The Mandela Brief

Well-written, deeply researched and wholly gripping -- The Spectator A forensic, riveting account of a wondrous and principled advocate, one that brings to life the rule of law and reminds what we might strive to be -- Philippe Sands Kentridge is not only one of the finest advocates of all time, he is also one of the finest men -- Lady Hale The barrister's barrister . . . a moral stature that no amount of moral forensic technique can impersonate -- Lord Jonathan Sumption One of the greatest lawyers of our times - a legal titan -- Lady Helena Kennedy Praise for Thomas Grant: Thomas Grant has brought together Hutchinson's greatest legal hits, producing a fascinating episodic cultural history of post-war Britain that chronicles the end of deference and secrecy, and the advent of a more permissive society . . . Grant brings out the essence of each case, and Hutchinson's role, with clarity and wit -- The Times Praise for Thomas Grant: Hutchinson provides the memories and Grant puts pen to paper. The result is a multifaceted object: a celebration of a brilliant career, an explanation of the legal process and a social and cultural history of the second half of the 20th century -- Daily Telegraph Praise for Thomas Grant: Excellent . . . Thomas Grant offers detailed accounts of eleven cases at the Old Bailey's Court Number One, with protagonists ranging from the diabolical to the pathetic. There is humour . . . but this is ultimately an affecting study of how the law gets it right - and wrong -- Guardian Praise for Thomas Grant: A hamper of treats, a series of beautifully judged vignettes . . . Grant excels himself . . . He is a master at conveying the cut-and-thrust of cross-examination, managing to maintain a sense of speed while making sure the reader does not miss the cultural or legal context. His style is drily witty, but just when you start to think he is a bit too detached from what are, after all, matters of life and death, he soars into a rhetorical flight . . . Very moving -- Sunday Telegraph