NewSouth

Montgomery, Alabama -- NewSouth Books is pleased to announce a new title, The People's Lawyer. Acclaimed novelist Carroll Dale Short turns his talents to creative non-fiction in this biography of local personality and national figure Julian McPhillips, Jr.--a man as eccentric and paradoxical as the South in which he lives.

The story follows McPhillis's journey from his early childhood days in tranquil Cullman, Alabama, to his burgeoning radical student activities at Princeton University. Recounting the one-time assistant attorney general's path toward Montgomery trial attorney, Short reveals a man driven by his beliefs and his finely etched sense of justice and morality. Along the way, amidst police brutality cases and legal battles with Alabama governers, Short delves into the life, personality, and habits of McPhillips--a life involving faith healers, inter-collegiate wrestling, local and national politics, church trials, sexual harassment cases, and family, all against the evolving backdrop of the body politic of Montgomery. As a fellow lawyer put it, "You [Julian McPhillips] and Bobby Segall are the only two lawyers in town who could represent Che Guevara one day and William Buckley the next."

Says Martin Luther King, III, "This books tells the story of an unusual lawyer whose distinguished track record illuminates the many civil rights issues still facing our society. McPhillips has stood up to police brutality and unlawful discrimination in employment and public accomodations. He has shaped his career around moral choices that have benefited the disadvantaged and the powerless. His biography is an eloquent portrayal of a determined, hard-working advocate for the people."

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The People's Lawyer will be available in October at local bookstores, through on-line retailers, or directly from NewSouth Books at 334-834-3556. ISBN# 1-58838-004-1 . Retail price is $26.95 (hardcover).