Film and the Law: "Thurgood Marshall's Coming!" & "Lincoln on Professionalism"

Film and the Law:

"Thurgood Marshall's Coming" & "Lincoln on Professionalism

Wednesday, March 19, 2025 - Webinar

"Thurgood Marshall's Coming!"  May 17, 2024 marked the 70th Anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, which legally ended racial segregation in the schools of the United States. The lead attorney for the plaintiffs in the cases that, together, are now known as “Brown,” was Thurgood Marshall, a passionate and embattled civil rights lawyer.

      Thurgood Marshall is one of the giant figures in the history of American jurisprudence. He was born into poverty and grew up in the Jim Crow racism of the early twentieth century. He became the first African American Solicitor General of the United States and then the first African American to serve as an Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. Marshall was called “Mr. Civil Rights” by some, but he never wanted to be known as a “civil rights leader.” He saw the law as the arena where minorities and oppressed citizens could find relief and he wanted to be known first, last and always as a lawyer. In the end he was a powerful, resourceful and successful advocate for individual human and civil rights and serves as a model for tenacity in the face of overwhelming odds.

      Thurgood Marshall's Coming!, featuring T. Mychael Rambo as Marshall, portrays Marshall as an old man on the eve of his retirement as he ruminates and relives past trials and victories. Marshall was a master of language, storytelling and imitation and the play uses all of these to create a powerful solo presentation. His sense of humor and equanimity balance some of the bitterness he felt in his long journey and his legal arguments and rhetorical style are at once evocative and entertaining. Using Marshall's own writings and reflections, the movie explores the discrimination he faced as he tried to enter law school, practice as a lawyer, and defend the civil rights of others. The movie shines a light on prejudice in the legal profession and the barriers to hiring that prevent full participation of lawyers of color, women and those with other nationalities of origin, religious and sexual preference – with the hope of eliminating these biases in the legal profession. One of the best compliments received from one Minnesota lawyer attending the program was, “The program made me feel what it was like to be Thurgood Marshall.” We believe feeling what discrimination is like is a step to helping lawyers to overcome their prejudices.

      The movie is followed by a filmed panel discussion and commentary about discrimination and ethical concerns about bias in the legal profession relating to equal access for minorities to law schools, the legal profession and justice under the law.

"Lincoln on Professionalism" was created by the Atlanta Bar Association in partnership with the Chief Justice's Commission on Professionalism in Georgia in celebration of the 200^th Anniversary of Abraham Lincoln’s birthday. The CLE program presents the writings of Abraham Lincoln to create an engaging documentary-style program on professionalism. The exemplary qualities of legal and personal professionalism Lincoln demonstrated day in and day out in his law practice come to life in the slides, readings and contemporary commentary that comprise the program.

      The “documentary” is coupled with a filmed panel discussion produced by Periaktos Productions. The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for attendees to explore the model of professionalism offered by Abraham Lincoln’s life and practice and discuss how it provides guidance for contemporary legal practice. The discussion focuses on the issues presented as they might relate to the Preamble and any other relevant portions of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. 

      The presentation includes the legal and personal professionalism Lincoln demonstrated in his life and law practice and how it provides guidance for contemporary legal practice. The goal of the program is to provide an opportunity for attendees to explore the model of professionalism offered by Abraham Lincoln’s life and practice and discuss how it provides guidance for contemporary legal practice. The discussion focuses on the issues presented as they might relate to the Preamble and any other relevant portions of the ABA Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Ethical and professionalism issues discussed include:

-Candor with the Court

-Justice and Fairness

-Candor to Opposing Counsel

-Dignity and Civility

-Courtesy and Goodwill

-Brevity and Clarity

-Candor to Client

-Diligence

-Conclusion

Fees: 

$230 - Full day registration

$150 - Thurgood Marshall (AM ONLY)

$100 - Lincoln (PM ONLY)