Swimming with Shark

LAWYERS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM!: LAW ON TELEVISION, Michael Asimow, ed., ABA Press, 2009

UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 08-34

13 Pages Posted: 9 Jul 2008 Last revised: 30 Jun 2009

See all articles by Nancy B. Rapoport

Nancy B. Rapoport

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law

Date Written: July 8, 2008

Abstract

In this essay, I discuss how Sebastian Stark (played by James Woods) seduces the lawyers on his legal team into ignoring legal ethics in favor of Stark's own version of ethics. Stark -- a criminal defense lawyer who becomes a deputy district attorney -- bends the ethics rules past the breaking point in order to put bad guys behind bars. His team of lawyers knows right from wrong but follows Stark's lead in breaking the rules anyway.

Keywords: law and popular culture, legal ethics, professional responsibility

JEL Classification: K00, K1

Suggested Citation

Rapoport, Nancy B., Swimming with Shark (July 8, 2008). LAWYERS IN YOUR LIVING ROOM!: LAW ON TELEVISION, Michael Asimow, ed., ABA Press, 2009, UNLV William S. Boyd School of Law Legal Studies Research Paper No. 08-34, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1157053

Nancy B. Rapoport (Contact Author)

University of Nevada, Las Vegas, William S. Boyd School of Law ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://www.law.unlv.edu

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