In Your Defence: True Stories of Life and Law (Paperback)

'Sarah Langford has reinvented a genre ... [as a barrister she has turned] her experience of 11 criminal cases into short stories that are as compelling as fiction, with the added fascination of being essentially true ... Immensely powerful.' - Jenni Russell, The Sunday Times

'A compelling read for anyone who cares about fairness, justice and humanity and should be on the reading list of all politicians and policy-makers.' - Catherine Baksi, The Observer

'[Langford] combines the demands of her job, the stories of those she represents and her own views and emotions with great skill...powerful, moving and often captivating.' - Barney Thompson, The Financial Times

'Vivid... surprisingly uplifting. A thoughtful, elegant book. ... it is often as thrilling as a detective novel. And sometimes it is moving: the last chapter had this reviewer in tears.' - Thomas Grant, QC, The Times

'A riveting account of cases she's fought over nearly 10 years in the family courts. These are harrowing stories: of newborns taken by social services, of bitter divorces, of children trapped in the turbulence of addiction, gangs, or both, an unprecedented collection, moving, enraging and desperate, all told in Langford's cool, compelling prose.' - Charlotte Edwardes, The Evening Standard 

'I loved this book. It made my heart sing. Written by a woman in the law with compassion, wit and legal know-how, these true life courtroom stories tell it like it is.' - Helena Kennedy QC