Book reviews

A Practical Guide to How the Law Affects You

The Frazier Crane of Scots law assuredly needs no introduction to the professional or the non-legally qualified reader alike. And it is to the latter that this excellent ready reckoner is perspicaciously aimed. Indeed it already festooned the front window display of Waterstones before I jetted off on holiday, a copy packed with my swim shorts for a beachside review.

Well, the protean Mr Lafferty’s opus fast overtook my John Grisham and my fiancée’s Patricia Cornwell in the readability stakes. With the author’s own humorous, cuddly bear illustrations it provides a thoroughly readable, insightful and user-friendly gloss on all areas of the law commonly encountered by most readers. Moreover, it is punctuated by numerous legal titbits that many an LLB may find memory-refreshing (more than just the bear essentials, you might say). For example, those of us, like me, whose experience of family law ended with resting a pen on a university exam table 10 years ago, Mr Lafferty reminds us that a male may marry his wife’s mother when his wife and father-in-law are dead. A sobering thought indeed to realise on a beach with one’s betrothed.

“Did you know you could marry my mum?” she asked, before going on to read the next 150 pages without letting me even peek. And that’s the beauty of this book. Through his enthusiasm and straightforward language Mr Lafferty succeeds not only in demystifying the law, but also in making it of interest to the reader. Of course, this book can serve as a reference to dip into when needed (it has an admirable index), but I imagine that, once engaged, many a reader will find it hard to put down.

Plainly It’s the Law is not designed to supplant Macphail’s Sheriff Court Practice or Conway’s Personal Injury, and indeed Mr Lafferty is always punctual in his exhortation to seek the assistance of a solicitor where appropriate. However his style, candour and good humour fill an important gap in the market, which we at Govan Law Centre applaud. I for one shall keep a copy near me during my weekly telephone advice line (just in case someone asks me if they can marry their wife’s mum). I would hope most practising lawyers could arrive at similar advice, but perhaps many of us could learn from Mr Lafferty’s knack of translating concepts, rights and duties which might elsewhere seem obscure or dry, into universally accessible, relevant and appealing language. I recommend this book.

Jon Kiddie, Govan Law Centre