Under the Wig by William Clegg

Under the Wig is a memoir by murder case lawyer William Clegg. It is presented as a behind-the-scenes account of the realities of a murder trial.

Key details

• Memoir by William Clegg
• Revisits a selection of the author’s most intriguing trials
• Discusses professional life at the Bar, including rivalry among barristers
• Describes the tension and uncertainty before verdicts are delivered
• Considers concerns about the right to a fair trial being at risk

Synopsis

William Clegg reflects on how barristers speak up for people accused of serious crimes, persuade juries and seek to have cases dropped. In this memoir, he returns to a range of high-profile and unusual trials, including the acquittal of Colin Stagg, the case connected with the shooting of Jill Dando, and a man given a life sentence because of an earprint.

Alongside these courtroom stories, he sets out aspects of his profession, from rivalry among barristers to the nervous moments before a verdict is returned. The book is positioned for readers who want to understand the reality of a murder trial, and it also raises the author’s view that the right to a fair trial is now at risk.

Well-known cases featured

• The Murder of Rachel Nickell on Wimbledon Common
• The Chillenden Murders (Dr Lin and Megan Russell)
• The Trial of Private Lee Clegg
• The Murder of Jill Dando
• The first Nazi war crimes prosecution in the UK
• The Murder of Joanna Yeates
• The Rebekah Brooks Phone Hacking Trial