Lawyers on television are very much commonplace. Crime dramas are all the rage right now and because of that, there are lawyers bursting onto the screen all over the place. However, this has always been the case, because the character of a lawyer can be used in so many different ways.
Whether it be in a serious drama or a comedy, it is quite easy to stereotype this job and fit it into any show. Some have done it better than others, with some television shows basing their entire premise around the law, whereas others haven't done it so well.
Over the years, there has been a true variety of lawyers on television, just as there are in reality. Some have been brilliant, tackling cases with ease, whereas others have been, to put it bluntly, terrible. Here are the five best television lawyers, as well as the five you'd want to avoid using in real life!
Best: Marshall Eriksen (How I Met Your Mother)
"You just got lawyered!" Even though he can be a total goof at times (just look at the slap bet), Marshall Eriksen is still a fantastic lawyer. Throughout the early seasons of How I Met Your Mother, he was working incredibly hard to get through the bar exam, with his goal being to help the environment through his work.
Ultimately, Marshall does , but he has to take on corporate jobs in order to pay the bills, leaving him dissatisfied. Despite the fact he wasn't happy with himself, Marshall still did a terrific job and proved he was a great lawyer, eventually landing a job as a judge, where he could finally make a big difference.
Worst: Ally McBeal (Ally McBeal)
While there's no doubt that Ally McBeal does try to be a good lawyer, she just doesn't make it a priority of hers. The main focus for Ally always seems to be elsewhere, normally in her personal life dealing with friends or looking for love, which unfortunately takes her mind off the job.
It's not that she consistently loses cases that make her bad, it's that Ally isn't dedicated enough and when it comes to being a lawyer, that really is necessary. It's not a job that allows for anything less than full commitment, which is why Ally might not be the best lawyer to pick.
Best: Saul Goodman (Breaking Bad/Better Call Saul)
This might be a slightly controversial entry, as Saul Goodman is incredibly unethical and corrupt. However, it cannot be denied that he's very good at his job. Sure, he defends those who don't often deserve to be defended, hiding their crimes and helping them get away with some vile things, but if they're paying then who can blame Saul?
Saul is a smart talker and can get himself out of any situation, or at least, he knows a guy who can help out. While he isn't going to be taking care of any high-end businesses, for those who have something to hide, Saul might just be the perfect lawyer.
Worst: Maury Levy (The Wire)
Much like Saul Goodman, Maury Levy is involved with helping criminals, and to his credit, he can be effective at doing so. However, unlike Saul, who will get other people to do all the dirty work, Maury Levy will happily get his own hands dirty.
There's no rule Maury isn't prepared to break in order to help his clients, most of whom are involved in the drug industry. He helps them to lie under oath and has even used fake evidence in order to get his own way, breaking the ethical grounds of lawyers.
Best: Lionel Hutz (The Simpsons)
Of course, Springfield has a great lawyer. The number of issues that go on in that area, it would be crazy if they didn't. However, in classic Simpsons style, Lionel Hutz isn't without his flaws. His office is in the mall, and he takes on pretty much any job that will pay.
Hutz once managed to defeat the mighty Itchy and Scratchy Studios in one case, winning an $800 billion lawsuit. Hutz will chase up literally any case, no matter the size, and while he's all about the money, at least he's reliable.
Worst: Dean Sanderson (The Grinder)
Dean Sanderson's character was quite a complex one on The Grinder. Originally, he portrayed an amazing lawyer within the in-universe television series called "The Grinder," but when he quits acting and tries to act like a real lawyer, he isn't quite as lucky.
Dean is of the belief that just because he was a lawyer on television, he will be really good at it as a profession. Obviously, becoming a lawyer isn't something that can be easily done, as Dean finds out. Consequently, he often has to rely on his brother, who is a real attorney, to help him.
Best: Jack McCoy (Law and Order)
A show named Law and Order was always going to need a great lawyer in order for it to be taken seriously. With Jack McCoy, the show got exactly that. For 16 seasons, he was consistently superb at his job and, unlike many other television lawyers, Jack was presented in a serious way as someone who would always get the job done.
Jack is incredibly ionate about his job and always does his best for the client, regardless of the situation. There was no case that Jack McCoy wasn't able to take on, with Sam Waterston bringing an excellent performance to the show.
Worst: David Rosen (Scandal)
David Rosen certainly does know his law, that much cannot be disputed. However, his ethics certainly can be, as he only earned his job as the U.S. Attorney of the District of Columbia by blackmail. While David might do his best in a court of law, the way he does it is all wrong.
While other corrupt lawyers might work for criminals, at least, they don't lie and cheat as David Rosen does. It's hard to trust a lawyer when they're willing to lie to get anything they want behind the scenes, which makes David one of the worst.
Best: Harvey Specter (Suits)
All the guys want to be him and the women want to date him, Harvey Specter is that kind of lawyer. He can walk the walk and talk the talk, and he is easily the best television lawyer of all time. Harvey is one of the main characters on the hit show, Suits, and there is no case too big or too small that he can't crack.
Harvey has the banter to bounce off others, making him incredibly charming. When he needs to get down to business, Harvey certainly has no problem in doing so, even if it means upsetting or hurting others on the way. He bends rules to get Mike a job, which technically makes him a little questionable, but when it comes to a top case, there's nobody better to have on your side.
Worst: Barry Zuckerkorn (Arrested Development)
Barry Zuckerkorn is expertly played by Henry Winkler and is the perfect example of an incompetent lawyer. He is the family lawyer for the Bluth family in Arrested Development, and while he is loyal, that doesn't mean that he's actually good at his job.
Barry consistently gives the worst advice, and the things he says almost always seem to end up backfiring on him. The fact that Barry actually ends up having run-ins with the law himself should be proof that he's not someone anyone should want to hire to defend them, and he is easily the worst lawyer in television history.