The actors lucky enough to portray attorneys make solid cases for their “lawyerly” chops: Denzel Washington as Roman J. Israel. Gregory Peck and Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch. Reese Witherspoon as Elle Woods.
But what does it take to really nail the nuances and behaviors of lawyers? (And is it a case where we can’t handle the truth?) We requested a sidebar with Erika Omundson, a New York–area trial attorney and former stage manager.
Take cues from the costume and prop paperwork
The power suit is not necessarily for lawyers who work in the courthouse every day, but corporate lawyers are likely the best dressed and wear tailored suits. “If your costume includes a designer label, play up the swaggering confidence,” Omundson says. If your look has more of a business-casual vibe going on—and that’s common in courthouses—you might want to tap into the harriedness of an overworked legal desk jockey. The kind of lawyer you’re playing will prompt your interaction with the paperwork: If your character oozes self-assurance, you coolly locate any document you need. If you’re a put-upon public defendant, don’t be afraid to rifle and grope before finding the designated piece of paper.
Speak with confidence and ease
Words are a lawyer’s tools, and you want to wield them with facility. “So much of being a lawyer is maintaining the appearance that you know what you’re talking about—even when you don’t,” Omundson jokes. No matter what you’re saying or arguing, she says, “commit to the bit and express it with firm beliefs.”
How to Be ConfidentRead the room
Another skill that overlaps with acting and improv, especially, is an ability to catch the vibes of the other players. Omundson says that at various times, judges can come across as impatient with the court proceedings, and that requires an immediate change in approach for everyone else in the room. Play the part so it augments and extrapolates beyond the script and stage direction: A gesture of dejectedness might be required in tense or vituperative moments, while puffed-up strutting and preening may be called for when delivering a particularly cutting line.
Be familiar with ennui
As with playing any role, there’s a real challenge in staying in character even during the moments when you’re not saying anything and the script doesn’t specify your actions. Sitting around unoccupied, as it happens, is exactly like being a real-life lawyer, Omundson jokes. “I recently sat in the courthouse for about six hours waiting for a trial that lasted less than one hour,” she says. To maintain the air of lawyerliness—even in the background—Omundson recommends playing it “productive”: working on a laptop, quietly conferring with your client, or fidgeting on your phone.
Erika Omundson, a lawyer in New York, has been practicing law since 1996. She also works with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts.