This article is written by Shivani Nair, from Manipal University, Jaipur. This article deals with the topic of some of the most fascinating books that every law enthusiast should read. 

Introduction

There are many questions that arise in the minds of law enthusiasts and one of them has always been- what books should one read if they are a law enthusiast? My suggestion would be to read everything you want to and everything you like, of any genre. But, if one wants to stick to this particular genre of “law”, then here is a list that I would recommend anyone to go through. Having personally read almost all of the books on this list, it is definitely something that every law enthusiast can look forward to. There are thousands of books that can add value to one’s lives, and there are a few others that can definitely change one’s life and perspective; the way they view their lives. Depending on your stage of life that is related to law, your preference for reading is most likely to change. However, there are a few books that are going to remain eternal regardless of which stage of life you are currently in. 

Top seven books to read

Numbers will never be enough to say how many books one should read. But it does provide a base for you to begin with. One can always add as many numbers of books one likes to the list or can choose not to read all of these books mentioned either. Everyone has a different taste, but what we can do is guide everyone who has not gone through these. If you have already read a few books and are searching for others, here is a list for you to figure out some of the books. But if you have not started reading any book other than your law subject books, maybe with the help of these books, you can begin your quest for knowledge. They are not in any particular order, but one can always decide to analyze them in their own ways. With these books, I would like to give you a bit of the insight, and then you can choose accordingly and not judge anything based on the cover, but on the summary of the book. Thus, here are the top fifteen books I have picked for someone who is a law enthusiast:

• Before Memory Fades: an Autobiography by Fali S. Nariman

Fali Nariman has been regarded as a well-known name in the faculty of law. He has been involved in a lot of high profile cases. In this book, “Before Memory Fades: An Autobiography”, the author, Nariman himself, talks about his experiences of life as a lawyer. He talks about the cases he was involved in and the ways he had to overcome the difficulties during his time. He begins with the story of his childhood where he narrates incidents about the things that amused him as a child and goes on to tell about his experiences in the Bombay Bar. 

He talks about how he had been working in the High Court of Bombay before moving to Delhi at the time when he had been appointed as a senior advocate in the Supreme Court of India. This book contains many stories of his time as an advocate of the Bombay Bar, which I believe that everyone must go through. 

The author also talks about the time when he resigns from his post as an Additional Solicitor General in the protest against Indira Gandhi. 

It is a wonderful book that not just talks about life lessons but also gives insight upon different legal as well as the political aspects of a courtroom.

The best part of the book is him, dealing with the high profile cases and his tips on restoring faith in the judicial system.

• Tomorrow’s Lawyers: an Introduction to your Future by Richard Suskind

This book actually talks about the future of law and its field. It talks about the irrevocable changes that the field of law brings in. It talks about how the future of law will not be what has been mentioned in many fictional tales, but that it will turn into a virtual court as well as an internet-based global legal business (as we can observe during the pandemic). 

It talks about how the legal markets will be liberalised, with new kinds of jobs for the lawyers and the new kinds of employers too. 

This book has been divided into three parts:

1. He identifies the key drivers of change in this book that leads to the courtrooms being modernised.
2. He sketches out the landscape of the legal fraternity which includes the changing roles of the law firms
3. Then he focuses on the prospects of the future lawyers

This is a must-read book for all those who wish to know about the future prospects of the legal fraternity and wish to work upon it.  

• To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

This is a novel that is based upon the early 1900s. This novel talks about racism and its tragedy during that time. It is a story that is a mixture of humour and sorrow, if once read, leaves a deep impact on the life of the reader. It shows the history of prejudice and how young children have fallen prey to this evil called “racism”. 

In this story, the young kids watch their father, who is a lawyer, fight for the rights of the coloured men in their society. 

His father fights for the innocence of the poor people of colour who are heavily steeped in the roots of the society of the class and racial discrimination. 

This story is witnessed through the eyes of two teenagers. This story has talked about a very harsh reality that even today’s world feels. It has a very genuine storyline that can bring tears in the eyes of the reader, through happiness or sadness. 

This book has never failed to touch a heart and its legacy still goes on.

• Nani Palkhivala: the Courtroom Genius by Soli J Sorabjee and Arvind P. Datar

If there was ever a colossus that lived in India in the field of law, it was Nani Palkhivala. He had a brilliant academic career and an even better courtroom career. This book talks about how he became India’s most sought after advocate and remained at the centre stage for a period of 5 years. 

It reflects on how he had been famous for his power of persuasion and high level of concentration that he would not even have to refer to his briefs more than once. 

It states how, in his earlier days, he had written one of the finest commentaries on income tax and how he became a master of constitutional law. 

