Best Law Movies: 10 Must-See Movies for Lawyers

Law movies are usually about the adventure of big cases, big debates. It is an important category in which the just and unjust are tried to be understood, crimes are handled from different points of view, and which allows us to rethink the concept of justice. These are also must-see legal films for law students or aspiring lawyers. While examining the concept of justice, we have also included in our list films that are pioneers of perspectives that have never been experienced before and should be watched by lawyers:

1) 12 Angry Men (1957)
Imdb: 8,9

When we think of legal movies, this cult production undoubtedly comes to mind. You follow the decision-making processes of 12 men gathered in a room for the young boy accused of killing his father, and you learn exactly where prejudices should not be in the legal system. What starts with one Jury saying ‘no’ will end with everyone saying ‘yes’ to that one Jury.

2) Anatomy of a Murder (Anatomy of a Murder – 1959) IMDb: 8,1

The deeper your examination of something, short or long, the more meaningful it is. The issue examined in the movie is the case of a man who was killed for raping the wife of a soldier. In the film, which examines what is right and wrong in depth, you are left with detailed scenes from cross-examinations to long-winded defenses.

3) The Verdict (The Verdict – 1982)
Imdb: 7,8

Legal systems are different from each other. Even if justice is the same, when the system of finding a place is different, the disorder encountered will be a cause for rebellion. In this movie with a high level of suspense and a lot of injustice, you witness what a lawyer can change.

4) A Few Good Men (1992)
Imdb: 7,7

With its long dialogues, it will be a film that reminds us that lawyers focus on thoughts, not concepts. The movie is about rules and those who are oppressed under them, and it is about the murder of a soldier serving in the US army.

5) To Kill a Mockingbird (1962)
Imdb: 8,3

Our story takes place in one of the Southern states of the USA, in the aftermath of the economic crisis, when people have not yet completed the process of change. Racism is at its peak. It tells the story of a white man who resists the blaming of all kinds of crimes on black people. It is one of the classic films on our list of legal movies.

6) Primal Fear (1996)
Imdb: 7,7

Law does not only consist of written sources. It forms a sociological, psychological and political unity. It tells the story of the murder of a famous priest and the state of mind of a defendant affected by it, his legal position and his situation with his environment.

7) Amistad (1997)
Imdb: 7,2

We continue our list of legal films with a period film. We embark on a journey with the ship La Amistad, which departs from the coast of Cuba and contains African slaves. We witness the rebellion of the slaves who are freed by the shackles unleashed by Cinque, one of the passengers on the journey. However, as events continue, an American warship will intervene. The solution now is for the Judiciary to resolve this situation.

8) Between Life and Death (The Life Of David Gale – 2003)
Imdb: 7,6

Can the punitive nature of law be against humanity? The plot revolves around an anti-execution professor. The professor was first charged with rape and then with manslaughter. The movie starts with an interview with the professor.

9) The Merchant Of Venice (2004)
Imdb: 7,1

Usury? Stability? Or is it a case of putting up with your feelings? This masterpiece, adapted from Shakespeare’s work, reveals the legal situation of the merchant who makes promises and receives money. William Shakespeare focuses on the shaking of the legal system and whether justice can be the unraveling of the knot at this point.

10) The Judge (2014)
Imdb: 7,4

But is law the work of the righteous? The film is about a judge who returns to his old hometown after losing his mother and has to defend his father. In addition to the fact that being a lawyer is a strict profession, you also witness that emotions often guide us, and you observe what kind of a position the profession has been in recently.

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