Welcome to Law School Insider! In this multi-part blog series, you will hear directly from current law students about their favorite courses, law school myths, best pre-law tips, and more!
The summer is a great time to relax and engage in some entertainment. What better way to be entertained than with some law-related material! In this post, you will hear about all-time favorite legal-related books, movies, and TV shows from current law students – just in time for summer!
Must Read/Watch
“A Civil Action” by Jonathan Harr
-Sanjiv S. | University of Illinois College of Law
“Locked In: The True Causes of Mass Incarceration-and How to Achieve Real Reform“ by John Pfaff
-Haydn L. | University of Michigan Law School
“On Trial: Lessons from a Lifetime in the Courtoom” by Henry G. Miller, Esq.
-Joseph A. | University of Illinois Chicago School of Law
“I’m not a big reader anymore. A Few Good Men and My Cousin Vinny are great films about the law.”
-Nick S. | University of Illinois College of Law
“Credible: Why We Doubt Accusers and Protect Abusers” by Deborah Tuerkheimer
-Tara S. | Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
“The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America” by Richard Rothstein
-Margaret B. | DePaul University College of Law
“For something timely, I recommend When Abortion Was A Crime: Women, Medicine, and Law in the United States, 1867-1973 by Leslie J. Reagan (a UIUC professor).”
-Amanda W. | Duke University School of Law
“Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption“ by Bryan Stevenson
-Matthew M. |UNLV William S. Boyd College of Law
“Becoming“ by Michelle Obama
-Ashley T. | George Washington University Law School
“Better Call Saul“ (Television series)
-Khalil R. | University of Chicago Law School
“I don’t tend to read many law-related books in my free time because I like having a clear separation between school and relaxation, but I am currently reading Martha Minow’s When Should Law Forgive? It’s an interesting take on what the focus of our legal system should be, and is easily accessible to folks who don’t yet have a background in law.”
-Ben T. | University of California, Berkley, School of Law
“Michelle Obama’s Becoming! She discusses interesting feelings about law school and the profession in general. If you’re on the fence about law school, I’d read it to get another perspective.”
-Skylar R. | Northwestern Pritzker School of Law
“Black Edge: Inside Information, Dirty Money, and the Quest to Bring Down the Most Wanted Man on Wall Street” by Sheelah Kolhatkar
-Sydney S. | Georgetown University Law Center
“The Rooster Bar“ by John Grisham
-Maciek C. | University of Wisconsin Law School
“Barbarian at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco” by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar
-Alberto V. | University of Chicago Law School
“Lady Justice: Women, The Law and the Battle to Save America” by Dahlia Lithwick
-Erica H. | George Washington University Law School
Looking for additional suggestions?
Thieves of Book Row, by Travis McDade
Torn from their Bindings, by Travis McDade
The Book Thief, all by Travis McDade
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
The Trial, by Franz Kafka
An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones
She Said: Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story that Helped Ignite a Movement, by Jodi Kantor & Megan Twohey
Know My Name, by Chanel Miller
I’ll Be Gone In the Dark, by Michelle McNamara
Radium Girls, by Kate Moore
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, by Rebecca Skloot
Crime and Punishment, by Fyodor Dostoevsky
My Cousin Vinny – movie
Find Me Guilty – movie
Sleepers – movie
A Civil Action – movie
Amistad – movie
On the Basis of Sex – movie
Marshall – movie
Loving – movie
Bridge of Spies – movie
Partner Track – Netflix series
Erin Brokovich – movie
Legally Blonde – movie
Check out this list of 25 Greatest Legal Movies according to the American Bar Association!
Check out this list of suggested law-related TV shows!
And here is a list of the 25 Greatest Law Novels Ever from Goodreads!
