Many young people dreamed of becoming lawyers at least once in their childhood. The brilliance and flashy lives of lawyers take the blame or our parents who mentioned it as one of the best professions with an almost guaranteed successful career life. Yet very few really understood what goes on behind the scenes of a lawyer, even now that we’ve grown up. To really get in sync with lawyers and the law profession here is a list of the best series for law students and any other interested party. Legal TV dramas might be exaggerated but they give the best representation of lawyers’ lives second only to actual professional experience.
1. Suits
A show set at a fictional New York law firm in which a very smart college dropout, Mike Ross is employed as an associate to a highly accomplished and respectable city lawyer Harvey Spector. The two work together to close cases, the latter rises ranks to become a partner while attempting to hide the secret that his associate never studied law.
2. Boston Legal
Crane, Poole and Schmidt law firm set at Boston but with many offices set in international locations. Denny Crane the lead character leads the firm in the highly-priced civil litigation. Many actual lawyers consider this as one of the most realistic projections of the troubles lawyers go through in their professional lives and the fact that it has regular humor makes it even more interesting
3. How to get away with murder
A brilliant defense law professor Annalise Keating teaches a class by the name How to Get Away with Murder which she juggles with her other job as a defense lawyer. She selects students from her class who she considered the brightest to help with cases in her office. In the process, there arise dramatic mysteries, which test the limits of everyone and expose some chilling secrets kept among them. Probably the most intriguing and best series for law students
4. Law and Order
One of the longest-running legal drama series whose first episode aired on September 1990, had 20 seasons with 23 episodes each and ran for 20 years until 2010. It is set in New York and highlights the complicated processes ensuring justice prevails when lives depend on it. Lawyers are often faced with legal, personal and ethical dilemmas every day and how they cope with such is the highlight of the series
5. Better Call Saul
Not all lawyers’ lives are flashy and this series gives you the best depiction of a struggling lawyer. It follows the story of Jimmy McGill who transforms from a con man into a minor lawyer who is a force to reckon with while championing for law-income clients. He then meets Mike Ehrmantraut, a former cop whose knowledge in the underworld life of drug trafficking helps the former transform into a criminal-for-hire persona by the name Saul Goodman.
6. Damages
Patty Hewes is a bright and ruthless lawyer based in New York who takes on cases with her recent recruit, Ellen Persons who has just graduated from law school. It revolves around the complex relationship between the two while giving a unique depiction of the perspectives of both the law firm and the opponents. This series offers intrigue above the rest and the ruthless persona of the lead character, Patty Hewes grips watchers attention and leaves them begging for more
7. The Good Wife
Amid public sex and political corruption scandals facing her husband Peter Florrick, a state attorney, Alicia Florrick returns to her law career while attempting to balance her devotion to her children amid political pandemonium, the pursuit for power, divorce and her romantic relationships. Other storylines involve her transition from a victim of vengeful attacks to a victimizer and growth in her self-confidence as she seeks power.
8. The Practice
Bobby Donell, a passionate lawyer working as the lead partner a Boston based law firm, which constantly struggles with ethical themes as most of its clients range from murderers, rapists, and criminals. His instincts direct him to choose important cases, which are not necessarily based on the amount of money. Also crucial to the firm is the understanding receptionist Lisa Hamilton who is their voice of reason.
9. L.A. Law
A top law firm, McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney, and Kuzak, handles high stakes cases in the civil and criminal sectors while charging high fees. Sensitive cases such as abortion, sexual harassment ad gay rights among others are the order of the day yet office politics and romance act as distractions from the courtroom. This series highlights the ideologies of the 80s and 90s and features storylines of tension between staff factions.
10. The Good Fight
At only 3 seasons yet, The Good Fight, which picks up from the Good Wife has already earned numerous fans. After Maia Rindell and Diane Lockhart, her godmother, have their reputations and savings respectively, wiped out courtesy of the former’s father, they embark on a desperate mission to rebuild their careers again. They join a prominent Chicago law firm Reddick, Boseman & Kolstad and hustle their ways to the top.
These are some of the best series for law students, in no particular order, which gives a very good depiction of the legal profession. In addition, you get to learn a lot of legal terms, and concepts, which can be quite instrumental in adult life.