Debut novel from the author of the true-crime award winner Crossing Hoffa: A Teamster’s Story
The Partnership opens a window into a secret world. A mysterious death, illicit romantic liaisons, courtroom drama, and crises of personal conscience frame a titanic struggle at the nation’s most lucrative law firm. A twenty-first-century legal thriller with a twist, The Partnership reveals what happens to rich and powerful insiders as the business school mentality extends its tentacles across a once-noble profession. The themes resonate; The Bonfire of the Vanities still burns. Albert Knight has reached the pinnacle of power as one of the magnificent seven -leaders of the international legal powerhouse Michelman & Samson. Only one step remains: Knight and his archenemy Ronald Ratkin are front-runners to replace the Executive Committee’s retiring chairman. Knight and Ratkin were once best friends, but that was long ago. Despite their twenty-year animosity, each has embraced the firm’s transformation to a bottom-line business and the stunning wealth it produces. As the price of success, they endure and inflict profound personal damage along the way. When gifted trial lawyer Ronald Ratkin’s $100 million client defies protocol by interrupting the sacrosanct Executive Committee meeting, all seven attorneys are suspicious. The news, Ratkin suspects, could upset his ongoing billion-dollar trial, send stocks plummeting, and destroy his client, his law firm, and his personal wealth. But the wily Ratkin has a foolproof plan. Or will his own greed and that of his fellow partners undo him? *** Praise for Crossing Hoffa : One of the Best Books of the Year -Chicago Tribune Gripping, tender, and intriguing -Scott Turow A tale of mystery and intrigue … unique and personal -Booklist Tightly woven and gritty … poignant and personal -American Lawyer Riveting eyewitness history … Bravo! -Charles Brandt A must-read -Prof. Steven Lubet