Course

Popular culture shapes our perception of law, lawyers, and the civil and criminal justice systems. We will examine legal issues through the lens of media, including movies and podcasts, along with readings on the films and podcasts. The overall theme of the course will be the use and misuse of power by institutions and the ability of the civil and criminal justice systems to respond. This will involve discussions of racism, sexism, homophobia, civil disobedience, ethics, morality, privilege, and more. Since evidentiary issues arise in many films, we will answer the question “Can they really ask that?”

Faculty Bios

Bob Solomon taught at Yale Law School for decades before moving to UC Irvine as a Clinical Professor of Law fifteen years ago. He specializes in civil litigation and community development.

Henry Weinstein is a Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Lawyering Skills at UC Irvine specializing in media law. He has written for the Los Angeles Times, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.

This is an In-Person + Recorded Course

• Classes meet in person at the Lafayette Library and Learning Center, at 3491 Mount Diablo Blvd., Lafayette
• Classes will also be video recorded
• You must be a current OLLI @Berkeley member to register. Learn about membership, including our fee assistance program

Schedule Highlights

• Course starts on Thursday, Oct. 16, and ends on Thursday, Nov. 6
• Classes meet for 4 weeks, 2 hours per session (1-3 PM)
• All course materials, including videos, will remain available to view and enjoy through Dec. 31