Brief Book Review: The Associate

As the calendar turns to summer each year, I put together a short list of books I want to read before returning to teaching at the season's end. This year's first pick was John Grisham's latest novel, The Associate.

At one point when I was young, I was convinced I wanted to go to law school and become a lawyer. While I decided in high school that law was not my calling, I am fortunate enough to be involved in programs that incorporate the law into my students' studies. After reading this insightful look into what it takes to be a rookie associate in a big law firm, any confirmation I needed is certainly there.

The Associate tells the tale of Kyle McAvoy, editor of the Yale Law Journal, who is on the verge of graduating law school, taking the bar exam, and starting a career in law. The son of a small-town lawyer, Kyle plans a brief stint working in public service law before advancing to the glamor of a big firm in one of our nation's largest cities. His potential seemed limitless.

But, everyone has a skeleton in the closet. Kyle's happens to be bigger than most. And as his past catches up to him, his future changes dramatically. Now, to avoid an unknown force that seeks to destroy him unless he operates on their terms, Kyle becomes the title character, the associate in what may be the largest law firm in the world. In addition to billing triple-digit hours each week and attempting to live a relatively normal life, Kyle is charged with what amounts to corporate espionage.

The Associate is an intense dramatic thriller, reminiscent of one of Grisham's early works: The Firm. The comparisons between Kyle McAvoy and that novel's main character, Mitch McDeere, are well-warranted. This page-turner is definitely worth considering for an easy, exciting read for the summer.