Growing up, I had no access or exposure to lawyers. My family knew no lawyers, neither within the family circle, nor professionally since there was no business that required hiring a lawyer. Even though I now realise how everyone needs to stay in touch with a lawyer who knows your family matters or your day to day affairs with what you are involved.
This makes it really easy for the lawyer to advise you on important matters as I am currently doing for my regular clients. Since they are repeat clients and regularly stay in touch letting me know of things happening within their families and businesses, I always have effective legal advice to give them for a small fee. I have received praise by the majority of my clients for making their lives easier, and making business decisions simpler and effective. Hence, anyone asking me for career advice for themselves or the kids, and on choosing law as a career, I advise them to either send their kids to spend time with a lawyer or make them watch a number of different movies.
While these movies are mostly based on fiction and might not be true depiction of the law or the legalities involved in every situation being shown on screen, it certainly gives a depiction and an image/insight on the lives lawyers have, the struggles, problems being faced and the ways a lawyer works in any given situation. At the end of the day, lawyers need to get you out of problems or make life easier and diffuse wild situations. It is always a make it or break it situation for the clients coming to me.
Here is a list of movies that one needs to watch or make their kids watch to get an idea what being a lawyer is like minus the fantasy.
- The Lincoln Lawyer (2011)
This movie features Matthew McConaughey mainly revolving around a character who appoints Mathew as his defence attorney. Matthew makes sure he is defending an innocent and is not lied to. However, he finds out soon enough that he in-fact was being lied to by the wealthy play boy who was accused for assaulting a woman. Matthew uncovers and discovers a web of manipulation and deception by the client. This confronts Matthew making him realise he needs to navigate through a series of moral dilemmas. The movie uncovers and touches themes of ethics, justice and blurred lines between truth and manipulation. The story does highlight the intricacies required to navigate through the legal profession specially while being a criminal lawyer and being very good at it. It gives the viewer an insight into the legal profession.
- Suits (TV Show)
The show Suits being a TV show based on multiple seasons delves into the personal lives and stories of the characters involved including the lawyers; Mike, Harvey, Rachel and Jessica. This show is a perfect blend of story telling and legal scenarios that surrounds a given story. This is a must watch show for anyone who wants to pursue law as a career or take the course Law in before starting law school.
- The Practise
The Oractise is a show that also delves into the private lives and struggles of a diverse group of lawyers. The show offers a mix of courtroom drama, ethical dilemmas, and character development of the characters. It addresses themes and issues such as justice, morality, and the challenges that come with practicing law making it a must watch for anyone about to start practising law or going through law school feeling they need motivation.
