A Drink at the Bar

This  is the witty and revealing memoir of Graham Boal QC, a criminal barrister for thirty years before serving as a Judge for nine, up until his retirement in 2005.

Boal's career highlights included his being the legendary George Carman's junior in the Liberal leader Jeremy Thorpe's trial for conspiracy to murder in 1979, leading for the Crown at the Appeal of the Birmingham Six in 1991 and being appointed First Senior Treasury Counsel. His memories of key cases in his career are fascinating, but his day-to-day experiences are every bit as revealing and interesting.

However, as his brilliant career progressed, he found himself increasingly dependent on alcohol. Going into treatment for alcoholism and depression in 1993, he's been a recovering alcoholic ever since, even during his years as a judge at the Old Bailey, the court at which most of the most serious criminal cases in the country are tried.

This intriguing memoir reveals the many inside stories of classic criminal cases, and the author is unstinting in his analysis of his professional achievements and personal struggles. This will be an essential read for all those interested in legal and political issues, especially the toll that the pressures of high office can have on one’s personal life and wellbeing.