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Summing Up: A Professional Memoir
Well-known entertainment attorney Bertram Fields recalls an eventful life as a lawyer representing celebrities and in the film, television, and music industries. "Bert Fields, who may be the greatest Consigliere of them all." -Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather. "A delightfully readable tour of a remarkable career among the rich and famous." Fully illustrated in color. The author spent his entire professional career as an attorney, and he began by litigating courts-martial in the U.S. Air Force JAG Corps. After he left the military in 1955, he started a practice in Los Angeles and eventually garnered a stellar reputation, representing major stars, including Wayne Rogers (best known as Trapper John on the TV series M*A*S*H), Warren Beatty, Dustin Hoffman, Madonna, Michael Jackson and The Beatles. Instead of a historically exhaustive and chronologically linear autobiography, Fields furnishes a collection of anecdotal vignettes that focus on his extraordinary experience as a lawyer, and many consist of only a few pages of impressionistic remembrances. His insider's look into the world of the famous is sometimes artfully revealing. For example, Fields was already one of Jackson's lawyers when the singer was accused of sexually abusing a child; he resigned due to what he saw as Elizabeth Taylor's interference. (He says that he remains convinced that Jackson was innocent of the charges, however.) Other tales are much lighter in tone; for instance, Gore Vidal turned to Fields when a movie studio refused to credit his work on the screenplay for the 1987 film The Sicilian. Fields won his case, but then Vidal, after seeing the movie, exclaimed, Keep my name off that piece of s***! The author also fired Donald Trump as a client, he says, because he was disgusted by a deceitful strategy that the real estate mogul employed. The author's world seems to be full of famous people; he began writing books, he says, after Mario Puzo, author of The Godfather, encouraged him after reading one of his legal briefs. Still, the repeated references to celebrities never feel like gratuitous name-dropping. Overall, Fields' prose style is wry, lighthearted, and crisply straightforward, and the memoir as a whole is impressively humble given the author s many accomplishments. His book should appeal broadly to lawyers and nonlawyers alike. A delightfully readable tour of a remarkable career among the rich and famous. --Kirkus Reviews
245 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 15, 2020
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18 people want to read
About the author
Bertram Fields
9 books4 followersBertram Fields is an American lawyer famous for his work in the field of entertainment law; he has represented many of the leading studios, as well as individual celebrities including Michael Jackson, The Beatles, Warren Beatty, James Cameron, Mike Nichols, Joel Silver, Tom Cruise, Dustin Hoffman, Mario Puzo, and John Travolta.
In addition to his work with the law (which includes teaching at Stanford Law School and giving occasional lectures at Harvard Law School), Fields also writes novels and non-fiction works.
In 2015, Fields published 'Destiny: A Novel Of Napoleon & Josephine.' (ISBN 978-0-9905602-0-3) This historical novel tells the story of the Emperor and his beautiful Creole lover. The novel was published by Marmont Lane.
In 2011, Bert Fields was awarded the Crystal Quill Award by the Shakespeare Center Of Los Angeles for his work on William Shakespeare.
In 2005 Fields published the non-fiction book Players: The Mysterious Identity of William Shakespeare, which deals with the authorship of the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare.
Having read English history for years as a hobby, and not satisfied with the books written about King Richard III, Fields spent four years researching and two years writing the non-fiction book 'Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes' (ISBN 0-06-039269-X), which was published in 1998.
In addition to his work with the law (which includes teaching at Stanford Law School and giving occasional lectures at Harvard Law School), Fields also writes novels and non-fiction works.
In 2015, Fields published 'Destiny: A Novel Of Napoleon & Josephine.' (ISBN 978-0-9905602-0-3) This historical novel tells the story of the Emperor and his beautiful Creole lover. The novel was published by Marmont Lane.
In 2011, Bert Fields was awarded the Crystal Quill Award by the Shakespeare Center Of Los Angeles for his work on William Shakespeare.
In 2005 Fields published the non-fiction book Players: The Mysterious Identity of William Shakespeare, which deals with the authorship of the plays and sonnets of William Shakespeare.
