Suits, the popular legal drama, offers a captivating glimpse into the high-stakes world of corporate law through the charismatic character of Harvey Specter. Fans of the show often wonder about the specifics of his legal expertise, intrigued by the diverse cases he handles and his undeniable success. So, what type of lawyer is Harvey in Suits?
To understand Harvey’s role, it’s essential to delve into the reality of legal specializations, particularly within the high-powered realm of BigLaw, which the show depicts. While Suits presents a somewhat romanticized version of legal practice, examining Harvey’s actions and cases reveals a blend of legal roles, albeit with a focus on certain key areas.
Harvey Specter: The Quintessential Corporate Lawyer
At its core, Harvey Specter is portrayed as a corporate lawyer. This broad term encompasses lawyers who advise businesses on a wide range of legal issues related to their operations, transactions, and disputes. Within this corporate umbrella, Harvey’s expertise appears to span across both litigation and transactional law, blurring the lines in a way that is more dramatic license than reality.
In the world of BigLaw firms like the fictional Pearson Specter Litt (formerly Pearson Hardman), lawyers typically specialize. Let’s break down the two primary categories and see where Harvey fits, and where the show takes creative liberties.
Litigator: The Courtroom Warrior
A litigator is a lawyer who represents clients in court or other formal dispute resolution settings like arbitrations and administrative hearings. They are the advocates who build cases, argue motions, conduct trials, and navigate the complexities of the legal system to resolve conflicts.
Harvey Specter undeniably exhibits traits of a litigator. We frequently see him:
- In court: Suits showcases Harvey in courtroom settings, arguing cases, examining witnesses, and engaging in the adversarial process of litigation.
- Negotiating settlements: A crucial aspect of litigation is often reaching settlements before trial, and Harvey is a master negotiator, frequently resolving disputes outside of court to his client’s advantage.
- Handling disputes: Many of Harvey’s cases involve active disputes, from contract breaches to intellectual property conflicts, requiring a litigator’s skillset to navigate.
Transactional Lawyer: The Deal Maker
On the other hand, a transactional lawyer focuses on the deal-making aspects of law. They advise clients on business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions, contracts, financing, and real estate deals. Their work is often about structuring deals, drafting agreements, and ensuring legal compliance to facilitate business objectives outside of the courtroom.
Harvey also demonstrates characteristics of a transactional lawyer:
- Mergers and Acquisitions (M&A): The show features cases involving company mergers and acquisitions, areas where transactional lawyers take the lead in due diligence, negotiation, and deal structuring.
- Contract Negotiation: Harvey is constantly negotiating contracts, whether they are employment agreements, partnership deals, or settlements, showcasing a transactional lawyer’s core skill.
- Advising on Business Strategy: Beyond disputes, Harvey advises clients on strategic business decisions with legal implications, a role that aligns with a transactional lawyer’s advisory capacity.
The Unrealistic Breadth of Harvey’s Practice
One of the key departures from reality in Suits is the sheer breadth of legal areas Harvey and Mike handle. As the original article points out, they seem to be experts in everything from patent law to criminal defense, which is highly unrealistic in BigLaw.
In reality, large law firms are structured around specialization. Lawyers typically choose to be either primarily litigators or transactional lawyers, and further specialize within those fields (e.g., a litigator specializing in intellectual property litigation, or a transactional lawyer focusing on M&A in the tech industry).
Harvey’s ability to jump between diverse legal fields like patent law, mergers, commercial litigation, and even criminal defense is a dramatic exaggeration. While a top-tier lawyer like Harvey would have a strong foundational understanding of many legal areas, true expertise requires focused dedication to a specific field.
Harvey Specter: More Than Just a Lawyer – He’s “The Closer”
Ultimately, “Suits” markets Harvey Specter not just as a lawyer, but as “The Closer.” This moniker emphasizes his role as the go-to person to win high-stakes cases and deals, regardless of the specific legal area. It’s less about a specific type of law and more about his persona and effectiveness.
In the show’s narrative, Harvey’s value lies in:
- Strategic Thinking: He possesses a sharp legal mind and the ability to see the bigger picture, devise winning strategies, and outmaneuver opponents.
- Negotiation Prowess: His exceptional negotiation skills are a recurring theme, allowing him to secure favorable outcomes in various situations.
- Client Relationships: He builds strong relationships with high-profile clients who trust his judgment and rely on him for their most critical legal matters.
While “The Closer” isn’t a recognized legal specialization, it encapsulates Harvey’s role in Suits. He is a high-powered corporate lawyer who blends litigation and transactional skills, but the show prioritizes his dramatic effectiveness and ability to win above strict adherence to legal realism.
Conclusion: Harvey Specter’s Lawyer Type – A Blend for Drama
So, what type of lawyer is Harvey in Suits? In the context of the show, Harvey Specter is best described as a corporate lawyer who operates with a blend of litigation and transactional expertise. However, it’s crucial to remember that Suits is a drama, and Harvey’s wide-ranging expertise and case load are significantly exaggerated for entertainment purposes.
In the real world of BigLaw, lawyers specialize to a much greater degree. While Harvey’s character is inspiring and entertaining, aspiring lawyers should understand that developing deep expertise in a specific area of law is the path to success, rather than trying to be a jack-of-all-trades like Harvey Specter. Nonetheless, the charisma, strategic thinking, and dedication Harvey embodies are certainly qualities to admire, even if his legal practice is more fiction than fact.
