In 40 years as a barrister and judge Peter Heerey AM QC has observed and sometimes taken part in memorable legal events.
This work is partly a collection of recollections; a murder trial, a Privy Council appeal, the leading High Court decision on the liability for barristers' negligence and the cause celebre of Professor Orr and his dismissal by the University of Tasmania.
There are also studies of notable historical and legal figures: Andrew Inglis Clark, Sir Owen Dixon, Abraham Lincoln, Justice Antonin Scalia and others as well as some of his professional colleagues.
From time to time Peter's work has included periods in other lands: the American South, Quebec, Vanuatu and Ireland. Vivid impressions of their historical backgrounds and some current personalities are recorded.
Law is looked at from a literary perspective. There are discussions of the commercial and litigious issues in The Merchant of Venice, post modernist analysis of legal issues and storytelling in the law.
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From the Launch...
"On 16 September 2014, barristers and friends of The Hon Peter Heerey AM QC gathered in the Essoign Club to launch his book Excursions in the Law. Jeremy Ruskin QC and the Hon James Gobbo AC QC both entertained attendees with rousing speeches about Mr Heerey and his book. Victorian Bar News is proud to publish these photographs of the launch of this book, penned by our own former VBN editor." Read more...
Industry Reviews
The foreword to this book was written by Sir James Gobbo. Sir James was the author’s pupil-master when the author moved from his hometown of Hobart to Victoria and joined the Victorian Bar. Sir James remarks that he soon came to enjoy the author’s breadth of interests, literary flair and wry sense of humour. Those traits are displayed clearly in this book which contains over 30 of the author’s papers and other writings including poems. True to the word ‘excursions’ in the title, the subject-matter of the papers, which is divided into five parts, is diverse and extends from Hobart and Victoria to overseas jurisdictions including Vanuatu, Canada, the United States and Ireland. ... Peter Heerey is to be commended for a book which contains a collection of papers and other writings on such a variety of topics. Read full review... - Daniel Klineberg, Bar News, Autumn 2015