A Study Guide for Teachers and Students

i
 Legally Blonde: Introduction

INTRODUCTION
This teacher’s guide has
been developed as a tea
who are bringing their ching tool to assist tea
students to see the sho chers
w.
This guide is based on Cam
p Broadway’s StageNOTE
Broadway musical adapta S, conceived for the orig
tion of Amanda Brown’s inal
that same year, and has 2001 novel and the film rele
been adapted by Sarah Dic ased
kinson for use within the
UK.
The UK Education Pack
is intended to offer som
and focuses on some of e pathways into the pro
the topics covered in Leg duction,
students and teachers. ally Blonde which may inte
It is not an exhaustive rest
production, but instead analysis of the musical
aims to offer a variety of or the
and practical exploration stimuli for debate, discus
. sion
It is anticipated that the
Education Pack will be
students have seen the bes sedd after a group of
production with their tea t utilise
informed discussion bas cher, andnd can engage in an
ed on a sound awarenes
the information provided s of the muusi
siccal
al.. We hope that
here will both enhance
provide readers with info the live theeat
atre
re experience and
rmation they may not oth
erwise have been able to
access.
Legally Blonde is an upl
ifting, energising, feel-go
we hope this pack wil od show and with that in
l be enjoyed through mind
enjoyable practical wo equally energising and
rk in the classroom and
drama studioo..

ii 1
Legally Blonde: Introduction Introducing Legally Blonde: Director’s Message

AT ION PACK A MESSAGE FROM DIRE

CTOR
LEGALLY BLONDE EDUC JERRY MITCHELL
INTRODUCTION Behind every great musica
l, there lies a great directo
He or she is the person r.
whose job it is to transla
CONTENTS PAGE the words and music of the te
writers into a living and
bre ath ing mo me nt tha
LY BLONDE t the aud ien ce get s to
1. INTRODUCING LEGAL experience along with the
characters. In the case
ector Jerry Mitchell of Legally Blonde, that tas
A Message from the Dir Jerry Mitchell. Jerry has
k fell to the multi-talente
d
Synopsis a
as actor, dancer, and cho lengthy Broadway CV
Definitions such hits as The Full Mo
reographer that includes
nty, Hairspray, and Dirty
Characters Tony award to his credit
for his work on La Cage
Rotten Scoundrels. With
a
Auxx Folles, Jerry makes
Broadway debut as a dire
ctor with Legally Blonde his
2. BACKGROUND Why would this talented de.. But why this show?
al System and well-respected player
in
The Origins of the US Leg want to make his directo
His tory had to say...
rial debut with Legally Blo the Broadway scene
nde? Here’s what Jerry
Key cases in US Legal
Legal Terms When the producers of
the show came to me and
only thing I could say wa askked
ed if I was interested, the
3. WOMEN IN THE LAW s YES! Why not? Elle Wo
the Law She’s a role model for odss is a great character!
Overview of Women in herself. She is a true mo
us all because she is
some-oone ne who believes in
s Ca se Stu dies dern hero. A hero is res
Female Lawyer forge forward, and not
dwell on the past. That’s
ilient. A hero is able to
Elle Woods.
SION
4. THE ART OF PERSUA guage I love Elle for so many rea
yer – Using Persuasive Lan sons, but I was drawn to
Thinking Like a Law in some ways, I feel a lot
like Elle. I live a very pos
this project because
Working for Change successes and failures, itive
but failures can be succes lifee.. Everyone has
yourself entirely to tha ses toooo,, if you commit
t event and learn from
5. ELLE ON STAGE more from a failure tha it - som meetimtimes you learn
Hach (book) n a success! She’s all abo
interview with Heather attitude about what you ut maain inta
tain
inin
ingg a positive
Writing her Script – an want to do with your life
c) thought that this story ma , and going after it. I als
o
and Neil Benjamin (musi ner Gregg Barnes who is larger than life
kes a perfect musical. Wh
en ou have a character
ssing her Up – an inte rview with Costume Desig , a character whose com you
Dre themselves is so strong mitmeent nt to a goal or to
– that is what makes the
m sing. They need passio
S in order to justify songs
that move the story alo n
6. FURTHER RESOURCE Theatre – and especially ng. Ellelle has passion.
musical theatre – has the
a message to people on powerr to communicate
an emotional level, so
with it. When people com that theey
e and see Legally Blonde y really connect
entertained, and there is
no question in my mind tha , I want them to be
But I also want people to t this shoow w is entertaining.
leave the show having lea
own self be true. When rned thishis lesson: to thine
no one else is there to
you, you have the pow guide you ou and support
er within yourself to acc
If you stay focused on omplisshh your goals!
what you want and wh
to things you never dre o you are, it will lead you
amed you could achiev
e!

