Under the Wig: 'Fascinating' says The Secret Barrister: A Lawyer's Stories of Murder, Guilt and Innocence

Product Information

According to Setlist.fm, the band played 74 shows in at least 27 countries in 2019, spanning North America, Asia, Europe, Australasia and Latin America, with all the load-ins, load-outs, plane rides and everything in between. They undertook a whopping 104 shows the year before. One of the things I appreciated most about "Under the Wig" is Clegg's honesty and openness about the ethical dilemmas and moral challenges he faced as a defense lawyer. He does not shy away from the tough questions, and his insights into the criminal justice system are both thought-provoking and illuminating. Without any doubt, William Clegg QC is a humble person who achieved what he dreamt of and is inspiring to many young barristers. Even once I got over wanting to be a lawyer, I still have an interest in the subject and I love a good legal drama, so a real life account of life as a QC appealed to me straight away. Below is my review of Under the Wig by William Clegg QC.

This is a gripping memoir from one of our country's greatest jury advocates, offering a fascinating, no-holds-barred tour behind the scenes of some of the most famous criminal cases of modern times.' It is very difficult. Of course, the problem is not of the lawyers’ making and it’s not all down to COVID either. This was a problem before the pandemic and the pandemic has just exacerbated it. It has its roots in underfunding before the pandemic and courts were empty because there was no money available to pay a judge to go into that court and sit, and no money to have an usher or a clerk. So court centres of six courts were sitting only four, and this had been going on for many months before the pandemic. Once you have chosen the style you want to wear, it is time to put on the wig. The best way to do this is to put your hair in a ponytail and then put the wig on top of your head. Make sure the wig is sitting on your head correctly and then use hair pins to secure it in place. If you are new to wearing wigs, it may take some time to get used to the way they feel. Be patient and take your time to find the style that works best for you. What do you wear under a wig? Mixes the excitement of the courtroom and some practical tips on the advocacy with the more mundane life of the working lawyer' - Sunday Times

Conclusion and Rating

Under the Wig: A Lawyer's Stories of Murder, Guilt and Innocence is his first book. It is an intelligent and gripping crime read for fans of The Secret Barrister, In Your Defence by Sarah Langford, and Jeremy Hutchinson's Case Histories. From war criminals, murderers, the wrongly accused, and fraud cases, this is a book that covers a wide range of dealings inside the world of law and the grim reality of brutal cases which show it isn't like it is on TV. If you want to wear your hair down, brush it out and then style it in the way you want. If you want to wear it in a bun or a ponytail, put your hair in a ponytail or bun and then put the wig on top of your head. Make sure the wig is sitting on your head correctly and then use hair pins to secure it in place. Under the Wig is a memoir of a famous British barrister, William Clegg, whose 40 years experience in criminal law includes defending clients in more than 100 murder trials. If you’re new to wearing wigs, you may be wondering what to wear under your wig. There are a few different options, and it all depends on personal preference.

Lord Bingham, who you cite in your book Under the Wig as being the greatest judge of our time – and I’m sure that’s something we can absolutely agree about – said that the Bar is where the magic happens. What advice would you give to someone contemplating a career at the Bar, particularly someone who at this stage might not be so sure of his or her advocacy skills?I think part of it has achieved something and achieved quite a lot. Before the Sentencing Council sentences for the same crimes varied significantly across the country, and a person committing a burglary, say, in London would receive a completely different sentence from somebody who had done the same crime in perhaps Newcastle. What the sentencing council has achieved is a parity of sentencing across the country which must be a good thing. The allocation of individual crimes into categories A, B or C, is not very difficult and there are sometimes disputes about it, which need to be resolved, but it does achieve a high measure of consistency, which I think is a good thing. What I think is not so good is that the disposals available to judges now are complex and covered by a huge range of statutes. It is no longer a simple process to decide what is the appropriate final sentence once you have got your sentencing range identified from the guidelines. This read like a memoir in part, as we follow William Clegg QC he starts his career in law, eventually leading to him ‘taking the silk’ and becoming a barrister and head of chambers. Interspersed between this are the stories of some of his most memorable cases in the world of murder, fraud and war criminals. I liked this method of writing, because it broke up would could have been an otherwise ‘dry’ subject with injections of humour, compassion and humility. Law is so complicated, and the book needed this touch of ‘down to earth’ to appeal to a wider audience. There is a general feeling of squalor that you might expect in a developing country (but curiously do not find there, because respect for the rule of law demands that the courts are properly maintained). Here, in one of the largest economies in Europe, that does not appear to be the case.’ Bill' Clegg is head of chambers at 2 Bedford Row, one of the top four criminal sets in London. His aim in writing this book was to demystify the work of a defence lawyer, as well as drawing attention to the Government's cuts in Legal Aid.

In addition to his legal experiences, Clegg also writes about his personal life, including his struggles with depression and anxiety. These personal anecdotes bring a humanizing touch to the book and make it more than just a dry exploration of the law.Mr William Clegg QC, has a calm and smooth writing style. Though it speaks of some of the most passionate and emotion filled moments someone can find themselves in, he always remains calm in his retelling.

The book is composed of short, engaging chapters which flow nicely and are well paced. I really liked the writing style and was left wanting more. I heartily recommend this book to anyone with an interest in law, recent history or true crime. Under the Wig is for anyone who wants to know the reality of a murder trial. Switch off the TV dramas and witness the real criminal law in action. There are a few things to keep in mind when braiding your hair underneath a wig. First, make sure that the braid is tight enough so that the wig will not move around. Additionally, be sure to keep the braid neat and tidy, as loose hair can easily become tangled in the wig. Several prominent barristers, including Matthew Scott and Bob Marshall-Andrews QC, have said Under the Wig is a "must read" for anyone with an interest in the criminal law. Switch off the TV dramas and see real criminal law in action.The thought that an innocent man may be incarcerated for the rest of their life because I have failed to expose the weakness in the case against him means I don’t sleep at all well at night. It is a worry that gnaws. This was the case with the man who was missing his dog.” There are moments of real honesty, when he discusses the changes to the legal aid process in recent years, and why he is no longer able to take new legal aid cases “One reason I won’t take on any new public-funded cases is that the service I could offer would be substandard. I would not be able to instruct the experts I have been instructing for years ... and I would be faced with going to cheaper counterparts who I had less confidence in” He makes a justified argument that a serious and complex case such as murder requires a completely different set of skills and amount of work to a less serious crime such as theft & the remuneration that barristers get for each case should be appropriate. If you are a beginner and are not sure how to wear a wig, here are a few tips that will help you. The first thing you need to do is to choose the right wig for you. There are a few things you need to consider when choosing a wig, such as the color, the type of hair, the length, and the style. William Clegg has worked on some very high profile cases and it was really interesting to hear about them from a defence barrister’s perspective. He gives his opinion on the outcome of each particular case in the course of a chapter and I really appreciated that. He covers cases such as the murder of Jill Dando, where he worked on Barry George’s appeal. We also get to see how it is for a barrister to work for a man who has confessed to manslaughter such as in the case of Vincent Tabak (who was convicted of murdering Joanna Yeates at Christmas 2010).