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Circle of Greed is the epic story of the rise and fall of Bill Lerach, once the leading class action lawyer in America and now a convicted felon. For more than two decades, Lerach threatened, shook down and sued top Fortune 500 companies, including Disney, Apple, Time Warner, and—most famously—Enron. Now, the man who brought corporate moguls to their knees has fallen prey to the same corrupt impulses of his enemies, and is paying the price by serving time in federal prison.
If there was ever a modern Greek tragedy about a man and his times, about corporate arrogance and illusions and the scorched-earth tactics to not only counteract corporate America but to beat it at its own game, Bill Lerach's story is it.
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"Terribly interesting. Loved reading about Bill, specially since it all took place in my backyard. Too bad such good intentions went south. Well written, full of details and a must read for the legal community. "
— Karen (4 out of 5 stars)
John Grisham would have to struggle to invent a character as brilliant and unethical as Bill Lerach. It is a credit to the reporting talents of Patrick Dillon and Carl M. Cannon that, in “Circle of Greed,” they capture the felon-lawyer in all his charm and ruthlessness. Along the way they show how the plaintiffs' bar has transformed the process of class actions into big business.
— Wall Street Journal[A] revelatory yarn . . . In “Circle of Greed,” the authors do justice to their subject and have produced a book that proves the adage that truth can be stranger than fiction.
— Washington TimesMr. Dillon and Mr. Cannon have written the type of book that, like “Den of Thieves” and “Smartest Guys in the Room,” helps to explain an era.
— NYTimes.com/DealBookIn Circle of Greed , this compelling narrative becomes an irresistible metaphor for the hubris at the heart of capitalism . . . Lerach is lucky to have Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Patrick Dillon and Carl Cannon as his chroniclers. They tell his tale with an authority and depth that comes from having followed his career since the late 1970s. . . Amid the entertaining knockabout and big personalities, the authors raise important questions about how the rule of law should work in a capitalist democracy.
— Financial Times[R]iveting . . . Telling this complex story is a tricky business, but Circle of Greed is up to the task: it is impressively researched and well paced, and offers reporting, not editorializing, leaving the reader to form his or her own judgments.
— Washington MonthlyA well-reported, densely written saga
— Kirkus ReviewsIn modern corporate America, the swashbuckling captains of industry have long been the primary characters exposed in the public storytelling. But now, Patrick Dillon and Carl Cannon have stripped away the veneer of a lawyer who made his name as the business world’s chief adversary, Bill Lerach. In Circle of Greed, Dillon and Cannon present a painstakingly researched and entertaining tale of a legal dynamo who seemed able to root out any corporate crime, but then became enmeshed in frauds of his own. Lerach had it all, then lost it all because of his own greed and arrogance. In this thrilling book, Dillon and Cannon have unwound the character of this perplexing man, presenting a cautionary tale that is must-reading for anyone interested in business or the law."
--Kurt Eichenwald, author of The Informant and Conspiracy of Fools
John Grisham would have to struggle to invent a character as brilliant and unethical as Bill Lerach. It is a credit to the reporting talents of Patrick Dillon and Carl M. Cannon that, in “Circle of Greed,” they capture the felon-lawyer in all his charm and ruthlessness. Along the way they show how the plaintiffs' bar has transformed the process of class actions into big business.
— Wall Street Journal[A] revelatory yarn . . . In “Circle of Greed,” the authors do justice to their subject and have produced a book that proves the adage that truth can be stranger than fiction.
— Washington TimesMr. Dillon and Mr. Cannon have written the type of book that, like “Den of Thieves” and “Smartest Guys in the Room,” helps to explain an era.
— NYTimes.com/DealBookIn Circle of Greed , this compelling narrative becomes an irresistible metaphor for the hubris at the heart of capitalism . . . Lerach is lucky to have Pulitzer Prize-winning journalists Patrick Dillon and Carl Cannon as his chroniclers. They tell his tale with an authority and depth that comes from having followed his career since the late 1970s. . . Amid the entertaining knockabout and big personalities, the authors raise important questions about how the rule of law should work in a capitalist democracy.
— Financial TimesA well-reported, densely written saga
— Kirkus ReviewsIn modern corporate America, the swashbuckling captains of industry have long been the primary characters exposed in the public storytelling. But now, Patrick Dillon and Carl Cannon have stripped away the veneer of a lawyer who made his name as the business world’s chief adversary, Bill Lerach. In Circle of Greed, Dillon and Cannon present a painstakingly researched and entertaining tale of a legal dynamo who seemed able to root out any corporate crime, but then became enmeshed in frauds of his own. Lerach had it all, then lost it all because of his own greed and arrogance. In this thrilling book, Dillon and Cannon have unwound the character of this perplexing man, presenting a cautionary tale that is must-reading for anyone interested in business or the law.
— Kurt Eichenwald, author of The Informant and Conspiracy of Fools" Sooooooooo long. That said, it's a fun read for securities practitioners in California. Lots of guest appearances by current and former Bingham-ites! "
— Lucy, 12/6/2013" This was a fascinating read. Lerach became what he crusaded against. "
— Johnbakerlaw, 3/10/2012" Extremely interesting read!! "
— Chelsae, 7/17/2011" A great look inside the man who used "fraud to fight fraud." Gets a bit dense at times with the overlapping legal cases. But overall, a compelling narrative about the rise and fall of Lerach. "
— Chris, 5/2/2011" Terribly interesting. Loved reading about Bill, specially since it all took place in my backyard. Too bad such good intentions went south. Well written, full of details and a must read for the legal community. "
— Karen, 3/23/2011" I gave up about 44% of the way into the book. It was fascinating and told really well but the cast of characters kept expanding and I found it difficult to really maintain an interest in the topic. "
— Julie, 11/4/2010" I was skeptical at first, but actually found this book pretty fascinating. It's worth reading! "
— Mary, 10/15/2010" This was a fascinating read. Lerach became what he crusaded against. "
— Johnbakerlaw, 5/10/2010" A great look inside the man who used "fraud to fight fraud." Gets a bit dense at times with the overlapping legal cases. But overall, a compelling narrative about the rise and fall of Lerach. "
— Chris, 4/7/2010Patrick Dillon is a writer and award-winning architect. He is the author of seven books, including Truth, Lies, The Much-Lamented Death of Madam Geneva, and The Last Revolution. Dillon has been fascinated by Homer’s Odyssey since studying it at school and has traveled extensively in Greece. He lives in London with his family, dividing his time between writing and architecture.
Erik Davies is an accomplished audiobook narrator and voice-over actor. His stage credits include G.R. Point, Unpublished Letters, and Flats Fixed. Some of his television and film appearances include ER, Third Watch, and a starring role in the hit indie comedy High Society: A Pot Boiler. His audiobook narration has won three AudioFile Earphones Awards.