Big stakes and high finance-these are the worlds in which Marco Perini was born to survive and thrive. From an early age he turned little deals into big deals, and even bigger payoffs. But now Marco is venturing into unfamiliar territory: the treachery of a trusted corporate officer who has forced him to sue if he wants to save his dream business creation, a world class resort.
Facing an unexpectedly bleak situation, Marco scrambles to find someone who could possibly help him avoid utter ruin. Thankfully, he is connected with attorney Mike Gold-but will the bright, young law instructor with a soul change his life to take the case?
Set during the 1962 Seattle World's Fair, The Dead Man's Statute is an intelligent book written by J. Stephen Funk, former deputy prosecutor and plaintiff's attorney. The author's expertise lends a richness of authenticity, a legitimizing factor that makes this legal thriller a smart, crackling, good read with crisp dialogue along the lines of Grisham and Turow.
This, however, is not a simple legal thriller. Dramatizing a real case he took to trial, The Dead Man's Statute is a story full of twists and turns, with a sensual undertone of romance and spurned love.
About the Author: Retired now, J. Stephen Funk was a successful trial lawyer who served the plaintiffs. Funk won many significant jury awards and settlements of up to $3.5 million. He firmly believes in supporting the little guy in need of legal help, and he spent his career in the expression of that belief.
Funk has served as a deputy prosecutor, president of the Seattle Junior Chamber of Commerce, chairman of the Bellevue Planning Commission, and a pro-bono director of the Eastside Legal Clinic. Today, he is still a dedicated activist involved in many public service activities.
After forty-eight years of trial litigation, Funk retired from active practice and decided to put his creativity and story-telling abilities into practice by writing a legal thriller. Dead Man Statute is loosely based on actual situations and cases he experienced as an attorney.
