Oscar Time: The Best Lawyer Movies to Win an Oscar!

Sunday night is Oscar night!  We at the Wright Firm love a good movie, and there’s nothing like a good legal drama.  Here’s our (well… MY) list of Favorite 5 Oscar-Winning movies and Favorite 5 Oscar-Nominated movies featuring lawyers and legal battles.

First, those who took home the Oscar:

1. To Kill A Mocking Bird (1962).  Okay, maybe this one is obvious, but a classic and not to be missed.  Plenty of attorneys out there practicing still cite Atticus Finch as an inspiration.
2. My Cousin Vinny (1992).  One of movie history’s briefest opening statements, “Everything that guy just said is bull-s**t”.  And who didn’t love Marissa Tomei’s turn as an extremely hostile expert witness?
3. Erin Brockovich (2000).  Julia Roberts plays a gal who claims she “hates lawyers! I just work for them.” And manages to help a small town fight and ultimately win one of the biggest toxic tort cases in U.S. history.
4. Chicago (2002).  Who knew lawyers can sing and dance?  Nobody gives the jury the “Ol’ Razzle-Dazzle” like Billy Flynn.
5. Kramer v Kramer (1979).  Also one of the great divorce movies.  Rumor has it for some of the more complex scenes Dustin Hoffman built his character around his own divorce experience.

And now those who were nominated, but the judges ruled against them:

1. A Few Good Men (1992). You Can’t Handle The TRUTH!  What more needs to be said?
2. 12 Angry Men (1957). This one was nominated for three Oscars but didn’t win.  Still, one of the few movies that ever made jury duty seem grippingly interesting.
3. Inherit the Wind (1960).  The Great Spencer Tracy plays The Great Clarence Darrow in the midst of the Scopes “Monkey Trial.”  No matter what your views of evolution, this is a must see for every law student, and anyone else who appreciates a good social debate.
4. The Verdict (1982).  Paul Newman plays an aging alcoholic lawyer making one last attempt to redeem himself against all odds.  Great underdog story.
5. Primal Fear (1996).  Edward Norton is fantastic in one of his first major roles, earning him the Oscar nod.  Richard Gere’s final cross examination of his client is worth the watch.

I know many of you out there are screaming that I missed one of your favorites, so tell us what we missed in the comments!