Having read English history for years as a hobby, and not satisfied with the books written about King Richard III, Fields spent four years researching and two years writing the non-fiction book 'Royal Blood: Richard III and the Mystery of the Princes' (ISBN 0-06-039269-X), which was published in 1998.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
October 16, 2022
Felt he left a lot out and took the high road on too many memories. Would have loved a more down and dirty memoir. A masterful & powerful lawyer who probably took many great stories to his grave that I wished ended-up on the page. Still a great read for historians of Hollywood and entertainment law.
August 29, 2023
A good book from one of Hollywood’s most powerful lawyers. Each chapter was concise while still remaining informative, a lost art. Also understood that many people wanted personal anecdotes about the various players he worked for and against but it would have been a bit better if he shared more of his own experiences. Still, highly recommended.
June 25, 2021
Bert!
A front seat ride with a Hollywood legend. There are too few originals in the business these days. Bert is one of a kind.
A front seat ride with a Hollywood legend. There are too few originals in the business these days. Bert is one of a kind.
September 27, 2022
Really a series of highly entertaining anecdotes, many of them humorous, all brief, to the point, and no meandering. It reads as fast as a James Patterson book, but affords insights into the workings of legal strata which most writers never know enough to write about.
The background is Mr. Fields' famed lawyering in the entertainment industry, so many chapters concern celebrated clients and studios. The mix of mini-chapters also includes two strong marriages, and an impressive second career as a writer. In his practice you'll respect his genius for finding winning legal arguments, each told in a succinct way that any layman can understand.
Read the sample chapter and you'll almost certainly stick around. Don't miss a couple of encounters on his long Sunday walks far across the L.A. landscape, and a certain car parker transformed into an industry power player.
Forgive the minor score settling with (usually beaten) adversaries, and the gentle treatment given to a couple of infamous clients.
The background is Mr. Fields' famed lawyering in the entertainment industry, so many chapters concern celebrated clients and studios. The mix of mini-chapters also includes two strong marriages, and an impressive second career as a writer. In his practice you'll respect his genius for finding winning legal arguments, each told in a succinct way that any layman can understand.
Read the sample chapter and you'll almost certainly stick around. Don't miss a couple of encounters on his long Sunday walks far across the L.A. landscape, and a certain car parker transformed into an industry power player.
Forgive the minor score settling with (usually beaten) adversaries, and the gentle treatment given to a couple of infamous clients.
September 11, 2024
As its title says, you’ll find there the memoirs of a prominent US entertainment lawyer, who is also a writer and teacher. He is also famous for having fired Trump (before his tenure).
His writing style is brilliant, soft and tender, balanced, honest, humorous and slightly ironic. The reader is not exhausted with legalistic tournure de phrase and is treated with care and friendliness. Which makes it inspirational for other lines of business.
It has many valuable insights into relationship and stakeholders management. Many professionals can get tips here on negotiations and deals making along with contracts management, intrinsic to the management of any project. I absorbed the parts on his work ethics and the ways he dealt with dilemmas, some of which we also encounter in my field of work. Never compromise your values regardless of the potential financial loss (see the firing of Trump).
Finally, the graciousness with which the author refers to his numerous opposing counsellors and the other parties is worth following as an example. And just one more - give credit where credit is due, especially to those who work behind the scenes.
His writing style is brilliant, soft and tender, balanced, honest, humorous and slightly ironic. The reader is not exhausted with legalistic tournure de phrase and is treated with care and friendliness. Which makes it inspirational for other lines of business.
It has many valuable insights into relationship and stakeholders management. Many professionals can get tips here on negotiations and deals making along with contracts management, intrinsic to the management of any project. I absorbed the parts on his work ethics and the ways he dealt with dilemmas, some of which we also encounter in my field of work. Never compromise your values regardless of the potential financial loss (see the firing of Trump).
Finally, the graciousness with which the author refers to his numerous opposing counsellors and the other parties is worth following as an example. And just one more - give credit where credit is due, especially to those who work behind the scenes.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews