From Booklist
Lubet, a law professor, sees much in common between the human drama of the courtroom and the poker table, and he points out the ways that lawyers can benefit from studying strategies employed by good poker players. The book is divided into suits: diamonds representing maximizing winnings; clubs signifying controlling the opposition; spades, digging for information; and hearts, ethics and character. Going beyond using poker playing as a metaphor, within each section Lubet plumbs the lessons that can be learned from the game that can be transferred to the courtroom. The underlying principle is to distinguish between those who play the odds and those who gamble. Interspersed throughout, Lubet offers real-life experiences of gamblers playing the odds at poker and lawyers in historically significant cases gambling on particular legal strategies in their cases. Highly insightful and entertaining, this book brings a fresh perspective on the law and gambling. Vernon Ford
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–This text refers to the
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Review
“Lubet deals a winning hand with this entertaining and creative approach to gamesmanship. Anyone who negotiates, strategizes or bluffs–and who doesn’t–will benefit from this great read. You won’t be able to keep a poker-face when you read this funny and informative book.”–Alan M. Dershowitz, Felix Frankfurter Professor of Law, Harvard Law School
“A most clever mingling of the likes of legendary poker player Doyle “Texas Dolly” Brunson, with the master legal tactician Clarence Darrow. Juxtaposing the color and strategies of poker playing greats with the mastery of great lawyers in “trials of the century” creates a fascinating read for a gambler, lawyer, or just the average Joe.”–Oscar B. Goodman, Mayor, City of Las Vegas
“Steven Lubet creatively weaves together two ostensibly unconnected worlds. Highlighted by anecdotes from some of the greatest arguments in American trial history, coupled with memorable hands in the World Series of Poker, Lawyers’ Poker provides illuminating insights into strategic decisions in courtrooms and card tables across America.”–Kenneth W. Starr, Dean and Professor of Law, Pepperdine University School of Law
“What a great read–the trial lawyer’s lessons are precisely the same as the skilled poker player’s–the reader learns about history in both domains and smiles while being educated and entertained. This is a book for practitioners in the courtroom or the cardroom or those that want to be–or envy–either one. It is a true collector’s piece!”–Rikki Klieman, Court TV Anchor, trial attorney and best selling author
“Lawyers’ Poker is clear, entertaining and educational. It is a treasure trove of valuable lessons in competent trial advocacy, the art of negotiation and ethics–all told in a page-turning, storytelling fashion. As a bonus, the reader will also be introduced to the art of poker playing! Indeed, the parallels drawn are accurate. Both the neophyte and seasoned lawyer will love this book.”–Thomas A. Demetrio, Corboy & Demetrio, Member of the Inner Circle of Advocates
“Lawyers’ Poker is a fascinating read, as with great wit, skill and clarity Lubet moves from the poker room to the courtroom with impressive knowledge of the operation of both venues. As a veteran cross-examiner, I found Lubet’s thesis “straight” and his book “flush” with clever insight. Indeed, I “bet” I could argue the case he makes to a “full house”.”–Benjamin Brafman, criminal defense lawyer
“Professor Lubet’s insights about poker (and life) will make you a far better trial lawyer. I loved the book.”–Lawrence J. Fox, former Chair, ABA Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility
“Every lawyer should play his cards right by reading Lubet’s book. It’s a safe bet the reader will come away with some great lessons in a courtroom and maybe even a tip or two at the card table.”–Robert A. Clifford, former Chair, ABA Section of Litigation
“Any attorney who has ever tried a case or who aspires to be a litigator will want to read this book and learn more about how success at the poker table and winning in the courtroom are related. Reading Lawyers’ Poker is a complete treat.”–Trial Magazine
Buy Lawyers’ Poker: 52 Lessons that Lawyers Can Learn from Card Players (Paperback) at Amazon
Lawyers’ Poker: 52 Lessons that Lawyers Can Learn from Card PlayersSteven Lubet’s book will be very valuable to mediators and negotiators. Even though poker is a zero sum game, every mediator or negotiator faces a zero sum game: can we find the zone of agreement?
Where Steven’s book is valuable, and this is what I concentrated on in my longer review on bizop.ca, is that every negotiator has to figure out how strong the other party believes his own case is, how strong I believe that the other party’s case is, and various permutations of the “recursive reasoning”.
No less an authority than the Nobel Prize Winner Professor Thomas Schelling has also endorsed Lubet’s characterization of a lawyer has someone who has to solve the “recursive” reasoning problem.
Poker gives very clear examples of how to solve this strategic thinking.
Steven Lubet doesn’t claim that all lawyers need to know can be learned from poker players, but he does provide clear and compelling examples of how poker players think strategically and his legal examples are enlightening.
Generally, I would characterize Steven Lubet’s book as a contribution to that part of cognitive science which focuses on the interaction between heuristics and rational thought in decision theory. And as such it is both unique and valuable.
This is a rare book about an esoteric subject which the author has made clearly understandable for a wide audience of readers. Every one who faces the misfortune to become involved in the legal process should make this their first read. It helps one understand the games lawyers play with the fates and lives of their clients, opponents, judges and juries. Those not so unfortunate will appreciate the transfer of densely packed knowledge in an extremely lively and memorable package. Those who don’t understand the allure of poker will gain appreciation for the game as a model for life situations.
There’s far less that could be learned from this book than one could by watching a few law-related TV shows.
The poker related explanations are rather mediocre so that poker players would get bored, and one gets a feeling that the author is stretching to find an anecdote to fit every situation.
The text is peppered with anecdotes that are mildly interesting, both poker-related and from legal cases. If there’s the ideal book that brings the two topics together, this is not it. I found no eye-popping revelations, it felt like a routine drill, covering all the angles–never going too deep.
I actually picked up this book to see if I could learn anything in preparation for a tort case–as I am not a lawyer but a competent poker player. I learned one thing from this book–conceptually, it is not a bad idea to share enough information before trial (during or before discovery) to arrive at a situation where the opponent has enough to achieve an optimal settlement.
So many aspects of law are so complicated that by the time you get to be a lawyer, poker has little to teach you that haven’t already seen. The book proved this belief.