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Legal Issues in the Firm

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Submitted By mledford123
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In the 1993 legal thriller “The Firm,” Tom Cruise plays a young attorney, Mitch McDeere, who has accepted an offer to join the prestigious Memphis law firm of Bendini, Lambert & Locke (“The Firm”). Initially, McDeere and “The Firm” appear to be a perfect fit. McDeere is the prototypical young associate. About to complete his Harvard Law degree, McDeere has the soft skills, attractive appearance, and a fetching personality to accompany his intellect. Accordingly, many law firms actively recruit him, seducing him with gifts and praise. The Firm, despite its location in Memphis, seems like a logical choice for McDeere. They pay handsomely, boast a talented legal team, and enjoy decadent facilities and amenities. McDeere is coddled zealously from the firm’s partners, and is given a scenic home and car. Unfortunately, McDeere learns the Firm has a corrupt underbelly that not only is at odds with his personal moral compass, but that could potentially subject him to jail time. As McDeere wrestles with how navigate himself through this decision, he is faced with many of Lawyer’s Model Rules for Professional Conduct.
McDeere walks a fine line between seeking to hold Bendini, Lambert & Locke accountable for their misconduct and protecting the confidentiality of his clients. McDeere’s struggles climax when confronted by the FBI, he is forced to choose whether to cooperate with the authorities and risk losing his job and legal license, or to stay with the firm and potentially violate the Model Rules of Professional Conduct. McDeere ultimately devises a plan that allows him to cooperate with the FBI without jeopardizing his legal career and family life. By utilizing proof that all partners from the firm were guilty of overbilling clients, he is able to use this evidence to help the FBI nail the firm by receiving written consent from his clients, including the organized crime

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