Civil Externship Seminar - Lawyers in Film

Prerequisites: 1L course of study. This course is the companion seminar for students enrolled in any Externship fieldwork course. The seminar focuses on representations of lawyers in popular culture, and specifically in films where the operation of law and the legal profession is a defining feature. In advance of each class, students view the assigned film and complete related readings. For each film, a student team will facilitate class discussion about the topics and themes that week's assigned film raises, including: professionalism, professional identity, ethics and morality, cultural awareness, bias, client relations, social justice, and career paths and well-being. Students' fieldwork experiences will serve as additional source material for analysis of and reflection on the roles, myths, and assumptions about the life of a lawyer.

Grading and Method of Evaluation:
Letter grade only. Students will be assessed based on short writing assignments, student-led film discussion, and professionalism and class participation.