How the UK legal system is failing women, as told by one of Britain's foremost lawyers.
*****
For more than quarter of a century, Harriet Wistrich has fought the corner of people from all walks of life let down by our justice system.
She has been at the forefront of some historic and ground-breaking legal victories, from helping the victims of taxi driver and serial rapist John Worboys, to representing a pioneering group of the women caught up in the 'spy cops' scandal - women deceived into forming long-term relationships with men later revealed to be undercover police officers.
Litigation can be a long and rocky path of pitfalls and dead ends and there are defeats as well as gains, hours of painstaking work as well as courtroom drama.
It takes collaboration, extraordinary tenacity and huge compassion, but Harriet Wistrich is proof that it is possible to demand better justice and to bring about important change.
Exploring landmark cases, Sister in Law covers the shocking true stories demonstrating that, terrifyingly often, the law is not-fit-for-purpose for half the population and shines a feminist light on the landscape of arcane laws and systems skewed towards men.
'Sister in Law is compelling, shocking and inspiring in equal measure..this accessible book is a must for anyone interested in justice, society and using the law to achieve change.' - The Times
'Enraging and astonishing.' - Guardian
'A remarkable book chronicling an astonishing career ... Highly recommended.' - Secret Barrister
'Every feminist should know Harriet Wistrich's name.There is no one better to learn from if you want to Get Shit Done.' Helen Lewis, author of Difficult Women
Praise for Sister in Law:
'Shocking, compelling and invigorating... A must read from one of the foremost feminist human rights lawyers today' Keina Yoshida & Jen Robinson
'A brilliant lawyer. A brilliant book' - Baroness Helena Kennedy KC
'Harriet's innovative, intense and courageous commitment to safeguarding basic rights, is compellingly set out in every chapter.' - Michael Mansfield KC
'A vivid account of cases in which the justice system has spectacularly failed women but also of how injustices can be challenged if only we know enough and care enough to do so.' Rt Hon Lady Hale DBE
'If I was ever in trouble, I would want Harriet Wistrich fighting in my corner.' - Emeritus Professor David Wilson, author of My Life with Murderers
Author
About Harriet Wistrich
Harriet Wistrich is the founder and director of the Centre for Women's Justice and a solicitor of over 25 years' experience. She has worked for many years with civil liberties firm Birnberg Peirce, acting in many high-profile cases around violence against women, including on behalf of women who challenged the police and parole board in the John Worboys case, women deceived in relationships by undercover police officers and women appealing murder convictions for killing abusive partners. She is also a founder member of the campaign group Justice for Women. Among other accolades, she was named Liberty Human Rights Lawyer of the Year 2014, Legal Aid Lawyer of the Year 2018 for public law and Law Society Gazette personality of the year 2019, and awarded an honorary doctorate of laws by Kent University in 2022.
