Alexandra Wilson (3)

This is an interesting account of the experiences of a young, black, female barrister in the British legal system. There are some interesting stories within, and Alexandra Wilson does a good job of tying them back to points about representation and institutional bias within the system.
Intellectually, it’s an interesting rather than transformational read. I think part of that is down to the fact that I found the book lacked an emotional connection. Somehow the writing got between me and the people Wilson was writing about.
It’s still worth reading, but lacks the immediate punch of her recent viral tweets about discrimination.… (mere)

I must confess I don't read a lot of non-fiction but occasionally a book comes along that captures my imagination. In Black and White certainly did that.

Alexandra Wilson is a young, mixed-race barrister from Essex. In a profession that is predominantly made up of middle-aged white males this is unusual and I knew I wanted to read this book about a woman pushing the boundaries of what people believe a barrister should look and sound like.

It's a fascinating read. The death of her friend, Ayo, who was stabbed for no other reason than that he was a black teenage boy in the wrong place, inspired her to look to the law for a career to try and make a difference from the other side of things. From there we follow Wilson through her pupillage into qualification as a junior barrister, with plenty of ups and downs along the way, including some rather inappropriate exchanges with people who ought to have known better.

If you're thinking this might be a dry look at the criminal justice system though, then think again. This book is a mixture of eye-opening facts about the law and the author relating details about cases she has worked on. I was most interested in the latter, not only the particulars of the cases and the people appearing in court, but also the way that Wilson approached them and the calm attitude she displayed. I had to smile at some of the defendants who clearly knew who to work the system, and how Wilson dealt with them in the most diplomatic ways possible.

It's clear that Alexandra Wilson has a fabulous career ahead of her if this book is anything to go by. Her achievements already, at such a young age, prove that. In Black and White is an excellent and thought-provoking read.… (mere)