Law & Pop Culture: An Intersection of Rules & Responses

The rule of law is the bedrock of American society. Lawyers and those in the legal profession are charged with recognizing when the rule of law is challenged and when the challenge is valid. This noble cause is often misunderstood because of mistrust of lawyers, corruption in the legal system, and perceived unfair results of the legal process. Popular culture, through the cultivation effect, tends to propagate negative stereotypes of the law and lawyers through all media. This course aims to explore both ends of the popular perception of law and lawyers, using popular media, films and books, as a lens. This course also aims to provide students with a foundational understanding of the United States legal system and its processes. Assignments will include facilitating class discussion of particular film or literary works, as well as a written legal memorandum, typical of a first-year law student’s Legal Writing course requirement.