In the Ring: The Trials of a Washington Lawyer [Hardcover]

Robert S. Bennett (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 19, 2008

Robert S. Bennett has been a lawyer for more than forty years. In that time, he’s taken on dozens of high-profile and groundbreaking cases and emerged as the go-to guy for the nation’s elite. Bob Bennett gained international recognition as one of America’s best lawyers for leading the defense of President Bill Clinton in the Paula Jones case. But long before, and ever since, representing a sitting president, he has fought for justice for many famous (and some now infamous) clients. This is his story.

Born in Brooklyn and an amateur boxer in his youth, Bennett has always brought his street fighter’s mentality to the courtroom. His case history is a who’s who of figures who have dominated legal headlines: super lobbyist Tommy Corcoran, former Secretaries of Defense Clark Clifford and Caspar Weinberger, Marge Schott, and, most recently, New York Times reporter Judith Miller and former World Bank president Paul Wolfowitz. Bennett also served as special counsel to the Senate during the ABSCAM and Keating Five scandals and was a leading member of the National Review Board for the Protection of Children & Young People, created by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops in response to the sex abuse allegations.

Taking the reader deep within his most intriguing and difficult cases, In the Ring shows how Bennett has argued for what’s right, won for his clients, and effected his share of change on the system. This is an intimate and compelling memoir of one lawyer’s attempt to fight hard and fair.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Important people caught in a jam—Bill Clinton embroiled in the Paula Jones lawsuit, Judith Miller facing jail time for contempt, Paul Wolfowitz battling ethics charges at the World Bank—often hire superlawyer Bennett to represent them. In this self-satisfied memoir, Bennett (a partner at the white-shoe firm Skadden, Arps) pays effusive tribute to friends and colleagues, proffers nuggets of wisdom to young attorneys (While you should overprepare your cases, you should always under try them, i.e., keep the presentation simple) and ferociously defends his clients' reputations in rehashes of their cases. But his most zealous advocacy is for his brilliant lawyering, evidenced by courtroom proceedings that the author excerpts at great length. Alas, in print, lawyerly histrionics become rambling, turgid improvisations that try the reader's patience: Your Honor, I don't look like Alice [in Wonderland]... but I somehow feel like I am. I'm perplexed as she was. I'm concerned as she was. There are things that just don't fit together for me. What does come through is the preening self-regard (Had I been younger and less experienced, I might have been intimidated meeting one on one with the president) of an archetypal Washington mover-and-shaker. (Feb.)
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Review

“The best legal read . . . in decades. A brilliantly entertaining work, both for the lawyer and the layman.”
—Washington Times

“The captivating story of a boy who grew up to be one of the nation’s top attorneys.”
—The Wall Street Journal

“In more than 40 years as a lawyer, Bob Bennett has been at the center of many of Washington’s most politically-charged legal dramas. In the Ring, written with poignancy and persuasion, is a great read with its rich portrait of his early life and fascinating tour through the high-profile cases that have defined Bob’s career. Bob is dedicated to his clients, fair to his adversaries, and clear in what he believes is right and wrong when politics and law collide.”
—President Bill Clinton

“In the Ring is an extraordinary tale by an extraordinarily gifted trial lawyer. Bob Bennett’s story takes us from Brooklyn to the U.S. Supreme Court with drama and suspense packed in between. Wonderful history for lawyers and non-lawyers alike.”
—Former Senator Warren B. Rudman, author of Combat: Twelve Years in the U.S. Senate

“Bob Bennett is not only a towering presence in the legal world, he is a charming, entertaining and outgoing personality, full of life, passion and warmth. In the Ring is a riveting account of an exciting career, featuring many of the most colorful and intriguing characters of our era. He has done everyone a great service in bringing his experiences and clients to life in such a vivid chronicle. I’m already looking forward to the sequel.”
—Theodore B. Olson, former United States Solicitor General

“Bob Bennett has written a fascinating inside account of some of the biggest Washington scandals and controversies of our era. As a what-happened and a how-to, In the Ring is indispensable.”
—Jeffrey Toobin, author of The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court

“From his days as a high school debater, which Bob Bennett charmingly confesses gave him ‘no stud points,’ to his time waxing the floors and cleaning the toilets of the Trane Corporation to put himself through Georgetown, to his shining hour before the U.S. Supreme Court representing the 42nd President of the United States in a case involving alleged perjury, Oval Office sex, and all the trappings of power–this personal and personable page-turner will immerse you painlessly in what would have to be called a great life in the law. Finishing it reminded me of the New Yorker cartoon in which a nattily dressed man, introducing himself to a pretty young thing at a cocktail party, tells her, ‘Yes, I am a lawyer. But not in the pejorative sense.’”
—Laurence Tribe, Professor, Harvard Law School

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1 edition (February 19, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307394433
• ISBN-13: 978-0307394439
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.4 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.5 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (7 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #865,016 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Essential Reading, February 19, 2008

By 

D. Molloy "Flathead" (Missoula, Mt USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: In the Ring: The Trials of a Washington Lawyer (Hardcover)

This book provides insight into the real workings of Washington and into the complexities of operating within the rule of law. Bob Bennett is the measure of doing the right thing. His story is pointed and full of insight for the young and old lawyer. He demonstrates that preparation is the key to success. He willingly praises those with whom he works. We would all benefit if there were more lawyers like Bob Bennett. Integrity personified. The book is well worth the read and anyone affiliated with the law or pollitics should read it.

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Still an Idealist, February 19, 2008

By 

J. D. Klein "John David Klein" (New York City) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: In the Ring: The Trials of a Washington Lawyer (Hardcover)

If you want to know how Washington works and does not work then this is the book. My only regret is that the author did not keep the original title and moved to the editor's choice. The original title was Mean Town. It is nice to see the town through the eyes of someone who after all these years is still an idealist. In D.C. you can actually find more Kangaroos than genuine idealists.

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars A Trial, March 29, 2008

By 

Christian Schlect (Yakima, Washington/USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: In the Ring: The Trials of a Washington Lawyer (Hardcover)

A disjointed and uneven presentation of the highlights of the career of a high-profile Washington, D.C. litigator. It is written in the style of that town, with many words devoted (in a modest way, of course) to what a grand job the author did in representing some totally innocent and famous client. Praise is lavished on most public figures, with scores settled on a few notable back hats; here, e.g., Judge Walsh, Senator DeConcini, and NY Times publisher Sulzberger.

Of course a child of the author goes to Sidwell Friends and the manager of The Palm is mentioned. And, growing up in Brooklyn he loved the Dodgers.

Mr. Bennett's advice to young lawyers boils down to be honest and have balance in your lives. Which is good advice, but you probably do not need to buy this book to obtain it.

Mr. Bennett has been a central figure in a number of the most important legal situations of the past few decades. Unfortunately, in this book, he writes in a style that indicates to me that this book was a toss off effort, done while he was still active and distracted in his day job. Rare are the hard, keen and full descriptions of any of the interesting public figures with whom he came into contact. Mr. Bennett, the one-time amateur boxer, pulls his punches.