Lawyers, Networks and Progressive Social Change: Lawyers Changing Lives

This book explores the role of lawyers in promoting social justice in the UK,using a reflexive ethnographic approach to capture the stories of 35 lawyers who have worked to transform law and policy over the last 50 years. It argues that understanding the positions taken by progressive lawyers is essential to understanding their connections between personal and professional lives,tools used to achieve social change,and ethical tensions presented by their work.

Format: Hardback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 29 July 2021
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

This book, penned by a lawyer who works at the intersection of legal education and practice in access to justice and human rights, aims to establish a collective identity for social justice lawyering in the United Kingdom. It is rooted in theories of cause lawyering and legal mobilisation, emphasising the importance of understanding the positions taken by progressive lawyers in order to shape their connections between personal and professional lives, the tools they employ to bring about social change, and the ethical dilemmas they encounter.

The book adopts a reflexive ethnographic approach to capture the stories of 35 lawyers who have worked tirelessly to positively transform law and policy in the UK over the past 50 years. It draws upon a wealth of primary sources, including case reports, historic campaign materials, media analysis, broader ethnographic interviews with academics, students, lawyers, and participant observation at social justice conferences, workshops, and events.

Through its analysis, the book elucidates how lawyers' networks facilitate their collective positioning and influence their strategic decision-making, ultimately shaping their interactions with social activists, other lawyers, and the state itself. It sheds light on the ways in which these networks shape the legal profession, contribute to social justice movements, and advocate for the rights and interests of marginalized communities.

This book is a valuable resource for legal professionals, students, activists, and anyone interested in understanding the role of lawyers in promoting social justice and achieving positive change in society. It provides a rich and nuanced understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by social justice lawyers, and offers insights into the strategies and tactics they employ to achieve their goals.

Weight: 492g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 21 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781509938094