Spider Woman: A Life – by the former President of the Supreme Court

by Lady Hale

Brought to you by Penguin.

Lady Hale is an inspirational figure admired for her historic achievements and for the causes she has championed. Spider Woman is her story.

As 'a little girl from a little school in a little village in North Yorkshire', she only went into the law because her headteacher told her she wasn't clever enough to study history. She became the most senior judge in the country but it was an unconventional path to the top.

How does a self-professed 'girly swot' get ahead in a profession dominated by men? Was it a surprise that the perspectives of women and other disadvantaged groups had been overlooked, or that children's interests were marginalised? A lifelong smasher of glass-ceilings, who took as her motto 'women are equal to everything', her landmark rulings in areas including domestic violence, divorce, mental health and equality were her attempt to correct that.

As President of the Supreme Court, Lady Hale won global attention in finding the 2019 prorogation of Parliament to be unlawful. Yet that dramatic moment was merely the pinnacle of a career throughout which she was hailed as a pioneering reformer.

Wise, warm and inspiring, Spider Woman shows how the law shapes our world and supports us in crisis. It is the story of how Lady Hale found that she could overcome the odds, which shows that anyone from similar beginnings will find that they can cope too.

Lady Hale 2021 (P) Penguin Audio 2021

Genres: Biography

Audible Audio

Published October 7, 2021

Reviews

[Ruihan · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a gift for my call to the bar (from the wonderful Will). A very inspiring read for a female lawyer.

[Sec Lad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lady Hale is a trailblazer and the book is, typically, beautifully written. I would argue it is deliberately portrayed as a pure memoir or autobiography when, in fact, it is also a useful introduction to constitutional law and legal principles. As a lawyer, I would have preferred to know more about Lady Hale’s balance of home-life with work and navigating the end of her first marriage, but that may be the voyeur in me.

[Mona Dimitrova · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a life. This woman is incredible and having held my hand many times throughout my degree, made me laugh and sometimes left me confused, I really feel like I've had such a magnificent glimpse into who she is through the colourful life she's lived (especially as a woman in the realm of old men and their bullshit wisdom). What an icon.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone interested in UK law and / or feminism in the legal profession. She's one in a billion.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
Lady Hale is iconic and it was a joy to listen to this audiobook. Hearing her perspective on some key cases Lady Hale judged over was great.

[Rebecca · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Lady Hale is iconic and it was a joy to listen to this audiobook. Hearing her perspective on some key cases Lady Hale judged over was great.

[Tuliptwinkle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read, accessible to those interested in the law as well as those not. Such an inspiration

[Rosemary Flower · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the chapters covering childhood, through to her early career but the remainder failed to retain my interest, so it remained unfinished.

[Zoe Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a law student this book was a must read. What a fascinating read and life Lady Hale has had. A must read

[Amelie Procter · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty average biography of a slay woman but couldn’t follow it half of the time and was hoping to be more interesting. Feminist queen tho + inspirational

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating and inspirational woman. Her passion for the law, feminism and justice really came through. She’s an absolute icon for women in law.

[Hannah Foley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gifted to me by the PR team before it was launched (obviously a few years ago) and it was such a lovely insight into Lady Hale’s life and a really fascinating insight into family and children’s law.

[PORYA CASPAR · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an inspiring human

[Tracy Epton · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was disappointed by how boring this was. An amazing woman who has achieved so much. But the book was factual rather than engaging

[Cal]

i left this at home, im like halfway through but i did not realise how easy it was to become qualified back in the day (she is really cool tho)

one thing that stuck with me was her dads advice to her and her sister, i thought it was really stupid, like i get focusing on your education and not throwing it away over a relationship but i dont think that should be a reason to not get into relationships, like for me we need connection but other than that was alright