Canada: ADR & The Associates

Abstract

This chapter examines law and justice on Canadian television. Canadian viewers generally prefer to watch American TV dramas over Canadian dramas so Canadian TV operates under the shadow of American TV. My close analysis of The Associates, and especially one of its characters, Robyn Parsons, reveals that Canadian legal TV is unique in its portrayal of alternative dispute resolution processes. This is noteworthy given how much American TV focuses on the trial to the near exclusion of other lawyerly work. Using the work of W.J.T. Mitchell, I inquire what the TV show wants and conclude that The Associates wants viewers to think about and perhaps embrace alternative dispute resolution.

Keywords: Alternative Dispute Resolution, Law & Popular Culture, Canada