Guile is Good: The Lawyer as Trickster

Denvir, John

doi:10.2139/ssrn.2010074

Abstract

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Guile is Good: The Lawyer as Trickster

John Denvir

University of San Francisco - School of Law

2012

Univ. of San Francisco Law Research Paper No. 2012-10

Abstract:
What is the lawyer’s genius — the talent that distinguishes us from other professions? Movies and television suggest that it is more than legal knowledge and technical skills; it is the way lawyers use creativity and cunning to outwit their adversaries. Lawyers in films and television act much like the Trickster figure in mythology and folklore. Moreover, study of the professional lives of the best real life lawyers reveals these same trickster talents. The paper argues that lawyers should embrace the trickster identity because it celebrates the valuable contributions lawyers make to the public good.

Number of Pages in PDF File: 58

Keywords: popular culture, legal profession, law and society, legal ethics

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Date posted: February 23, 2012 ; Last revised: July 13, 2012

Suggested Citation

Denvir, John, Guile is Good: The Lawyer as Trickster (2012). Univ. of San Francisco Law Research Paper No. 2012-10. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2010074 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2010074

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John Denvir (Contact Author)

University of San Francisco - School of Law ( email )

2130 Fulton Street
San Francisco, CA 94117
United States