Just Pursuit by Laura Coates is told in short vignettes and covers stories from the legal system to which most readers will not have the chance to access otherwise. It's an important addition to the conversation on race relations.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

I love this book. Why, because it allows the reader to enter into the world of justice and see why justice reform is needed. Ms. Coates, allows her soul to be seen, she actually displays it. This book is an easy read.

When Attorney Laura Cotes left her job to join the DOJ as a prosecutor, she planned to advocate for the least among us, but quickly learned how the justice system really is for black men. This was truly a heartbreaking read at some of the stories she shared. This was a hard read but a good one and one that is desperately needed.

I received a copy of the book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving an honest review of my own thoughts and opinions.

I appreciated the different views that is not normally seen in a courtroom, such as a black woman helping out in a deportation arrest and a domestic violence survivor who is after to be judged. This moving memoir made me realize how unconscious bias shows up in the courtroom from how a prosecutor dresses to their speech patterns and body language. This memoir made me realize that it is much harder to make fair judgements on deciding whether someone is guilty of a crime or not. People could be telling the truth or lying through their teeth. I'm glad that NetGalley introduced me to this book and I would be happy to read it again in the following years.

This book took me out of a reading slump. It was interesting to read about her experiences and to see inside her head through all of it.

Perhaps the first story I have read that comes from the first person point of view of a person on the front lines of the fight for justice. As a black prosecutor for the Department of Justice, Laura Coates, is in a unique position to view cases from the perspective as a woman first and as a minority woman second. Her perspective from the inside on these often difficult cases is unique and interesting. Even though we are all aware of bias baked into the system, it is still stunning to see it documented by someone looking at it as an insider. Perhaps the only thing is missing from this is, if we know that justice is not always fair across the board, and the system has an innate bias, how do we fix it? Review posted to Goodreads, Instagram, Facebook, Amazon, Litsy, LibraryThing.

A formal Federal Prosecutor, Ms. Coates shares sixteen different stories from her time with the United States Department of Justice. These sixteen stories shed light on the justice system, each examines how sometimes what is deemed as just is not always right.

The stories she shares are powerful, and sometimes difficult to read. The stories are all different, focusing on different pieces of the prosecution cycle. Defendants in court. Victims in court. Witnesses. Interrogating suspects. Determining evidence to push for a trial. Sometimes it’s the process that ultimately is unjust. Sometimes it’s the bias of the judge. Each example is unique.

This is an important read. It doesn’t provide answers, just real life narratives that invite the reader to reflect on real-life examples she encountered in our justice system. Ms. Coates reflects throughout on her personal role in each case. It’s a book I didn’t open and read cover to cover, but I read one story at a time and let each sit with me for a while before picking the book up again to continue on.

Recommended for anyone interested in social justice, the justice system, or true crime.

I thought all of the anecdotes in this collection were riveting and disturbing. I appreciated the perspective into a world that I actually don’t know much about. There was a lack of cohesion that I missed, but it didn’t make the work any less important.

A moving series of short vignettes from Coates' tenure as a federal prosecutor shine a light on institutional racism in our justice system. Coates' own emotional journey is detailed as well, as she navigates the workplace as a Black prosecutor, a woman, and a mother. It grabs your attention and won't let go.

Laura Coates was a prosecutor for the Department of Justice. Her hope was to make a difference for those that most needed justice. She quickly discovers though that our justice system does not make the difference she hopes. The book begins with dire consequences for an illegal alien that has lived in America quietly for decades. She shares the stories of innocents who are found guilty in the eyes of judges because of the clothes they wear and the way they talk. She tells of time after time that because of race, justice is not served, until there comes the time when she can no longer watch race and income be the true judges in our justice system. This book was not looking for sympathy but instead trying to portray an insider's look at what justice looks like for much of our society and looking for a more just system. I was provided a copy of this book by NetGalley. My opinions are my own.

Laura Coates began her legal career to fight for vulnerable populations. But in her years as a lawyer, she’s learned one thing: The pursuit of justice creates injustice. In this memoir, she explores the flaws in our legal system and some of the many cases she’s witnessed where the law harmed those who most needed protection.

This is a really thoughtfully and clearly written memoir about Coates' time as a DOJ prosecutor. She highlights specific problems with the justice system by focusing on single cases, often adding a human perspective by tying in her own experience as a mother. If you've ever watched a legal drama on TV and wondered about the real-life impacts of the justice system, this book is for you!

