Robert Ebert Byrnes

Jaime Marquart

“A wonderfully depraved book that will not be welcome in the libraries of the finest American law schools—but no ambitious law student should be without it.” —Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

Until now, the traditional concept of the law-school experience was the one presented in Scott Turow's One L, published in 1977, a dark description of his first year at Harvard Law School. Twenty-four years later things have definitely changed. Turow's book became the accepted primer—and warning—for aspiring law students, giving them a glimpse of what awaited: grueling nonstop study, brutally competitive classes, endless research, and unfathomable terminology. It described a draconian prison and endless work in the company of equally obsessive, desperate fellow students.

Yet, sidestepping terror and intimidation, law students (and new authors) Robert Byrnes and Jaime Marquart entered highly prestigious law schools, did things their own way, earned law degrees, and were hired by a Los Angeles law firm, turning Turow's vision upside down. In their parallel narratives—two twisted, hilarious, blighted, and glorious coming-of-age stories—Byrnes and Marquart explain how they managed to graduate while spending most of their time in the pursuit of pleasure.

“Hold on tight, readers. Brush with the Law is a comic, drug-fueled ride that veers from revelry to revelation without transition. With shameless aplomb, the authors slack their way to law degrees, skewering top-notch schools in the process.” —Mike Dayton, Editor, North Carolina Lawyers Weekly

“This edgy book would be a great movie. An independent production, of course. Hollywood couldn’t capture the darkly funny vibe of this terrific work without screwing up the heart of it.” —Michael C. Gross, Executive Producer, Twins, Legal Eagles