Lawyer for the Cat

March 15, 2016
Now that she's represented a dog named Sherman, a Charleston family lawyer is naturally assigned as a cat's counsel. Though their marriage was brief and their divorce years before, Sally Baynard knows that her ex-husband, Joe, still cherishes feelings for her. But it doesn't seem right that he uses his powers as a Charleston Family Court judge to assign her to represent pets. To be more accurate, he's recommended Sally's skills to a colleague, but it feels the same when she's assigned to select the caretaker for Beatrice, Lila Mackay's cat. Sally has a hard enough time getting her human clients to tell her the truth and nothing but; she doesn't have the patience to deal with a client who can't do anything but meow. Sally isn't one to shirk her responsibilities, though. She's been a dedicated caretaker to the ailing mother who's lived with her for years. Moved by the same sense of duty, if not enthusiasm, Sally gets ready to choose from one of Lila's three suggested caretakers for Beatrice. Sally's experience helping with custody of Sherman (Lawyer for the Dog, 2015) doesn't do her much good. She doesn't feel the same affection for Beatrice, though her boyfriend, who happens to be a veterinarian, tries his best to bridge the gap. Sally's biggest problem may be Lila's bad-news son Randall, who knows that the estate will be his once Beatrice is out of the picture for good. For better or worse, this cozy concludes with a bittersweet ending. Maybe the next installment (Lawyer for the Bird?) will provide a more positive resolution.

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April 1, 2016
One could say Sarah Bright Baynard's legal career has gone to the dogs, and the cats. After successfully negotiating the custody battle of Sherman the schnauzer in his owners' divorce trial in Robinson's Lawyer for the Dog (2015), Sarah is assigned a new animal-rights' case involving the trust estate of Lila Mackay, a wealthy eccentric who has left specific instructions to find a suitable caregiver for her beloved cat, Beatrice. It's not such a bad gig: the lucky person gets to live in Lila's Edisto Island mansion and receive a $50,000 annual stipend for as long as the cat shall live. As Sarah interviews the three contendersLila's housekeeper, a Charleston librarian, and Lila's New York nephew, she runs dangerously afoul of Lila's bully of a son, Randall, who will go to threatening lengths to get what he believes he deserves. Sarah is indeed a bright lawyer, and Robinson, a respected Charleston attorney herself, doesn't dummy-down the legal ethics or professionalism of her heroine in this legal caper that engages the intellect as well as the emotions.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2016, American Library Association.)