.95</span><br /><span style="line-height: 1.6em;">ISBN: 9780993517600</span></strong> </p>
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