I could not put this book down! Coates' book is beautifully written with such vivid descriptions I felt that I was the room with her as she recounts her courtroom experiences as a Black prosecutor for the Justice Department. She lets us into her inner thoughts as she prosecutes cases that are heart-breaking. We also feel empathy for survivors of abuse as they bravely tell their stories in court even as they are judged and belittled by judges and defense attorneys for the abusers. Her explanations of what happens in the court room is a very helpful primer for those of us who are interested in the court system. She also writes about being pregnant and being a mother with such clarity and effectively tells us about the impact of some of these cases effected her emotionally and physically. The last chapter is also brilliantly written and is a departure from the rest of her book but aptly distills down issues of systemic racism intertwined with the justice system. This last chapter is a call to action. I highly recommend this poignant, informative and enlightening book.

Thanks # netgallery for this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book but I have to say it started to become predictable about midway through the book. I work in the legal system so I understand that these stories happen too often but the stories started to feel repetitive.

For four years, Coates served as a federal prosecutor for the US Department of Justice (DOJ) in the District of Columbia. This gave her an up-front view on social ills plaguing America. As the title reveals, she, herself black, wrestles at length in this book with the dynamics of race and justice in the legal system. Her analysis does not provide easy answers. Someone surely is not guilty just because he/she is black, but neither is that person automatically innocent. Justice and fairness lies somewhere in between, and in her portrayal, it is difficult even for the best lawyers to tell the difference.

In this book, Coates provides 16 short essays (along with an introduction and conclusion) that describe various cases she encountered as they intersect with events around her own life. The cases are deeply embroiled in the details of life and legalities. Likewise, her emotions are understandably involved with her personal life while she and her husband were starting a family. She sees race and gender as heavy, inescapable realities through which the governing system must dimly search through towards justice.

The stories she shares are profoundly tragic and can cause unease in many readers. Only those who are willing to have their eyes opened should open this book. Human nature does not come off as admirable, and errors lie not just in criminals but also in the “good people.” In the text, police, prosecutors, judges, and even the author have their actions questioned rigorously in pursuit of a better, fairer way. Coates’ pursuit of justice is admirable but arduous.

Not everything is about race; indeed, the middle of the book veers towards primarily other areas of injustice. Racial topics begin and end the book, and the author is at her best when dissecting and describing these. She tells stories about visiting rural Mississippi during the 2012 federal elections as a monitor. She talks about identifying with black defendants while also identifying with the DOJ, her employer. She wonders about the fates of her husband and children in our imperfect society. Those involved in her cases sometimes walk around rather blind to racial matters and come off as not very self-aware. Problems are readily acknowledged with no easy solutions forthcoming.

This book contains no simple narratives, just a relentless contention for justice. Obviously, those involved in the legal system can benefit from perusing this book as well as readers interested in racial matters and wider social issues. This book is serious in tone and content, and potential audiences should include only mature readers. I can only hope that other federal prosecutors approach their work with a similar seriousness that Coates pursues hers with. She readily acknowledges her own faults and tries to imbue in readers the ability to acknowledge their own, whether racial or otherwise. Rather than inspiring through lofty ideals, her narrative challenges readers to reflect on how their own actions fit in the historical arc towards justice.

Wow. Told in short chapters, these individual stories pack a punch, enough that I took a break between many of them. The book is well written and ends very strongly. Recommended reading for all Americans.

A soft hearted, Hard fighting, warrior for justice. A prosecutor who wants justice for everyone, but sometimes put in positions that make it look as if she’s only out for the office she works for. Laura coats was a prosecutor in the DC area. From the first chapter of the book she talks about the unfortunate situation shes put in and how feels about it, she comes out looking like the bad guy.. she talks about race, the consequences of race and her ability to circumvent the status quo of all the white boys who didn’t get picked in gym class. She sees the situation from both sides, something her colleagues, White and black seem to neglect or not have the ability to do so there were a few offensive moments in the box, but the one that stuck out the most was when her coworker Nick, took her down to the basement to watch an interview, he told her they would have some fun. Then he proceeded to try talking in a way known to to inner-city youth and rich white boys and despite he was probably a rich white boy. He didn’t have the swagger to pull it off and only sounded like an unpopular guy in high school trying to fit in. They say truth is stranger than fiction in this book is a great example of that. It was so interesting to see life not only from the prosecutors point, but a black female prosecutor in an office with ignorant coworkers. I love that she didn’t call everyone of any race in the same box and that everyone got a fair shake and her eyes. I have A lot of respect for and wish nothing but the best for her and her family. She seems to be a great person, mother and lawyer and now author. I highly recommend this book if you love being a fly on the wall then read this book. It will not only open your eyes two things that are wrong with the justice system but it’s also very entertaining. The only thing I disagree with is win in the book they say the justice system is unfair for Black people. It really is and has always been unfair for poor people. All you have to do is walk in with expensive lawyers that played golf with the judge and more than likely you’ll get time served or probation. The system is not set up for the every day working man but for the rich. That was my only negative from the book and again that’s just my opinion. Irregardless this was a great book and I loved it! I was given a copy of this book from NetGalley Shelf and The publisher, but I am leaving this review voluntarily. Please forgive any grammatical or punctuation errors as I am blind and dictate my review, but all opinions are my own.