More than his personal life, this book talks about his legal life as well as the developments he has made in this field. It talks about his contributions and the way he has worked hard to improve not just himself but also others around him. He had argued almost all the important cases related to the Constitution of India. He has not just fought cases in India but also represented India in international disputes. Being one of the most undisputed ad famous lawyers of all time. 

If one is interested in learning his tricks of the trade on how he has been doing so well infield, the author has listed it down for all. It provides a rare insight into his life as an advocate not just in the courtroom, but outside the courtroom too as it states his working styles and his methods of dealing with each case. 

This is a book that not a single person from the legal fraternity can miss reading upon. 

• Legal Eagles: stories of the Top Seven Indian Lawyers by Indu Bhan

This book revolves around the fact that there have been only a few lawyers that have stood apart from the rest of the world and their methods of arguing were a class apart. This has led to many landmark decisions in the court of law and how the Indian Judiciary has carved its way into the to gain worldwide fame through its remarkable and landmark cases, and the hard work of such lawyers rarely comes into the eyes of the public. 

Through this book, the author tries to bridge the gap and shows all the things a lawyer does to make a case a historical one. It shows the efforts of a lawyer and shows how hard they fight for each case, whether it is a big one or a small one. 

The author portrays how lawyers, as one commonly sees them, are not just shrewd intellectuals but much more than that. It has been stated that it takes more than mere intelligence to become a successful lawyer. This book has stated how exceptional lawyers carry their names than the general ones. They say that exceptional lawyers have worked hard for years, continuously studied each day, learned something new, increased their professionalism, which set them apart from the rest. 

Here in this book, the author talks about seven such lawyers who have paved their way into success through their outstanding achievements and hard work along with persistence. The seven lawyers who have found a place in this book are not just well known, but also amongst the best lawyers in the country. These are:

• Prashant Bhushan
• Harish Salve
• Mukul Rohatgi
• Rohinton Nariman
• Abhishek Sangvi
• Arvind Datar
• C. A. Sundaram

We catch a glimpse of not just their professional career but also their personal lives. 

• Ten Judgements that changed India by Zia Mody

This book, written by the author, gives insights about ten judgements that have managed to change not only the structure of the Indian Judiciary but also the Indian system as a whole. These judgements which were passed by the Supreme Court of India were proven to be one of the most influential judgements of all times that includes not just the Indian legal system but also the lives of the common man. 

These judgements have proved that the Indian legal system is not just as irresolute as the other nations deem it to be. The author tries to bring into this book, some of the most controversial cases of all time. 

From the matter related to Environmental Jurisprudence to deaths caused in custody, this book deals with all the different kinds of controversial cases and is a must-read for all law enthusiasts. 

• The Firm by John Grisham 

This book written by John Grisham is a legal thriller that follows the story of a successful lawyer who was raised in a very rural area and works hard to pave his way from menial labour work to become a lawyer. 

He began his career working in huge law firms but soon shifted to small tax law firms where they offered him a lot of money as well as perks. 

However, considering that this is a very small law firm, the protagonist starts to get suspicious about the amount of salary he receives as well as the number of perks of working here.

This book unfolds his story of how he unfolds several truths about the “small” and “well-reputed” law firm that he was working at. The book portrays how after an investigation on his own, he finds that this law firm that was supposedly clean is run and owned by a famous organised crime family of that area. 

He unfolds the truth about how his house, his belongings, his car and everything else given by the firm have been bugged and that he and his wife are constantly followed around. Fearful of his life, he makes a deal with the Federal Bureau of Investigation and helps catch the criminals. 

This book shows many twists and keeps the reader occupied with the thrill of the protagonist’s journey of how he chooses a dangerous path and manages to keep his secrets, knowing that the moment he is caught, the family could kill him. 

For any law enthusiast who is interested in a fictional tale of thriller, this is a well-recommended book that always keeps you eager to know about the whereabouts of the protagonist. 

Conclusion

It is therefore important to understand that as every law student or a lawyer or even any law enthusiast, one must never stop reading, for reading only improves you and your thoughts. One must never stop learning new things, for it not only strengthens your vocabulary, but it also makes you wiser. One can always use skills like these to understand the people who have written their books and learn from them. A wise man had once stated that “a good man learns from his mistakes but an intelligent man learns from the experiences and mistakes of the others”. By going through the experiences of the authors, we can understand not just their way of life, but also the way they experienced their situations and handled them. As a law enthusiast, we have to consistently keep reading, only then can we improve upon ourselves. Nevertheless, it is always wise to learn and adapt to something new.

Reference

• https://www.lawctopus.com/must-read-books-law-students/ 
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/top-ten-books-every-lawyer-law-student-should-read-ramanuj-mukherjee/ 

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