Fake Law by The Secret Barrister

‘Fake Law: The Truth About Justice in an Age of Lies’ is The Secret Barrister’s follow-up to the hugely successful and informative Stories of the Law and How It’s Broken. Inevitably, most people’s understanding of the English legal system is acquired through media consumption. However, whether through deliberate obfuscation or plain ignorance, there are countless examples of inaccurate reporting on all kinds of legal issues, mostly in tabloid newspapers (unsurprisingly, the Daily Mail among many others in this category have yet to review this book). ‘Fake Law’ seeks to reveal the facts and outline the broader context behind the misinformation repeatedly peddled by certain media outlets and politicians.

The Secret Barrister is an anonymous junior barrister specialising in criminal justice which was the focus of their first book. ‘Fake Law’ covers a number of other areas of the law including self-defence, family, employment, personal injury, human rights, the constitution and the devastating cuts to legal aid. Case studies of Tony Martin’s murder conviction for shooting a teenage burglar on his property, the Charlie Gard best interests case, the treatment of rape victims in court and the Supreme Court ruling in favour of Gina Miller and other claimants debunk a whole host of myths surrounding how the legal system works. Reporting on the Human Rights Act tends to focus on its use in immigration cases, whereas its role in securing justice for the victims of John Worboys is rarely highlighted by the media. The chapter on personal injury law is particularly interesting and challenges the widely held perception of this area of law consisting entirely of frivolous claims.

‘Fake Law’ is just as essential as the Secret Barrister’s first book and is a potent reminder that anyone can get caught up in the legal system for all kinds of reasons and that seemingly mundane changes to legal procedure can have life-changing consequences for millions of people. It is likely that ‘Fake Law’ will mostly preach to a converted audience who are already more than capable of spotting misleading, biased and inaccurate newspaper headlines. However, few can explain the reality behind the misinformation as eloquently as The Secret Barrister does.