The New Jersey State Bar Association is rife with literary talent. From drafting briefs to penning compelling fiction, these three NJSBA members have made the artistic jump to writing, drawing upon their knowledge and experiences as attorneys to entertain readers across a wide range of genres. Hear from the multitalented attorneys turned authors whose books have recently hit the shelves:
Robyn Gigl – “Nothing but the Truth”
Robyn Gigl’s first foray into writing started decades ago with an unpolished manuscript scribbled on a yellow legal pad. It wasn’t until 2021 when she published the first of her four successful legal thriller novels with the intrepid protagonist Erin McCabe, a transgender defense lawyer. Her second novel, “Survivor’s Guilt,” earned a place on Time Magazine’s list of the 100 Best Mystery and Thriller Books of All Time. “Nothing but the Truth,” her latest novel released in June, puts McCabe in the middle of a murder case involving the killing of a Black investigative journalist by a New Jersey State Trooper. Gigl’s books are informed by her experiences at a transgender lawyer and explore issues facing the LGBTQ+ community. Her recent novel includes alternative family planning as a key narrative tied to the case.
“First and foremost, I always want to write a great legal thriller, in the hopes that fans of Scott Turow, John Grisham, Lisa Scottoline or others in the thriller genre will like my books. I also try to give my readers a little bit of an education as to some of the issues facing the LGBTQ+ community,” Gigl said. “I feel like I have a unique voice that is not well-represented in the crime or legal thriller category. I like to think that I present these issues in a novel way, and hopefully represent a community that is underrepresented. Writing is also part-advocacy work for me.”
“Nothing but the Truth” has been well-received by critics, earning special recognition by The New York Times Book Review for the portrayal of its main character.
Felicia Farber – “Fake Out”
Felicia Farber always considered herself a creative person in art and music, but didn’t take up writing until she joined a writer’s group started by two librarians in her town. Pivoting careers came more easily than most for Farber. She started as an electrical and computer engineer before enrolling in law school to become a patent attorney. Later she switched to general civil and commercial litigation and currently runs a mediation practice. “Fake Out,” released in May, is the second in a series of young adult novels that explore the impact of digital technology on teens, cyberbullying, deepfakes and synthetic media. Farber’s novels are aimed at adolescents but have crossover appeal to educate adults about the dark side of the technology in their children’s lives, she said.
“As a lawyer, I pay attention to the law. In this case, our laws are either outdated, inconsistent or non-existent when it comes to protecting victims of these types of crimes,” Farber said. “I’m hoping to generate awareness of these issues with my books and show that innocent people have the right to defend themselves and their reputations, and that perpetrators should be held accountable.”
“Fake Out” won an award at the 2024 Beach Book Festival and was a runner-up at the San Francisco Book Festival. Her first novel, “Ice Queen,” became an Amazon bestseller.
Elie Honig – “Untouchable”
Elie Honig is well known for his TV spots as a senior legal analyst for CNN and career as a state and federal prosecutor. Add “author” to that list of titles. His latest book, “Untouchable,” probes how powerful people manipulate America’s two-tiered legal system to escape justice for their misdeeds. The book takes readers inside the heads of the wealthy, powerful and famous and offers solutions for making the system more honest and fairer. Honig discussed the book and its themes in a June seminar with the New Jersey Institute of Continuing Legal Education. Though much of the book address the legal cases against former President Donald Trump, it also provides a blueprint for holding other powerful figures in politics, finance and entertainment to account, he said.
“There’s a lot going on in the world of politics and law,” Honig said. “I found that if you can pull the emotionality and political passion out of it – for or against Donald Trump – we can learn some really important and interesting lessons about our system.” Honig added: “I am not on board with engineering a desired outcome. To me, it has to be about respecting our established principles and practices and calling out and holding to account those in power. And I mean certainly Donald Trump, but I also mean prosecutors, judges and our lawmakers.”
Honig is also the author of “Hatchet Man,” about former Attorney General Bill Barr’s leadership over the U.S. Department of Justice.