From bench to book: A milestone for a small-town, small-time lawyer
After more than six decades of navigating the contentious waters of the courtroom, veteran trial lawyer James D. Lansang has stepped away to a different kind of bench. In a newly released collection of essays and social commentaries, Lansang delivers a compelling look at the heart of modern Filipino society with his debut book, “I Was Hungry … and You Formed a Committee? Micro-musings of a Small-Town, Small-Time Lawyer.”
Published by the Canadian American School in March 2026, the volume compiles years of reflective digital writings into a beautifully bound physical edition. True to the author’s grounded philosophy, the book completely foregoes a table of contents, inviting readers to open any page and dive straight into an intimate conversation about faith, geopolitical tensions, legal reform, and family history.
From the Pavement to the Policy Room: Lansang, who humorously styles himself as a “small-town, small-time lawyer,” brings a perspective that is anything but small. Drawing from 86 years of rich life experience—spanning from the pines of Baguio to his longtime home in Marikina City—his writings strike a delicate balance between profound social critique and raw, laugh-out-loud humor.
The book seamlessly interweaves deeply personal vignettes with sharp legal and political observations:
The Macro Theater of Politics: Lansang tackles heavy-hitting topics, including critiques of systemic government corruption, the hidden geopolitical puppet strings behind legislative measures like the Reproductive Health bill, and a pragmatic, legally shielded blueprint for addressing the West Philippine Sea dispute.
The Micro Magic of Everyday Life: The essays shine just as brightly in their quieter moments. Whether recounting a bumpy, 11-hour Philtranco bus ride alongside an elderly grasscutter, detailing his youngest sister Dr. Mary Ann Lansang’s brilliant testimony before a Senate blue ribbon committee, or tracing his ancestry to a legendary church muralist in Sta. Rita, Pampanga, Lansang writes with radical authenticity.
A Crusade for the Courtroom: Under what he calls the “Architecture of Justice,” Lansang leverages his 60-year career to advocate for a return to decorum, safety, and mandatory physical standards in dilapidated local courtrooms.
“Provisions for the Tribe”
In the author’s own words, the book represents “provisions for the tribe”—random musings meant to move, amuse, and make people think.
“This is not a textbook,” Lansang notes in the book’s introduction. “It is not a ‘Grand Plan’ to fix the Republic, nor is it a sermon on how to live your life. My aim is not to preach but to ask questions; to muse and to amuse; to seek, to think aloud and to ponder … with you.”
Behind the razor-sharp wit of a seasoned litigator lies a deeply moving tribute to his late parents, Angel and Lourdes, his children, and his extended circle of family, peers, and classmates from his early seminary days.
Ultimately, “I Was Hungry … and You Formed a Committee?” is the literary archive of a brilliant legal mind who simply refuses to “get out of the way” until the very last page is turned. It is a must-read for anyone seeking an authentic, humorous, and fiercely intelligent look into the modern Filipino soul.
James David Lansang,
