The Litigators Book Review
The Litigators
John Grisham
The Litigators, John Grisham’s 25th novel, is a book you either love or hate. Personally, I thought it was not a great book but has the potential to be a good movie. The reason I say that you will either love it or hate it is because it is so different than what we are used to from John Grisham. I have read everything he has written including, Playing for Pizza, A Painted House, Bleachers, and Calico Joe, which a lot of people didn’t like because they were about sports or just not his usual fanfare about lawyers and trials. However, this book was about lawyers and trials, but still not his usual fanfare in that he used a lot of humor and it wasn’t based in the south, but in Chicago. Worst yet is that the plot is very narrow and predictable.
The Litigators, Finley and Figg
The Litigators begins with an introduction of the partners at Finley & Figg, the only two in the partnership. Oscar Finley is a 62-year-old lawyer, who is not very happy with life or his wife. He won the building that houses the partnership in a lawsuit years before, which is good because they couldn’t afford the rent otherwise. The junior partner, as Oscar like to refer to Wally Figg, to make his life seem a little more important, is a 45-year-old recovering alcoholic, who still has big dreams of the million dollar case.
The two other occupants at Finley & Figg are Rochelle and AC. Rochelle is the receptionist, she had hired them to represent her in an accident case in which she was not at fault and they botched her case so bad she threatened to sue them for legal malpractice until they hired her. AC, or Ambulance Chaser, is a dog whose ears perk up at the sound of a siren and is a full-time resident at Finley & Figg.
Wally prints their advertisements on bingo cards. Additionally, he goes to every viewing of the recently deceased in hopes of hearing rumors of a wrongful death. He finally stumbles upon what he immediately perceives to be a big payday. He hears from the son of the deceased that his father may have died from a heart attack brought on by Krayoxx, a medication he was using to lower cholesterol. After doing some research he learns of a possible class-action lawsuit initiated by Jerry Alisandros in Florida. He thinks if they can sign up as many clients as possible, they can ride the coat-tails of the class-action suit to a big money score.
Enter David Zinc, a Harvard Law School graduate, working as a drone in International Law for a large firm. David is burnt out from working 80-hour weeks for 500 dollars an hour, most of which goes to the firm, even though he earns a very good wage. One day he just loses it and leaves. He goes to Abner’s Bar and drinks the rest of the day away. When he leaves, he sees a sign on a bus stop ad for Finley & Figg and tells the taxi driver to take him there. With no job and little hope, he begs for a job with the partners, who agree to hire him for much less than he’s worth.
Late one night, David’s wife tells him of a friend that has an immigrant housekeeper whose son is comatose, possibly from lead poisoning from a toy. David and his wife Helen befriend the parents and David winds up representing some of the immigrants in a labor dispute and he wins. However, during the dispute one of the employers tries to burn down Finley & Figg.
Unfortunately, Oscar is sleeping on the couch in the office, shoots the arsonist, and winds up getting sued for excessive force. That’s just the start of problems for Finley & Figg. The lawyers representing the pharmaceutical firm, Varrick Labs decide they have a favorable judge in Chicago and they know none of the partners at Finley & Figg have trial experience. Since there is little evidence to tie Krayoxx to the deaths, they narrowly escape a legal malpractice suit from their clients and a deformation of character suit by Varrick Labs.
Since the trial is the best part of the book I won’t be the “spoiler” for you, even though it goes as expected. David Zinc continues to dig into the lead poisoning and eventually starts his own firm.
Although some will argue that it is not Grisham’s best, it is a good read, well worth the money, and with a few adjustments could be a very good movie.
Good review, I will read it.
Superior thinking detrsntoamed above. Thanks!
Thanks for sharing!
Sleep apnea is a very difficult thing to live with, both for the sufferer and for people living and sleep with him or her. If you fit into either of these categories, then you know just how frustrating it can be. Read through the tips found in this article to learn the best way to survive this problem!
