Perhaps you feel inspired to become a lawyer after watching television shows like "Suits," "Law and Order," or "Fairly Legal." While each portrays lawyers in a unique way, plots generally boil down to adrenaline-fueled debates, saucy romances, and fancy apparel. It is important to know the differences between real legal professionals and those portrayed on your television screen to avoid misconceptions when hiring an attorney or deciding whether you'll attend law school.
Degrees and Licenses
One popular court-driven drama is "Suits." This show portrays the life of Mike Ross, a young lawyer trying to climb the ladder of a big law firm. Ross never really graduated from law school, but a partner accepts him into the firm based on his knowledge, intelligence, and work ethic. In real life, a firm would never hire a lawyer without a law degree or license, because it could get into serious trouble with the American Bar Association if it did so.
LSAT Testing
Suits also portrays the struggles faced by Rachel Zane, a paralegal struggling to achieve a high LSAT score so she can get into law school. Zane's efforts reflect a current reality in the legal profession. There are many intelligent individuals who could readily handle the rigors of law school, but the LSAT can be a major roadblock for even the most gifted aspiring students.
Gender Portrayals
"Suits" accurately reflects some of the social paradigms in the legal profession. Even though a female partner leads the Pearson Spector firm on the show, characters like Zane are left dealing with the rigid patriarchal structure of the legal profession. The show reflects the real-life struggle that female paralegals, law students, and attorneys deal with on a daily basis.
On the other hand, "Fairly Legal" is a show that reflects the shifting paradigm of the legal profession. In this show, characters Kate and Lauren Reed serve as partners at their own law firm. While the number of male partners is still higher than female partners in the majority of actual firms, more women are entering the field.
Courtroom Debates
Shows like "Law and Order: SVU" also do not accurately reflect courtroom interactions. On "Law and Order," attorneys regularly engage in dramatized arguments before a judge to advocate for the rights of sex-crime victims. In real life, attorneys do not go to court as often as they do on television. They frequently enter into negotiations with opposing counsel but don't engage in impassioned clashes with a judge in the courtroom. If attorneys do go to court, they usually read from a printed document and speak in a professional tone.
