The Law Clerk [Hardcover]

Scott Douglas Gerber (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 30, 2007

A mystery thriller about a high-profile First Amendment case

"As eye-opening as it is page-turning, Scott Gerber's Grisham-style legal thriller takes us behind the scenes of the pornography industry and the judicial system, revealing often-hidden realities of each as well as how they can converge."--Catharine A. MacKinnon, Elizabeth A. Long Professor of Law, University of Michigan

An explosive novel by a former law clerk to a federal judge, The Law Clerk combines the insider feel of today's most exciting fiction with insights into one of the most pressing social issues of the day: the impact of pornography.

Sam Grimes is heartbroken by a law school romance gone bad. Searching for new horizons, he accepts a prestigious clerkship with a federal judge in Providence, Rhode Island. He quickly finds himself both falling in love with a beautiful young woman he meets at the courthouse and working on the case of the decade in New England: the obscenity trial of Joey Mancini, the son of a Mafia boss. And as Sam is about to find out, one thing has everything to do with the other.

Published by Ohio Northern University and distributed by Kent State University Press

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Published by Ohio Northern University and distributed by Kent State University Press

About the Author

Scott Douglas Gerber is a law professor at Ohio Northern University. He received both a PhD and a JD from the University of Virginia and a BA from the College of William and Mary. His previous books are The Declaration of Independence: Origins and Impact (2002), The Ivory Tower: A Novel (2002), First Principles: The Jurisprudence of Clarence Thomas(1999), Seriatim: The Supreme Court before John Marshall (1998), and To Secure These Rights: The Declaration of Independence and Constitutional Interpretation (1995).

Scott Douglas Gerber is a law professor at Ohio Northern University. He received both a PhD and a JD from the University of Virginia and a BA from the College of William and Mary. His previous books are The Declaration of Independence: Origins and Impact (2002), The Ivory Tower: A Novel (2002), First Principles: The Jurisprudence of Clarence Thomas (1999), Seriatim: The Supreme Court before John Marshall (1998), and To Secure These Rights: The Declaration of Independence and Constitutional Interpretation (1995).

Scott Douglas Gerber is a law professor at Ohio Northern University. He received both a PhD and a JD from the University of Virginia and a BA from the College of William and Mary. His previous books are The Declaration of Independence: Origins and Impact (2002), The Ivory Tower: A Novel (2002), First Principles: The Jurisprudence of Clarence Thomas (1999), Seriatim: The Supreme Court before John Marshall (1998), and To Secure These Rights: The Declaration of Independence and Constitutional Interpretation (1995).

Product Details

• Hardcover: 265 pages
• Publisher: Kent State Univ Pr (June 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0873389034
• ISBN-13: 978-0873389037
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.9 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,816,273 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Legal thriller that explores dark places in law and morality November 2, 2007

By topcat

Format:Hardcover

This is an excellent legal thriller that integrates several different plot lines into a exciting climax and dark conclusion. Many suspense/mystery/psychological thriller books tend to have unsatisfying endings. However, Gerber avoids an unambiguous/everything-works-out ending. Instead, much like real life, the reader is left to grapple with ambiguity and conflicting views about pornography, human relationships, the mob, and justice. In addition to offering fast-paced writing, Gerber provides the details of important court decisions that illuminate the legal approach to these problems.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Like Grisham? You'll like "The Clerk!" August 23, 2007

By J. Bean

Format:Hardcover

Fast moving book that reminds the reader of Grisham. Gerber is a former lawyer and currently a law professor who writes from experience and with wit. The main character grabs you.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

3.0 out of 5 stars Gritty but loose ends abound October 5, 2011

By iamrite

Format:Hardcover

As a lawyer, I will say the legal analysis in the book is spot on. I appreciate the addressing of both sides of a controversial issue.

My major issue with this book is the lack of flushing out of characters. We don't know or understand why many of the characters do and behave the way that they do. Why did Joey target Mary, knowing she was the niece of a federal judge? Was it to control the law clerk that would be on his case? Was it to control the future appointee for the federal court? That is one of the many lose ends left by the book. And if Joey was a crime boss, why would Billy risk all to help Sam? These questions lend an unbelievable quality to the book.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Legal Thriller December 26, 2010

By Marine

Format:Hardcover

A well written, well thought through legal thriller that captures and holds ones attention to the end. The author obviously has a vast grasp of both the Law in theory and also in practice, The "front and back stage" of human behavior. It would make a fantastic movie. I HIGHLY recommend this book.

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A disappointment December 24, 2010

By James Moak

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

This truly was a disappointing read. I am a lawyer, and I enjoy books about trial lawyers--but even that part was not very good. This is very predictable story, with lots of loose ends. The stuff about the porn industry is of purient interest, but the rest is a waste.