James S. Bostwick, a well-known San Francisco trial lawyer, was nominated for the 2020 Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction for his debut novel, “Acts of Omission”. The Prize is awarded annually to a published work of fiction that best illuminates the role of lawyers in society and their power to effect change. Harper Lee established the Prize in 2011 to mark the 50th anniversary of “To Kill a Mockingbird”. Previous Prize winners include novelists such as John Grisham, Michael Connelly and Sharon Bala.
“This is a book that should be read by every trial lawyer, everyone who wants to be a lawyer, and anyone who wonders what it’s like to be a trial lawyer,” said Walter Walker III, a San Francisco trial lawyer and best-selling author. “Bostwick spins a powerful, informative tale drawn from real life. The courtroom scenes leap off the page and will have the reader cheering for justice.”
Bostwick, who is the founder of Bostwick & Peterson, has obtained multiple record results for his clients, including the largest medical malpractice verdict in U.S. history. He was inspired to write “Acts of Omission” to give readers a realistic ‘day in the life’ of a civil trial lawyer. It’s based on a true San Francisco case that Bostwick tried in 1984, painting an authentic and gut-wrenching picture of the dangers, risks and rewards when a young, dogged lawyer goes up against one of the nation’s most famous attorneys to seek justice for a young man with a devastating injury.
“Being nominated for the Harper Lee Prize for Legal Fiction is a great literary and professional honor,” said James Bostwick. “As a voracious reader of legal fiction, I was eager to write and share with readers an authentic portrayal of the risks, anguish and euphoria of everyday life for lawyers who represent victims of negligence.”
Published by Post Hill Press and distributed by Simon and Schuster, “Acts of Omission” is widely available in bookstores, on Amazon and through Audible and e-books. First edition hardcover is almost sold out, and paperback is available for pre-order now.
About “Acts of Omission”
Down on his luck after a string of lost cases and a recent divorce, personal injury lawyer Matt Taylor hopes his next trial will be an easy win. But when he meets a devastatingly injured young man desperate for help, Matt finds himself embroiled in an impossible lawsuit against Salvatore Conte, a powerful lawyer with sinister connections. Despite all warnings, Matt courageously pulls out all the stops to uncover the truth and right a horrific legal wrong. What follows is an epic multi-million-dollar battle of wills, intrigue, and outright violence that could cost Matt everything he cares about – his career, his family, his heart…and his life. For more information on the author and the novel, visit ActsofOmission.com