For four years Laura Coates worked as a federal prosecutor for the Department of Justice in the District of Columbia. During her tenure she witnessed instances that, while perhaps legally right, were not just. Throughout a series of sixteen essays Ms. Coates describes cases that she handled, or witnessed, that involved black and brown defendants policed, prosecuted and judged differently than white defendants.

She writes about a defendant caught up in the system that had been misidentified and seemingly no one wanting to take the time to listen to the defendant's assurances that he was not the wanted person. She talks about harsh consequences of ICE detentions that split families apart long before the "crisis at the border". Ms. Coates describes her efforts to intervene whenever possible, although her abilities were often hindered by her limited power and government bureaucracy.

As a former prosecuting attorney, I could relate to many of Ms. Coates essays. I appreciate her frustration in wanting to serve her community in a fair manner, and yet being stymied by prejudice, indifference and red tape. Books like this that provide an insider's perspective of what works, and what doesn't, helps check our judicial system - if even just a little bit.

This book is well written and is so engaging that the pages fly by. Even people that aren't huge fans of essays or nonfiction will enjoy reading this book. I highly recommend you read it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Simon & Schuster. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to the publisher, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the gifted Advanced copy of JUST PURSUIT.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this brilliant work. Laura Coates is a new to me author..

This non fiction book is brilliant and it should be required reading for anyone considering public service, including running for elected office. The writing is detailed and the narrative gives the reader a glimmer of hope.

The author shows the reader how the laws affects ALL of us, not only one race. I have to say this is a wonderful book and I strongly encourage anyone interested in the law and civil rights.

If I’m going to read nonfiction, this is the kind of nonfiction that is my JAM. Right up my alley. Cat. Nip. Gimme a police officer, a medical examiner, an attorney telling real stories from inside the courtroom, the day to day, the struggles, the micro and macro aggressions not only from the bench but also across the aisle… all while navigating a marriage, motherhood, family and race. There are some accounts that are hard to read. Some accounts that are funny. Some accounts that made me tilt my head and say, ‘no she did NOT say that to you, Ms. Coats!’
Really enjoyed, wish I would have been granted an audio ARC because some of these stories I want to hear with our intonation. I may look for it at hoopla/scribd and give it a second listen. Well worth it. I really liked it, especially the last chapter.

For those of us who are often seen as “too sensitive”, compartmentalization is the key as told by the wise. To an extent, it is true. Compartmentalizing can save us from deep emotional pain or even unjustified, clouded judgment due to personal biases. There is no denying that it is an effective method for “thinking beyond ourselves.” The question, however, is just how far can compartmentalizing take us? This question becomes even more difficult when we add identity and personal labels into the mix. It is no secret that our identities affect the lens in which we perceive our experiences. With this in mind, we must ask ourselves this: is it truly possible to effectively tuck away facets of our identities? How far can we divide the self until it becomes inconceivable while in the pursuit of pure objectivity? Moreover, is pure objectivity even possible? In Just Pursuit: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight for Fairness, former federal prosecutor Laura Coates seeks to address these questions. The memoir contains 16 delicately written personal essays chronicling times in which identity was rather difficult to ignore. These essays are not only limited to Coates’ experiences as a Black prosecutor but they also add insight to her experience as a woman and a mother. Just Pursuits is both deeply evocative and introspective. For fans of Coates, this work offers us an intimate look at the side of her that is so rarely seen in her public career.

Just Pursuits is Laura Coates’ exploration of the complexity of intersectionality– particularly in the context of pursuing justice. While it is written by a prosecutor, I do not think interest would be limited only to those individuals with a particular interest in the legal field. Instead, I believe that practically anyone interested in the concept of identity would appreciate this work. It is neither convoluted nor inaccessible, but rather concise and effective. Just Pursuits: A Black Prosecutor’s Fight or Fairness is a memoir sure to capture the hearts of many readers.

*This ARC was provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you NetGalley, Simon and Schuster, and Laura Coates for allowing me the opportunity to read and interact with this work.