This is a real story, structurally speaking: The main character’s problem is clear from the outset, and we are engaged by the central question of whether he will succeed. Secondary dramatic threads—the missing mother, the dissatisfied girlfriend—enrich the narrative and the character’s arc. The scenes in this piece are engaging, sometimes outright funny, and well written. We appreciated the authoritative voice, built on bold, supported assertions around character and scene. Goffard includes status and other telling detail with great skill. (Here’s one example: "On his nightstand there’s a small statue of an accidentally decapitated Lady Justice, her little head at her feet. He dropped her.") Finally, we liked the strong sets-up to subsequent sections; they promise that good stuff is coming without resorting to cliched cliff-hanger language.
Read “The $40 Lawyer,” by Christopher Goffard