Ian Graham discusses ‘Unbillable Hours: A True Story’ on Monday, June 28 at 7:30 p.m. at Village Books, 1041 Swarthmore. Part memoir, part expos’, the story follows a first-year law associate as he negotiates the arduous path through a system designed to break those who enter it before it makes them. Landing a job at the prestigious L.A. law firm, Latham & Watkins, complete with a six-figure income, signaled the beginning of the good life for Graham. But the harsh reality of life as an associate quickly became evident. The work was grueling and boring, the days were impossibly long, and Graham’s main goal was to rack up billable hours. But when he took on a pro bono case to escape the drudgery, he found the meaning in his work that he’d been looking for. Mario Rocha was raised in a violent Los Angeles barrio and had the misfortune of being an innocent bystander at a party that was crashed by local gang members who shot and killed an honor student. Despite a lack of evidence, Mario, a thoughtful and gifted writer, was convicted of murder and sentenced to life without parole. As Graham worked to free Rocha, the shocking contrast between the quest for money and power and Mario’s desperate struggle for freedom led Graham to look long and hard at his future as a corporate lawyer. Filled with captivating portraits, the book provides a riveting look at gang politics, courtroom deceptions and the behind-the-scenes drama of big law firms. ‘On August 25, 2006, Mario Rocha walked out of the Men’s Central Jail and into the arms of his family, surrounded by friends and supporters,’ Graham writes. ‘It was more than 10 years after his arrest and incarceration, and eight months after the Court of Appeal had vacated his conviction. ‘I would have loved to watch Mario walk out of prison, but I was in Fresno that day, handling the exhibits in a meaningless deposition for a securities litigation case. I had tried to explain to the partner on the case what Mario’s release meant to me, but all I got was a cold stare and a lecture about priorities.’ Two weeks later, Graham gave notice. Today, Rocha, 29, is completing his sophomore year as a fulltime undergraduate at George Washington University in Washington, D.C., where he was awarded a full scholarship. After leaving Latham & Watkins in 2006, Graham, a Santa Monica resident, has continued his advocacy work on behalf of juvenile justice as a writer, lecturer and teacher. His work and that of others on behalf of Mario Rocha was featured in the award-winning documentary ‘Mario’s Story,’ which aired on Showtime. Visit: www.mariostory.org.
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