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
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: Suggested Citation