Philadelphia (1993)

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The film tells the story of Andrew Beckett (Tom Hanks), a senior associate at the largest corporate law firm in Philadelphia. Although he lives with his partner Miguel Álvarez (Antonio Banderas), Beckett is not open about his homosexuality at the law firm, nor the fact he has acquired AIDS. On the day he is assigned the firm's newest and most important case, one of the firm's partners notices a small lesion on Beckett's forehead. Shortly thereafter, Beckett stays home from work for several days to try to find a way to hide his lesions. While at home, he finishes the complaint for the case he has been assigned and then brings it to his office, leaving instructions for his assistants to file the complaint in court on the following day, which marks the end of the statute of limitations for the case.

One day Beckett has to be rushed to the hospital. Later that morning, while still at the ER, he receives a frantic call from the firm asking for the complaint, as the paper copy cannot be found and there are no copies on the computer's hard drive. However, the complaint is finally discovered and is filed with the court at the last possible moment. The following day, Beckett is dismissed by the firm's partners, who had previously referred to him as their "friend", but now question his professional abilities in light of misplaced document. Beckett believes he is a victim of discrimination and tries to find a lawyer to help him prove it in court. Enter Denzel Washington!

This movie It was inspired by the true story of Geoffrey Bowers, an attorney who in 1987 sued the law firm Baker & McKenzie for unfair dismissal in one of the first AIDS discrimination cases.

What to do
Get some popcorn, rent the video, and watch the movie. Consider the themes and questions presented below. Even if you have seen it before, watch it again from the viewpoint of a paralegal-to-be.

Major Themes
Wrongful termination; discrimination

Relevant to this Segment

1. Notice the importance of research in the film especially by Tom Hanks and Denzel Washington's characters in finding authority for their positions regarding wrongful termination. The key to the case came down to the question of whether there was any legal precedent that would have prevented the firm from firing the attorney for having AIDS, if that were proven to be the case. Even though Washington is in a David v. Goliath position, how can strong "authority" even the playing field?
   
   
2. The panic of the law firm and Tom Hanks' character during the scenes where the complaint is lost if very real. A lost document or missed deadline can be deadly to the career of any legal professional. What can a paralegal do to help prevent such a situation?
   
   
3. Notice the change in personality and attitude when the lawyer (Tom Hanks) becomes the client. Observe the sense of vulnerability and fear. This coming from a client who is a lawyer and knows the law. Consider how a client in a more typical litigation might feel, and how you as a paralegal can help to keep that client informed and feeling supported.
   
   
4. If you have time after completing your assignments for this Segment, try researching the question of "wrongful termination" and "AIDS" or "contagious disease" using Westlaw or Lexis just to see what you can find. It will help you get more comfortable with the layout of those research sources.

Alternate Film

• The Juror (1996) with Demi Moore and Alec Baldwin.

Additional comments will be provided at the end of this Segment.