1 To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
This is a great movie adaptation of a classic novel. If you haven’t seen it (because you’ve been living under a rock), you should. Atticus Finch is, in addition to a gentleman and a scholar, the paradigm of an ethical lawyer, which means that watching this film should count for some lppe credit.
If you think that being listed under a list of movies that every lawyer should see is the best reason not to see a film (and hey, who could blame you?), note that the film was listed in the National Film Registry, and ranks 25th on the afi’s tenth anniversary list of greatest American movies. What we’re trying to say is that it’s independently acclaimed.
2 Twelve Angry Men (1957)
This drama explores the discussion of a jury as they deliberate on a whether or not to acquit someone based on reasonable doubt. The way that personal prejudices of the jurors play into the decision-making process is worth watching at least once, especially for any budding litigator. There is a 1997 version of the same film for those who don’t like black and white, and really like Tony Soprano (well, James Gandolfini, but still).
3 The Devil’s Advocate (1997)
Afraid of joining a New York law firm and finding out that you’re expected to sign away your soul? Keanu Reeves does exactly that as a young lawyer recruited by a big New York firm and finds himself working for the devil. Whoa.
Yes, we only included this because every law student has heard one too many times about signing away their souls by working for a big firm.
4 The Paper Chase (1973)
Watch this while you’re in law school, preferably in first year. Based on a novel by a Harvard law student, this movie perfectly captures the absurd reality of life as a law student with goals and expectations that will always be just out of reach. Most people would find that depressing, but you’re a law student, so you’ll be just masochistic and curious enough to try it anyway. Besides, watching a movie about law school is a really good way to procrastinate on readings and other tasks that are actually related to law school.
5 Conviction (2010)
Why did you go to law school? In this movie, Hilary Swank plays a working mother who puts herself through law school to appeal her brother’s murder conviction after he exhausts all his chances to appeal his conviction through public defenders. This feel-good movie is the perfect antidote to the bitterness and cynicism of law student life.
6 Chicago (2002)
You may be wondering what a musical set in the Jazz Age has to do with law. But, as nobody said ever, first comes an appreciation for jazz music, then, before you know it, comes murder. Billy Flynn is the real unsung hero of this musical (ok, fine, he’s not unsung at all, and even sings a number, but the word “unsung” is practically designed for characters in musicals) as a lawyer with a reputation for taking on high profile cases and securing innocent verdicts. If that’s not enough to convince you, the courtroom scene was shot in Osgoode Hall, with other scenes being shot in Queen’s Park (just down the road from the Faculty of Law), Elgin Theatre, Union Station, Casa Loma, and other recognisable areas in Toronto. You’d practically be networking with judges by watching this film.
7 Legally Blonde (2001)
Honestly, this movie is just on here because when I pitched this article, Matt Brown asked, “Is Legally Blonde on the list?”, and I politely said, “Um, I hadn’t thought about that one” in order to avoid saying, “Why on earth would that be on the list?”, and he responded, “Well, it should be.” If you actually haven’t seen this … well, it’s okay, I guess.
8 My Cousin Vinny (1992)
You would have thought that there wasn’t much that was funny about murder, but if you watched Chicago (above) or this movie, then you’d know better. The tagline for this is “There have been many courtroom dramas that have glorified The Great American Legal System. This is not one of them.” Two friends charged with murder have to rely on an inexperienced lawyer, Vinny, when they can’t afford a lawyer. Vinny eventually ends up being a stellar litigator after many comic mishaps. Worth watching if only because your family will also one day call you and ask you to do legal work for them for free.
9 Witness for the Prosecution (1957)
This courtroom drama is based on a murder mystery written by Agatha Christie. Apart from drama, suspense, jealousy, and love, this film features a barrister who, despite having worked for a long time, still finds something to learn about human nature through his witnesses. The ending is the highlight of this film. This is a must-watch for anyone who likes mystery novels or came to law school naively dreaming of the romantic advocates portayed in fiction. If you watch this with a friend or significant other and try to interrupt every few minutes with comments about how courtroom procedure actually works, they will probably leave you.
10 Philadelphia (1993)
This drama was a groundbreaking movie for its time in terms of talking about hiv/aids and homosexuality. Tom Hanks plays a lawyer who is fired from his Philadelphia law firm for having aids, and Denzel Washington plays the homophobic lawyer who represents him. This movie, based on a true story, is worth watching at least once. If it doesn’t make you tear up, you probably went to law school and lost the ability to cry.
