Review

“...engrossing memoir"" — LA Magazine “Graham’s telling of the overwrought work environment at Latham Watkins brings John Grisham’s The Associate to real life.” —New York Journal of Books “Inspiring, crisply written, and gripping, this behind-the-scenes account of one man’s pursuit of justice is highly recommended.” —Tucson Citizen ""This is the story of a first-year law associate juggling a pro bono murder case on top of the long hours and numerous issues going on in the firm where he works. I'm recommending it for anyone who has experienced the legal system from the inside—or out."" —IndieBound “Did not expect to enjoy this book as much as I did ...Definitely worth the read. Better than most else in the genre, for sure.” —Jeremy Blachman, author of Anonymous Lawyer

Product Description

The story—part memoir, part hard-hitting expose—of a first-year law associate negotiating the arduous path through a system designed to break those who enter it before it makes them.

Landing a job at a prestigious L.A. law firm, complete with a six figure income, signaled the beginning of the good life for Ian Graham. But the harsh reality of life as an associate quickly became evident. The work was grueling and boring, the days were impossibly long, and Graham’s main goal was to rack up billable hours. But when he took an unpaid pro bono case to escape the drudgery, Graham found the meaning in his work that he’d been looking for. As he worked to free Mario Rocha, a gifted young Latino who had been wrongly convicted at 16 and sentenced to life without parole, the shocking contrast between the quest for money and power and Mario’s desperate struggle for freedom led Graham to look long and hard at his future as a corporate lawyer.

Clear-eyed and moving, written with the drama and speed of a John Grisham novel and the personal appeal of Scott Turow’s account of his law school years, Unbillable Hours is an arresting personal story with implications for all of us.