One way to improve your sleep apnea is to shed excess weight that you are carrying. Being overweight or obese places pressure on your neck, which can compress your windpipe as you sleep. Losing just 25 pounds can make a difference in your symptoms, and losing enough weight can eliminate the disorder altogether.
Try your best to lay off tobacco and nicotine products. Cigarette smoke can irritate your upper airway causing it to swell up, subsequently hindering your ability to breath during the night. Quitting smoking could therefore, significantly improve your sleep apnea symptoms and will also improve your body’s overall health and your feelings of well-being.
If you suffer from sleep apnea and you use a CPAP, carry your medical ID. If you need medical attention, it’s vital that the people treating you know about your condition and that you use a CPAP machine. Your ID should tell people about your sleep apnea, your use of a CPAP, and the proper pressure level for it.
People who do not have a partner sleeping with them may not know they suffer from sleep apnea. If you wake up with a dry or sore mouth, wake up out of breath, have morning headaches, insomnia, and/or go to the bathroom frequently during the night, you may have sleep apnea and should talk to a doctor.
Don’t give up on treatment for sleep apnea after one doesn’t work. There are a variety of treatments for your condition, so finding the right one is sometimes a process of trial and error. The number and severity of your symptoms influence what treatment is correct one for you. Giving multiple treatments a chance ensures you find the one that works the most effectively.
Sleep apnea does not go away on its own; patients need treatment. Some treatments work better for different people. If you lose weight you will help your sleep apnea, but this is not always the cause. CPAP machines are considered non-invasive, and many people use them successfully. Others prefer surgery to relieve their sleep apnea. Choose whichever method you think will work for you so you may begin to live a happy and comfortable life.
The most important aspect of dealing with sleep apnea is understanding exactly what it is. Unlike simple snoring, it is when a sleeper stop’s breathing for a short period of time while he is sleeping. If your sleep partner tells you that sometimes you stop breathing, there is a good chance you have apnea.
If simple changes in your lifestyle, such as regular sleep hours and losing weight, have not eliminated your sleep apnea episodes, it is time to consult with a sleep specialist. The specific causes of your sleep apnea can be evaluated, and an individual treatment plan can be designed for you.
Throughout history, sleep apnea has been one of the most frustrating, often dangerous conditions from which a person can suffer. Anyone wishing to alleviate their sleep apnea symptoms must first acquire complete comprehension of the condition’s causes and possible treatments. Keep the material from this article nearby, and you will have a useful reference to help you navigate the sea of potential solutions.
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Nice write-up, Timothy. I don’t know what this has to do with the Litigators, other than reading is a great pass-time if you can’t sleep. Feel free to leave any comment you like; however, I would appreciate a comment on the review. Thanks again.
Thanks for your kind words. I do my best. I enjoy reading and telling others about what I have read so they can make a decision about reading the book.
I was wondering if you would be interested in a guest blogging gig on my website as we are in a similar niche and could help each other with content.
Yes, I would love to contribute one of my favorite recipes as a guest post blog. I look forward to hearing from you and let me know if a guest blog would be good and when would you like me to do it? Thanks.
I am really impressed with your writing skills and also with the layout on your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you customize it yourself? Anyway keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to see a nice blog like this one today..
This is the Sydney theme, although it was free when I put my website together, to make changes to anything involving the theme, such as the header color format or even change the images within the slider you must buy the theme, pretty tricky of them. Despite the fact that I would like to change some things, I refused to be tricked into buying a theme!
I won this book as a First Reads giveaway. In high school, I loved John Grisham but haven’t returned to him since reading The King of Torts as a college sophomore. I couldn’t tell if my tastes had matured or his quality had diminished but I was not impressed at all and he’s fallen off my radar since then. (In fact, I didn’t realize he was back to writing legal fiction.)
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I wasn’t impressed with The King of Torts either. But, I have enjoyed many of his courtroom dramas and legal fictions both before and after Torts.