To celebrate 150 years of legal education we’ve reached out to our students, past and present, and asked them to share their stories and memories from their time with us.
Before becoming a Sunday Times bestselling author, Jo Murray worked as a criminal barrister. She’s also one of our alumni. We spoke with her about her time as a barrister, the challenges she faced during her legal career and how it has shaped her latest novel, Dissection of a Murder.
Edited by Grant Longstaff. Published 10 July 2026.
What did you study at The University of Law, and where?
My undergraduate degree was in Classics, so I studied the Graduate Diploma in Law with The University of Law (the College of Law at the time) in York, then the Bar Vocational Course at Bloomsbury in London. Two very different branches, but I absolutely loved my time at both. York’s rural setting was such a stunning backdrop; I used to walk to classes every morning along the racecourse. London provided a vibrant buzz, easy access to the Inns of Court, and visits to the Old Bailey and Royal Courts of Justice. I’d recommend The University of Law to all aspiring lawyers.
How was your time as a criminal barrister?
Very full-on. I think one of the main differences between venturing down the solicitor route or barrister route is just how much you’re thrown in at the deep end so quickly at the Bar. The first day on my feet, after just six months pupillage, I was doing a trial in the Magistrates’ Court. You don’t really stop to breathe after that. It’s a very steep learning curve, but I loved the variety of work.
Your author bio mentions you’re a working-class girl from Teesside who was told she probably couldn’t be a barrister. What challenges did you face in your legal career? How did you overcome these?
As a blonde, working-class woman from Teesside with an accent, people make all kinds of assumptions about you. Usually, that assumption is you’re not very bright or you’re a bit of a bimbo. In the elite, male-dominated world of the Bar, I had that quite a lot. The only way to deal with it is get your head down and work hard. Male clients used to see me walk into the conference room and ask if they could have a male barrister. I used to tell them that their case would hinge on many factors, but my sex would not be one of them. It was always satisfying when they thanked me afterwards for getting them a good result.
What made you want to become an author?
It happened purely by accident. I left the Bar to look after my young children, but I needed a casual part-time job when they went to school. I applied for so many, but I was rejected from all of them. Constantly told I was ‘overqualified’ and my skillset too niche, I’d been out of the workplace for years and I was unemployable. As the rejections rolled in, I thought about what I was good at. People had always enjoyed how I talked about being a barrister, but through a working-class, northern lens, so I wrote a book about a Teesside barrister’s first year of pupillage.
Can you tell us more about Dissection of a Murder?
It’s a legal courtroom thriller which centres around the death of a crown court judge who is found murdered one night at the apartment of a prolific criminal called Jack Millman. When he’s arrested, he declares he’s not saying anything about the murder until trial, but he will only be represented by a young barrister called Leila Reynolds. Leila has never done a murder case before, and she’s horrified to learn that the prosecutor in the case is her former pupilmaster, the most feared advocate on circuit. He is also her husband. This book examines just how far people are prepared to go in their quest for success and it challenges readers to assess their own moral compass.
Did your career as a barrister shape Dissection of a Murder?
Yes, absolutely. There is no way I would have been able to write Dissection of a Murder if I hadn’t been a criminal barrister. The plot is intricate and leans quite heavily on evidence and criminal procedure. I effectively wanted to take readers on a journey all the way from arrest to trial verdict in a way that wasn’t daunting or filled with legal jargon. People are fascinated with our legal system, and I wanted readers to learn about it in a way that was accessible without feeling patronising. Ultimately, the reader becomes the jury in this story.
Can you tell us about the upcoming TV series based on Dissection of a Murder?
It’s so exciting. It’s being adapted for Apple TV by David E Kelley who created Ally McBeal, which I cannot believe because that show is one of the reasons I wanted to become a lawyer in the first place. I’ve been the biggest admirer of his for decades; he is such a skilful storyteller, and he excels in creating slick, propulsive dramas such as Big Little Lies. As a former lawyer himself, he understands the intricacies and technicalities required to produce stellar legal dramas. Dissection of a Murder is going to be the second season of Presumed Innocent on Apple TV, which is incredible, as I loved the first season.
How many novels have you written so far?
I wrote my first novel many years ago as Roxie Cooper, a rom com called The Law of Attraction. I secured a literary agent, and it was published by Harper Collins. Soon after, I wrote an epic love story called The Day We Met which was published by Penguin. Dissection of a Murder is my debut thriller.
What are you working on next?
I’m currently writing another legal courtroom thriller. It is complex and ambitious, with very dark themes. I always like to push myself in whatever I do. I like to improve and don’t enjoy comfort.
Dissection of a Murder by Jo Murray is available now and published by Pan MacMillan.
