Abby Rolling grew up in Barnsley and now resides in Sheffield. She has practiced criminal defence legal aid law almost all of her career in Yorkshire. She first qualified in 1995 and obtained her Higher Rights in 2000. She is currently working as a freelance Criminal Defence Lawyer while developing her comedy and writing.

Abby Rolling | The Demise of the Justice System

Abby has spoken about the tragic demise of a justice system once revered as the best in the world. With decades of underfunding and neglect, justice is being diluted and poor standards normalised. She notes how dilapidated courts are falling apart and inefficiency has become endemic. Prisons are bulging, courts are closing, and trials can take years to be heard. So Shit Lawyer is a clarion call, a manifesto for change.

Abby Rolling | Shit Lawyer

The hour-long show lifts the lid on the British criminal justice system as it really is. It’s written for an audience not normally concerned with legal matters, who may not readily appreciate that a healthy, well functioning criminal justice system is an insurance policy for everybody.

Abby unpicks some deeply entrenched myths such as the ‘fat cat’ lawyer, and delves into the impact of things not being properly funded

She exposes how governments of all hues indulge in the politics of penal populism, legislating to appear tough on crime and the causes of crime, at the expense of actually making us safer.

While none of that sounds obviously funny Abby balances it to give enough detail to make the impact, without it becoming a Ted Talk, juxtaposing the darker factual stuff with tales of outrageous (true) escapades of a couple of fictional ‘clients’, through which the audience become emotionally invested.

After the sell-out success at the 2022 Edinburgh Fringe, Abby continues to tour the show, attending her third successive Edinburgh Fringe in 2024.

Call +44 1753 439 289 or email Great British Speakers now to Criminal Defence Lawyer, comedian and writer Abby Rolling for your corporate event.

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