I'm a sucker for memoirs of trial lawyers. I've been hooked on such books ever since I was 13 years old, when I first read Louis Nizer's “My Life in Court.” They inspire me to keep on doing what I'm doing, and to try to do it better.

The eloquence of counsel; the excitement of the courtroom; the art of the cross-examination, litigation strategy and tactics; the tension and uncertainty of outcome; the battle of wits—all these are on display in great profusion in autobiographies of trial lawyers.

“The Client Decides,” by retired Paul Weiss litigator Martin London, is no exception. It continues the genre's inspiring tradition while it entertains as well. At age 83, and retired for 12 years, London looks back and has written a fascinating and gripping memoir that law students, lawyers, and even non-lawyers will enjoy.