The portrayal of the corporate lawyer on TV : the US and British models from L.A. Law to Trust and Suits

Robson, Peter (2017) The portrayal of the corporate lawyer on TV : the US and British models from L.A. Law to Trust and Suits. Journal of the Oxford Centre for Socio-Legal Studies (2). pp. 46-58. ISSN 2398-2438 (https://joxcsls.com/2017/06/20/the-portrayal-of-th...)

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Abstract

This essay examines the portrayal of a special group of lawyers on TV - the corporate lawyer. The glitzy world of business and finance and the role of lawyers has only occasionally been seen on television. With the success of Suits from the United States from 2011 to date this essay looks at the world of law outwith the courtroom and in the boardroom and conference room. It notes that a number of tropes recur in both the British and American versions of corporate law practice. These include dysfunctional family relationships, intra-office intrigue and the prevalence of the "hunch" in decision-making.