Lawyers usually pursue a career in law because of their love of the subject. They spend years studying to pass their exams and see a life ahead of them whereby they will be defending the good guys and putting the bad guys behind bars, or so the Hollywood movies would have you believe. Being a lawyer isn’t usually a path that ends with one becoming famous. However, there are the exceptions that have found themselves defending the rich and famous and this in turn has catapulted them into the glare of the media spotlight. More of a reflected glare from the celebrity they are defending, but a glare nonetheless. There’s a a list of best criminal lawyers based in Sydney that can help in these cases.
There are countless examples littered throughout history in America who have usually defended their client successfully and been rewarded with money and fame that match what their efforts deserve. Below is a list of the most famous examples in pop culture:
Johnnie Cochrane
Part of the famous dream team that OJ Simpson’s millions was able to assemble, Cochrane was front and centre of proceedings as the famous case wore on. Televised from start to finish, there was no escaping the spotlight even if he had wanted to. However, his closing line went down in history and with the case being won he was hired by plenty more celebrities hoping to benefit from his magic touch. An advocator of human rights, he also helped Snoop Dogg and Tupac as well as Rosa Parks with their cases too.
Mark Geragos
Known throughout Hollywood as the celebrity lawyer, he is the man most turn to when in trouble with the law, and more often than not he is the guy who will do his work so effectively that, they walk free. Chris Brown and Michael Jackson both counted themselves as clients of his at one stage or another, however in the case of Jackson he was unable to see it until the end having been relieved of his duties prematurely, many believe due to being overworked. He was not out of work long though and defended the trainer of Barry Bonds, the baseball player accused of doping. The trainer was found in contempt of court and hired Geragos to get him out of trouble.
Howard K Stern
According to Papa Hughes, one of those people who is famous for being famous, Stern was never hired by a long list of high-profile celebrities, he just went out with one. With his firm initially handling the modelling contracts for Anna Nicole Smith in the 90’s, Stern found himself in the public eye. When her husband passed away and they began dating, he became even more famous. No stranger to controversy, Stern has found himself in the news for filing lawsuits for defamation, libel as well as prosecution for conspiracy. Whether he deserves a place on this list created solely for those made famous by practicing law is up for debate.
Robert Shapiro
Another member of OJ’s team, Shapiro, admitted to the bar in 1969, has defended a long list of American sports people including Simpson, Daryll Strawberry and Jose Canseco, two baseball players, the former he later sued for unpaid legal fees. In the showbiz world, one of his most famous clients are the Kardashians.
Shapiro was a crucial player in the Simpson case from the very beginning. He already knew Simpson and was integral in making sure that he turned himself into the police. As he was not lead chair, Shapiro had sometimes minimal say in the direction that the defence took and heavily criticised his other team members for bringing race into the debate when there didn’t seem any place for it.