Occupational Hazard
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4.0 • 1 Rating
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- $3.99
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- $3.99
Publisher Description
Two cousins, who both grew up back in the day on the then “mean streets” of South Brooklyn, are up against a powerful bully who will stop at nothing to defeat a foe. One is Al Forte, a highly competent and fair-minded attorney. The other is Mick Forte, a “semi-reformed” Mafioso. Cousin Al is not so sure about the extent of cousin Mick’s reformation.
The bully is Gordon Gilbert, the brilliant, former head of the powerhouse law firm he built, who is now a Deputy Mayor and remains as power-hungry and ruthless as ever.
Al is retained by a desperate Mary Woodley to sue Gilbert whom she says impregnated her and fathered a child he refuses to acknowledge and support.
Despite having little litigation and no family law experience, Al readies himself to sue Gilbert for child support. Mick warns Al that the real battle will be not in the courtroom, but on the streets, Mick’s turf, as Gilbert and his goons will surely resort to “dirty tricks” to thwart Al’s efforts.
Al initially rejects Mick’s offer to help, fearing such a loose cannon will undermine his legal battle against Gilbert. Al reconsiders after he finds himself in jail, where he awakens to the nature of the adversary he is up against.
Will Al, even assisted by Mick and his considerable street smarts, be a match for devious Gilbert and his superior resources? Will justice for Mary be achieved in the courtroom or on the streets—if at all?
Customer Reviews
What fun
“So, in truth, we return to my original message: I do not care how good an attorney you are, you need backup. And Mick has the contacts and resources, and the backbone, that’ll serve you well.”
Al Forte just got fired from the high level law firm he’s been working at. His “exit interview” was a nightmare, but saying goodbye to the managing partner was the easiest thing he’s ever done. Al stood for everything Gordon Gilbert hated, and his overblown reactions never helped anyone up to the point where because of him, the law firm was dissolved.
Al can’t get another legal firm to even look at his outstanding resume because of Gilbert’s connections. So, he opens his own firm backed by his family: cousin Mick, who knows everybody and is owed so many things by so many people.....
When Al’s former law firm’s night receptionist Mary, comes to him with an unbelievable story of sexual harassment from Gordon Gilbert that resulted in her son Roger as well as the end of her marriage, Al tries to help. But he’s no litigator (his specialty is real estate law) and his first time at bat results are not helping. Now what can he do but ask for Mick’s help.
This is the first in a planned series of good ol’boys from Carroll Park Brooklyn. S a born and bred Rhode Islander with ties by marriage to “family”, I get the premise of the book. I get all the “inside jokes” and head slaps, the sneakiness, the backrooms as well as the corruption that no one will publicly admit to. However, as wonderful as this book was- and it’s laugh out loud funny in spots- the grammar errors might just drive me nuts. Some of it is the stetting, but a good deal of it is poor editing on the publishers’ part and that just can’t be explained away and detracts from an overall fun read. I want to read more from this author, and do recommend this book. 4/5
[disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher and voluntarily read and reviewed it]