A Look at the Most Famous Lawyers in Televisions and Movies

Lawyers are usually seen on TV and in movies as the bad guys. While they are often portrayed as people who will do anything to win, that’s not always the case. Sometimes, they’re the good guy too. 

1. Jack McCoy

This role is played by actor Sam Waterston on the show Law & Order. McCoy was a very well-known lawyer who has served as District Attorney of New York County for several years and was eventually elected to become Mayor of New York City in 1999. Jack was portrayed as someone who was great at his job and always got things done. He’s been described as an “extremely tough” DA who also had compassion when it came to cases involving children or people with disabilities and mental illness issues.

2. Daniel Kaffee

Actor Tom Cruise plays this character in the movie A Few Good Men. Kaffee had a difficult time as an attorney because he was very young and new to his job, but that didn’t stop him from doing everything possible while defending two Marines accused of murder at Guantanamo Bay Naval Base. He asked Col. Nathan Jessep (played by Jack Nicholson) if he could cite “the regulation” stating how long someone can be held before being charged with a crime or released. When Jessep couldn’t answer without making up something on the spot, Kaffee went after him for lying under oath about not knowing anything about military law regulations.

3. Alan Shore

This character is played by actor James Spader on the show Boston Legal. Although arrogant, Shore makes an incredible lawyer in the show. Shore was an attorney who works at Crane, Poole & Schmidt; however, he had many major issues during his time there because he always seemed to be involved in cases that were either very controversial or were lost no matter what they tried. In fact, most of his colleagues thought that it would’ve been better if they’d never met him since all their clients ended up losing everything. However, when one of his friends asked him why he kept taking these kinds of jobs instead of turning them down right away (which is what most people would do), Shore replies with: “Because I’m good at it.”

4. Atticus Finch

This character is played by actor Gregory Peck in the movie To Kill a Mockingbird. Finch was an attorney who lived in the fictional town of Maycomb, Alabama. He took on the case of Tom Robinson (a black man accused of raping a white woman), and he did everything possible to make sure that Robinson had a fair trial. Even though the odds were stacked against him, Finch never gave up; and his dedication eventually led to Robinson’s release. This story has been used as an example of how attorneys should always fight for their clients, no matter the situation.

5. Harvey Specter

This character is played by actor Gabriel Macht on the show Suits. Specter was an attorney who worked at Pearson Hardman, and he always appeared to be very confident while defending his clients in court. However, that confidence disappeared whenever anyone asked him about his personal life. Harvey Specter was quick-witted, smart, and ruthless. He was described as a “workaholic” because of how much time he spent with work compared to everything else. However, he eventually learned to balance things out more when he started working with Mike Ross (played by Patrick J. Adams).

These are just a few of the most famous lawyers from TV shows and movies. While some of them may be portrayed as being bad guys, others have shown that they’re willing to fight for what’s right no matter what the cost.

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