Just Finished Reading the Litigators by John Grisham

In the middle of a stretch where I've been reading a lot of fantasy literature I decided to try out another one of legal fiction writer John Grisham's books: I settled upon his 2011 The Litigators, and it was a good choice. It's about three lawyers struggling in their own ways to make their profession work for them in Chicago.  Oscar Finley and Walter "Wally" Figg are barely competent ambulance chasers, dreaming of the big case that will win them millions and set their financial lives at ease.  David Zinc is just one very well-paid staff attorney of many working at a major firm, Rogan Rothberg. Although making money hand over fist, he hates his job and one day finds himself unable to step into the elevator leading to his office.  Instead he turns around and goes to a nearby bar, drinking himself silly all day and eventually noticing a Finley & Figg ad on the side of a bus.  He visits their office in his drunkenness and offers his services...meanwhile, Wally has discovered what he believes is the goose that laid the golden egg: he will join his pathetic firm with a nationwide class-action lawsuit against Varrick, a pharmaceutical company producing the cholesterol-reducing drug Krayoxx.  Krayoxx is suspected in the deaths of many of its users, and the hunt is on to find anyone who has used it recently and passed away.  Oscar is skeptical about the case, but his partner is confident that Varrick will settle and not want a full jury trial...but what if they do?

The Litigators, from start to finish, may be John Grisham's funniest book...I'll have to read all of them to render a final "judgment".  Oscar and Wally represent a segment of the legal community that just barely rises above malpractice...and sometimes dips down into it, too.  Their secretary Rochelle is the one stabilizing character keeping them afloat, but David's entry into the firm will change not only all of their lives, but his own as well as he discovers how he wants to develop and employ his skills as a litigation lawyer.  The author examines litigation in both its seedy and honorable aspects, and from the perspectives of both plaintiff and defendant.  I loved the characters in it and want a sequel...probably won't happen, though.  Yes, this was one of my favorite John Grisham novels: you'll enjoy it!