Book Review, 0221 WYBJ, Vol. 43 No. 1. 20
| Author | By Thomas B. Jubin Jubin & Zerga, LLC Cheyenne, Wyoming |
| Position | Vol. 43 1 Pg. 20 |
By Thomas B. Jubin Jubin & Zerga, LLC Cheyenne, Wyoming
Trial Practice Manual for Criminal Defense Lawyers by Robert R. Rose III
A new arrival from ABA Publishing is our own Robert R. Rose III’s Trial Practice Manual for Criminal Defense Lawyers: A Field Guide to Courtroom Combat. True to the title, it is a practical manual. But more than that, Rose provides a guide that inspires the reader to become a better lawyer by using empathy rooted in our shared humanity and vulnerability. Rose’s manual offers the reader a renewal of purpose and sense of accomplishment in finding something worth fighting for—reveling in becoming a champion for someone who has none, a client who needs you, her lawyer, to restore the balance of power to have a fighting chance. Although these notions may seem overly idealistic to the cynic, Rose encourages us to truly believe in our clients and our role as their advocate, and to live out that role with a passionate commitment to be our best.
Rose is well known for organizing and running the Western Trial Advocacy Institute, a gathering of many of the best inspirational trial lawyers in the field of criminal defense. For those who have attended that week-long training, Rose’s new book will tread familiar ground. It shares significant content and power with that rich learning experience. One of the true benefits for the reader is that Rose provides access to the wisdom and teaching of many of the great teachers who have provided guidance to lawyers over the years—Terry McCarthy, Dale Cobb, John Tierney, Gerry Spence, and Steve Rench, to name a few. The book bears the unmistakable influence of Robert R. Rose, Jr., the author’s father, who generously offered his inspiration teaching trial practice to Wyoming law students following his service on the Wyoming Supreme Court. Many of you, like me, were undoubtedly the beneficiary of his generosity, keen insights, and warm heart.
Beyond the inspiration, the manual provides practical advice for specific proceedings and contexts as the criminal case progresses through its various stages, an invaluable resource for the inexperienced lawyer in need of reassurance. Wyoming is one of those places where new criminal defense lawyers can be thrown directly into positions of immense responsibility in far-flung locations without...
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