The media treats some positions rather unfairly. Doctors and other medical staff are important and positively depicted in movies and TV. Lawyers also have an important job, but some movies and TV shows depict them in unsavory ways—sometimes, they’re even shown skirting the law. Continue reading to learn about some positive representations of lawyers in different movies and TV shows.
Legally Blonde
This film may seem out of place for some since it is a more comedic look at the legal profession, but it does highlight some of the more comedic aspects of the law. Reese Witherspoon plays Elle Woods, a law student who defies the traditional stereotypes of those who practice law. She isn’t taken seriously by her peers, but this condescension motivates her to work much harder and look at the law through a lens many others would dismiss. Her ingenuity and devotion to her clients are admirable and show that lawyers can be much more than stiffs in suits—they can be someone’s savior in their time of need.
Marriage Story
Noah Baumbach’s 2019 film follows a couple undergoing a divorce while raising a child. Most of the film highlights the divorce litigation and the back-and-forth nature of finding the right lawyer. Scarlett Johansson’s character gets a family lawyer, played by Laura Dern, and she exemplifies all of the most important qualities of a family attorney. She can communicate with her client and is diligent in getting her the representation and fair deal she desires.
Meanwhile, Adam Driver’s character gets representation from two different lawyers in the film. The legal back and forth can be a lot, but it paints an accurate picture of how hard lawyers in this position work to secure certain arrangements for their clients, such as comprehensive visitation rights.
To Kill a Mockingbird
Based on the book, this film doesn’t shy away from how much of a difference one positive figure can make in the face of oppression. Lawyer Atticus Finch agrees to defend a wrongfully accused Black man named Tom Robinson. The system is set up against Finch and Robinson, as the story takes place during the peak of the Jim Crow South, but this doesn’t stop Finch’s resolve. Despite all the hardships, he still went out there to do what was right and give Robinson the representation he was entitled to.
She-Hulk: Attorney at Law
A recent addition to the canon of law in media is She-Hulk. In this law series, Jennifer Walters, also known as She-Hulk, does a great job representing all kinds of clients, including superheroes. It is a more comedic perspective of law, but it does a wonderful job of showing the humanity of those who work in law. It’s not all suits, documents, and legalese—it’s a regular work environment like any other place, and they can have fun just as much as anyone else!
These movies and TV shows do a good job of positively representing lawyers, illustrating that they are people who often want to do good in the world, too. It’s difficult to be a lawyer, but these media representations lessen the stigma around the profession.
