The 15 Worst Movie Lawyers
The film industry is filled with hard-hitting dramas about experienced lawyers and in-depth cases. But every once in awhile, a movie comes out that depicts attorneys in a less than savory light.
Here are 15 movie advocates you likely wouldn’t want defending you:
1. Richard Rjetti (Michael Richards) – Trial and Error
Richard isn’t exactly a lawyer, but he does pretend to be one to save his friend Charlie Tuttle. While he helps Charlie win the case, he perpetrates fraud in the process.
2. Vincent Gambini (Joe Pesci) – My Cousin Vinny
Vinny plays a brand new lawyer called to defend his cousin in a murder case in Alabama.
As Vinny is from New York, the contrast in culture is comical. His last minute decision to bring a car expert in saves his cousin’s life – providing evidence that he probably should have presented much earlier in the case.
3. Fletcher Reede (Jim Carrey) – Liar Liar
Fletcher can’t lie, courtesy of a birthday wish from his son. He also has a hard time controlling what comes out of his mouth, leaving him completely incapable of representing his client.
4. Billy Flynn (Richard Gere) – Chicago
While Mr. Billy Flynn does win Roxy’s case, he does it through lies and deceit. Contrary to his opening song, he’s more worried about the cash rolling in from his cases than helping the victims involved.
5. John Milton (Al Pacino) – The Devil’s Advocate
In this movie, Al Pacino plays the devil. It doesn’t get much worse than that.
6. Kevin Lomax (Keanu Reeves) – The Devil’s Advocate
While Al Pacino may be the devil, Keanu Reeves signs on to work with him, making him almost as bad.
7. Lt. Daniel Kaffee (Tom Cruise) – A Few Good Men
Kaffee’s key witness shows up one night in his car, giving him the missing piece to his puzzle. But Kaffee’s pressure on the witness pushes him to the point of suicide. Though he ultimately wins the case, his people skills are seriously lacking.
8. Thomas Mara (Jerome Cowan) – Miracle on 34th Street
In this movie, Thomas Mara is a prosecuting attorney trying to prove Santa is mentally unstable. While he may be a good lawyer, prosecuting Saint Nick is never a good idea.
9. Robert Philip (Patrick Dempsey) – Enchanted
The only reason Robert would be considered a bad lawyer is because he never works. While he refers to himself as a divorce lawyer in the movie, he has time to casually stroll through Central Park and is never shown working on any cases.
10. DA Joyce Rafferty (Sannon O’Hurley) – Legally Blonde
When you find yourself blindsided by Elle Woods with a mountain of evidence, you might not be lawyer material.
11. Frito Pendejo (Dax Shepard) – Idiocracy
In this futuristic movie, the human population lacks even average intelligence. Joe Bauers wakes up after being frozen for 500 years to find himself the smartest human alive. He’s quickly apprehended, and Pendejo defends him in court, but having an attorney with less than average intelligence defending you isn’t ideal, and Joe basically defends himself. Which leads him straight to jail.
12. D.A. Rufus Buckley (Kevin Spacey) – A Time to Kill
In this movie set in racist, rural Mississippi, Buckley defends two white men who raped and beat the daughter of a black man. Though Spacey’s character is just doing his job, he fails to recognize the immorality behind his position.
13. Travis Lehman (Tommy Lee Jones) – Double Jeopardy
In this movie, Tommy Lee Jones helps Ashley Judd, who has been charged with her husband’s murder. But in this case, double jeopardy doesn’t apply, since the same crime wasn’t committed twice (she didn’t actually kill her husband). Thus, Lehman’s whole defense is moot.
14. John Shaunessy (Howard Duff) – Kramer vs. Kramer
In this movie, John makes an appeal based on new evidence. But appeals are based on material fact, not new evidence. John’s actions prove he’s not a very good lawyer.
15. Ben Matlock (Andy Griffith) – Matlock
In this movie, Ben Matlock commits many breaches of ethical conduct, which would get him thrown in jail in real life. Before you hire legal counsel, make sure they don’t resemble our top 15 worst movie lawyers of all time.