<p>Has anyone read any of the following? </p>
<li>‘A Civil Action’, by Jonathan Harr</li>
<li>‘All the President’s Men’, by Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein</li>
<li>‘Gideon’s Trumpet’, by Anthony Lewis</li>
</ol>
<p>Or even, cliche though it may be----</p>
<li>‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, by Harper Lee</li>
</ol>
<p>I know lawyers have a bad reputation in general, and that saddens me because I’ve always had an idealized conception of law as a way to correct some of the ills of society. Maybe that’s foolish of me, but it’s how I tend to think about such things. So naturally I was pleasantly surprised to find a few serious (i.e. not John Grisham) books that portray law and the legal process in a positive light. Granted, ATPM makes lawyers look bad b/c several high-ranking Justice Dept. officials were deeply involved in the Watergate conspiracy, but I think it portrays an idealized notion of law as a sacred institution that I find very powerful and very evocative.</p>
<p>All of these books have inspired me to go to law school. As a lawyer, I hope I could embody the principles held by Jan Schlictmann, Abe Fortas, and Atticus Finch. Who knows? Maybe I’ll be in for a nasty surprise once I actually graduate and have to join a firm, but until then I’ll be content with my quaint idealism. Does anyone know of other books like this? I’d like to make my illusions last as long as possible before they’re shattered by the cruel world of money and power.</p>