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My Life in Crime: a tapestry of cases
In a career spanning five decades, barrister, prosecutor, judge and corruption commissioner John McKechnie AO KC has seen up close how the law touches the lives of us all, for both good and bad.
"After a year in practice, I received a brief to defend a youth accused, with his friend, of manslaughter. There are times when a chance event changes the course of one's life. This was my event. Although unaware at the time, I was about to embark on a life of crime."
In a career spanning five decades, barrister, prosecutor, judge and corruption commissioner John McKechnie AO KC has seen up close how the law touches the lives of us all.
In this engaging and entertaining memoir, McKechnie takes readers on a tour of his distinguished career, and explores the criminal cases, big and small, that have stayed with him.
McKechnie also includes his compilation of bite-sized 'quirky cases', historical excursions into moments of legal and personal interest—all written with humour and, above all, great humanity.
"After a year in practice, I received a brief to defend a youth accused, with his friend, of manslaughter. There are times when a chance event changes the course of one's life. This was my event. Although unaware at the time, I was about to embark on a life of crime."
In a career spanning five decades, barrister, prosecutor, judge and corruption commissioner John McKechnie AO KC has seen up close how the law touches the lives of us all.
In this engaging and entertaining memoir, McKechnie takes readers on a tour of his distinguished career, and explores the criminal cases, big and small, that have stayed with him.
McKechnie also includes his compilation of bite-sized 'quirky cases', historical excursions into moments of legal and personal interest—all written with humour and, above all, great humanity.
- GenresNonfiction
358 pages, Paperback
Published July 3, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
June 2, 2026
First, a disclosure. I worked as an associate for a judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia at the same time when Justice McKechnie was a judge there. While I have no expectation that his Honour’s remembers me, and nor should he, our professional paths have crossed, albeit very briefly.
His Honour is well known in the Perth (and wider Australia) legal profession. His Honour’s professional career includes as a barrister, and the State’s first Director of Public Prosecutions, Judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission, and author (of both professional articles and textbooks). As can be seen, the focus of this was in criminal law and this is the focus of the book.
Rather than being a forensic examination, readers are breezily taken through some of the highlights and notable moments of his Honour’s life. This includes receiving a brief to defend someone of manslaughter which truly set about a career trajectory on a life about crime, times of professional and personal integrity where doing so went against some public opinion/pressure, and a few lighter moments of the legal profession as demonstrated by some peculiar cases (including those which may not have been of such precedential value in law or which go a little deeper than what the pages of the law reports might show).
Absent from this book is large discussion and deep analysis about Perth Mint Swindle/Mickelberg brothers and the Andrew Mallard case. His Honour was professionally involved in both of those cases. Both are large enough to warrant their separate, independent analysis (indeed, much has already been written about them). I can only imagine that it was a deliberate choice not to include them. Given the passion and intense scrutiny that has already been over those two situations, I am reminded of a recent speech by Justice Beech-Jones of the High Court of Australia where his Honour said that ‘[j]udges give reasons for their decisions but only "once". Judges should not use public forums to have another attempt to regurgitate their reasons. If my judgment in a particular case was not sufficiently persuasive enough then I have to accept it, move on and not come back for another crack.’ [footnotes omitted] Perhaps a similar sentiment applies here.
One can almost hear Justice McKechnie’s voice while reading this book. That his Honour has decided to share his reflections and thoughts is yet another example of his model of public service.
His Honour is well known in the Perth (and wider Australia) legal profession. His Honour’s professional career includes as a barrister, and the State’s first Director of Public Prosecutions, Judge of the Supreme Court of Western Australia, Commissioner of the Corruption and Crime Commission, and author (of both professional articles and textbooks). As can be seen, the focus of this was in criminal law and this is the focus of the book.
Rather than being a forensic examination, readers are breezily taken through some of the highlights and notable moments of his Honour’s life. This includes receiving a brief to defend someone of manslaughter which truly set about a career trajectory on a life about crime, times of professional and personal integrity where doing so went against some public opinion/pressure, and a few lighter moments of the legal profession as demonstrated by some peculiar cases (including those which may not have been of such precedential value in law or which go a little deeper than what the pages of the law reports might show).
Absent from this book is large discussion and deep analysis about Perth Mint Swindle/Mickelberg brothers and the Andrew Mallard case. His Honour was professionally involved in both of those cases. Both are large enough to warrant their separate, independent analysis (indeed, much has already been written about them). I can only imagine that it was a deliberate choice not to include them. Given the passion and intense scrutiny that has already been over those two situations, I am reminded of a recent speech by Justice Beech-Jones of the High Court of Australia where his Honour said that ‘[j]udges give reasons for their decisions but only "once". Judges should not use public forums to have another attempt to regurgitate their reasons. If my judgment in a particular case was not sufficiently persuasive enough then I have to accept it, move on and not come back for another crack.’ [footnotes omitted] Perhaps a similar sentiment applies here.
One can almost hear Justice McKechnie’s voice while reading this book. That his Honour has decided to share his reflections and thoughts is yet another example of his model of public service.
July 6, 2026
This was a book I kept picking up and putting back down. Life just kept getting in the way and it wasn’t enthralling enough to want to keep picking it up. It did contain some good stories and insights..
Read
March 14, 2026A bit of a slog
June 6, 2026
3.5
Really lovely stories and writing, I might have preferred fewer cases covered and more details for the ones he wrote about.
Really lovely stories and writing, I might have preferred fewer cases covered and more details for the ones he wrote about.
September 19, 2025
What a wonderful book! I could not put it down. The book achieves a perfect balance between the author’s life, profound career (which he is incredibly humble about), his work, and case law. I highly recommend this book, particularly for lawyers & law students in Western Australia, as well as those keen to learn more about the law & local legal history. I’m about to read it again, & eagerly await a sequel!
February 2, 2026
Amazing book!
I had the opportunity to hear the author speak at an event hosted by my university (as well as his incredible legal career he is also the author/co-author of multiple law text books for WA and QLD) which is where I stumbled into this book as well. So refreshing to hear someone of this position to call out the continuing lack of integrity in our institutions in a serious manner whilst retelling odd and memorable cases from his career.
I recommend a read if you have an interest in true crime, politics or case law.
I had the opportunity to hear the author speak at an event hosted by my university (as well as his incredible legal career he is also the author/co-author of multiple law text books for WA and QLD) which is where I stumbled into this book as well. So refreshing to hear someone of this position to call out the continuing lack of integrity in our institutions in a serious manner whilst retelling odd and memorable cases from his career.
I recommend a read if you have an interest in true crime, politics or case law.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews