What We Talk About When We Talk About Law Schools: Deconstructing Meaning In Popular Culture Images of Legal Education

Hedgehogs and Foxes, April 2019

27 Pages Posted: 20 Jan 2020

See all articles by Christine A. Corcos

Christine A. Corcos

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge - Paul M. Hebert Law Center

Date Written: April 1, 2019

Abstract

Films, television, and novels often send us very specific messages about law schools and legal education that tend to replicate and reinforce both general notions about the ways in which we educate our lawyers, and in turn sustain our legal system. Most movies, tv shows, and novels mention the Ivy League law schools because they represent the first step toward guaranteed achievement in a legal career. Such mentions serve as proxies for several things, including that the character who attended the school is intelligent, ambitious, and possibly from a privileged background. Even viewers who know little about law schools are familiar with U.S. News Rankings and what those rankings mean. Viewers understand that Harvard, Yale, Columbia, and Stanford lead the list. They know that these schools are the most selective and prestigious. If popular culture characters attend, graduate from, or teach at these schools, then they are likely to be smart, or wealthy, or ambitious.

Keywords: Legal education, Law and television, Law and popular culture

Suggested Citation

Corcos, Christine A., What We Talk About When We Talk About Law Schools: Deconstructing Meaning In Popular Culture Images of Legal Education (April 1, 2019). Hedgehogs and Foxes, April 2019, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3379833 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3379833

Christine A. Corcos (Contact Author)

Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge - Paul M. Hebert Law Center ( email )

440 Law Center Building
Baton Rouge, LA 70803
United States

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