cover image Climbing Jacob's Ladder: A Trial Lawyer's Journey on Behalf of 'The Least of These'

Climbing Jacob's Ladder: A Trial Lawyer's Journey on Behalf of 'The Least of These'

Jock M. Smith. NewSouth, $26.95 (304pp) ISBN 978-1-58838-078-4

When Jock Smith was eight, his father, Jacob, a lawyer, was murdered by a client's husband; Climbing Jacob's Ladder: From Queens to Tuskegee A Trial Lawyer's Journey on Behalf of ""the Least of These"" is Jock's tale, written with the aid of journalist Paul Hemphill, of growing up to be a lawyer, too. Now a partner to Johnnie Cochran (who pens the foreword), Jock is also a sports memorabilia collector (his first purchase, after the baseball cards of his youth, was a 1972 Willie Mays jersey), an announcer for the Tuskegee Golden Tigers and an inspirational speaker. In efficient if unlovely prose, Jock bears witness to his successes, especially in championing the causes of the underprivileged and the overlooked. (June)