As students interested in criminology and law, many of us have probably watched Suits and wondered: how accurate is this TV show to lawyers in real life? We already know that the chances of any one of us having photogenic memory, accidentally walking into an interview with Harvey Specter, and getting hired at a top law firm in New York without attending law school are already pretty low, but how about the rest of it? Let’s dive into some aspects of the legal world that Suits does not capture accurately.
1. Corporate lawyers are not in court as often as they are in Suits
In the TV show, many of the lawyers are seen taking their cases to court frequently. In real life, it is actually kind of rare to bring cases to court since they are usually resolved by settlements.
2. Real cases can take up to years to resolve
In Suits, the lawyers seem to resolve their cases in the matter of days, or at most weeks. This is also rare, as cases tend to take up to months, and even years. Going to court for trial can take months, however, the characters seem to take their cases to courts just in a week after being charged. It also takes a lot of preparation and research, which is not shown in the TV show. Jessica Pearson and Harvey Specter are often seen requesting for things to be done in a short period of time, which, in reality, can take up much longer to complete.
3. Ex parte communication
Many times, the lawyers are seen communicating with the judge about their case without the opposing counsel present. This is called ex parte communication, which is illegal. It is important for both defense and opposing counsel to be present during these conversations to prevent the judge from having bias towards one side, in turn preventing unfairness.
4. Depositions do not occur as frequently as they do in Suits
In Suits, a deposition is seen happening quite often, however, this is not the case in real life. Many cases are settled or negotiated before a deposition is needed. They are also not as intense as the ones in Suits usually tend to be.
5. First year associates are usually doing work behind the scenes
In Suits, Mike Ross is seen going to court as a first year associate many times. In reality, it is actually rare for associates to go to court during their first few years of working at the firm. First-year associates usually perform tasks like researching, helping prepare their partners for court, and reviewing documents.
Of course, Suits would not be the same intense and dramatic TV show we know it to be if it represented law firms exactly as they are in the real world. However, it is important to remember that real world law firms are slower-paced and less dramatic – it is not all just nice outfits and witty quotes!
https://collider.com/suits-tv-show-accuracy/#:~:text=Suits%20is%20an%20engaging%20and,courtroom%20interactions%20is%20highly%20inaccurate. https://www.dbasslaw.com/blog/2024/september/how-accurate-is-the-show-suits-according-to-a-de/#:~:text=The%20Enticing%20Fiction%20of%20%22Suits,must%20work%20within%20the%20rules. https://coros.com.ar/nueva-categoria-analisis-de-series/how-accurate-is-suits-to-real-life/ https://www.lawinsider.org/post/does-suits-really-show-what-it-s-like-to-work-in-a-corporate-law-firm
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