Lawless: A Lawyer’s Unrelenting Fight for Justice in a War Zone

by Kimberley Motley

In the summer of 2008 Kimberley Motley quit her job as a public defender in Milwaukee to join a program that helped train lawyers in war-torn Afghanistan. She was 32 at the time, a mother of three who had never traveled outside the U.S. What she brought to Afghanistan was a toughness and resilience which came from growing up in one of the most dangerous cities in the country, a fundamental belief in everyone's right to justice and an unconventional legal mind that has made her a legend in an archaic, misogynistic and deeply conservative environment. Through sheer force of personality, ingenuity and perseverance, Kimberley became the first foreign lawyer to practice in Afghanistan and her work swiftly morphed into a mission—to bring "justness" to the defenseless and voiceless. She has established herself as an expert on its fledgling criminal justice system, able to pivot between the country's complex legislation and its religious laws in defense of her clients. Her radical approach has seen her successfully represent both Afghans and Westerners, overturning sentences for people who've been subject to appalling miscarriages of justice.

336 pages, Paperback

Published October 1, 2020

Reviews

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberley Motley is an inspiring human. In this book she wrote vividly about her career as a lawyer in Afghanistan. You can tell Motley has a great passion for the law and a strong ambition for pursuing criminal justice. Her work in Afghanistan sounded very difficult and dangerous. I truly was in awe with her work while reading this book.

I totally recommend this book to anyone interested in legal systems and cultural differences.