2 3
Introducing Legally Blonde: Synopsis Introducing Legally Blonde: Synopsis

forms with the

However, when she per Paulette to half their
ma rching ban d and cheer property.
A SYNOPSIS OF entire UCLA Paulette is overjoyed
person al statement , and Elle is
team instead of a exhilarated when she
LEGALLY BLONDE y let her in! realises that
– the this is what law is really
about.
THE MUSICAL culed by her
At Harvard, Elle is ridi Back at school, the list
the University s. During her of Callahan’s
It’s Spring semester at over-achieving classmate interns is posted. Seeing
Cal ifor nia Los An gel es (UCLA). t cla ss, the me rci les s the
of firs
lta Nu sor ori ty sis ters are Cal lah an tell s his students on the list together, Warne ir names
r impulsively
The De Professor thrill of
the ir sor orit y president, hin g unt il/th e proposes to Vivienne in fron
t of everyone.
certain that that “you’re not Elle is shocked, but fee
soo n be engaged r onl y law !” ls much better
Elle Woods, will the kill /be com es you when she discovers that
her boy frie nd, the em inently eligible t Elle hasn’t her name is on
to Callahan discovers tha the list, too. Callahan ass
Third. The girls hom ew ork and throws her igns Emmett
Warner Huntington the done her and the new interns to
g Ell e the ir traditional ss. work on his
gat her to sin out of the cla latest case, defending Bro
Engagement Chorale r . a TV fitness guru accuse
oke Wyndham,
, Elle learns d of murdering
To make matters worse her husband.
rner. r has a new girlfriend, Vivienne invites Elle
to a
Elle has dinner with Wa that Warne
nt is per fec t. cla ssm ate Vivienne. “costume party”. But wh
en she arrives
The mome her two-faced
But instead ofo proposing, all of this is she realises she was the
only one told
Elle is the only member
of the legal
h Elle. He Elle’s only support through team who believes Brooke
Warner breaaks up wit istant, Emmett to arrive in fancy dress.
She stands is innocent.
Callahan’s teaching ass In a moment alone with
explains that t he’s going to rse , Elle’s Delta Nu sisters, out like a sore thumb,
dressed as a Brooke, Elle
And, of cou and Brooke discover that
the presstigious Harvard to app ear as her own Playboy bunny. As she lea
ves the party, they were both
who continue members of the Delta
Law SSchool next autumn . she runs into Emmett,
who finally Nu sorority
personal Greek Chorus in college. Brooke con
and he must marry
learns why she came to
Harvard Law. fide
that she was having lipo s in Elle
som
so eone “serious” in for the Hair Emmett grew up poor and
is working suction the
In her grief, Elle heads day her husband was
oorder to fulfill his life she ask s the stylist, two jobs while attending
law school. killed, and Elle
Affair Salon, where Double Delta Nu Sister
pla
p n of a career a brunette He convinces Elle that she
, too, should Swears not to
Paulette, to make her reveal the secret.
in
i politics. talks her out “get a chip on her should
er” and work
like Vivienne. Paulette
the y bec om e friends. hard to prove herself.
of it, and Callahan is furious tha
Hea
He rtbroken, Elle mopes s in Ell e that her t Elle will not
Paulette confide reveal Brooke’s alibi. He
he room eating Milky
in her left her and Elle stays at school ove tells “ratty
sa ex-boyfriend, Dewey, r Thanksgiving cor
Ways. Then she devise dog. break and Christmas as we duroy” (Emmet) and “Legal
ly Blonde”
r that took her trailer and her ll, and Emmett (Elle)
strate gy to sho w Wa rne and Paulette help her stu
dy. In class, takes
to get lost for the day,
so Elle
Get in to Elle impresses Profes Emmett shopping to upd
ate his
she’s “serious”: Step 1) sor Callahan, ima
p 2) who asks whether she ge. She then has her nai
ls done
Harvard Law School; Ste his very competitive inte
’s applying for at
the Hair Affair, where
w h her high IQ; Step 3)
Impress him wit rnship. Kyle, the
new UPS guy, appears
ng and knocks
The Wedding! Emmett and Elle help Pau Paulette’s socks off. Elle
lett and her Delta
ty their way her dog by visiting Dewey e reclaim Nu Chorus teach Paulette the Ben
d and
While her friends par and advising Snap, wh
ugh their fina
fi l sem est er, Elle works him tha t his ten yea r
dom est ic
ich catches Kyle’s atte
ntion.
thro
get s a 175 on her LSAT and relationship with Paulett
hard and t the
e is considered The
lica tion . Bu a Common Law marriage next day in court, Callah
an is
sub mit s her app .
and entitles impres
sed by Emmett’s new loo
O cers are unimpressed
Admissions Offi k, and

4 5
Introducing Legally Blonde: Synopsis Introducing Legally Blonde: Definitions

where
cession arrives at court, DEFINITIONS
n mo re imp res sed wh en Elle saves The pro Cal lah an and hire s Elle Sororities and Fraternitie
s, single-sex
eve Brooke fires
t the District as her counsel. Elle calls
student societies. Sororit
ies are women-
the day: She notices tha e and Em me tt UNIVERSITY OF CALIFOR
NIA LOS
claims to hav hter only (the name means
sisterhood –
Attorney’s witness–who frizzy-haired step-daug ANGELES (UCLA)
impervious Brooke’s sta nd. Chu tne y claims Fraternities are the ma
le equivalent)
been Brooke’s lover––is y to the Founded in 1919, the
and realises Chutne University of and most universities hav
e a number
to her Bend and Snap, t had her hair permed and California Los Angeles (kn
be gay . Em me tt tric ks him into she has jus her father own as UCLA) of them. Early in each academic yea
he must wa s in the shower when in the second oldest of the Sor orit r
ts that they ten campuses ies host events for new stu
dents
outing himself in court. was killed. Elle reques that make up the University
the scene of of California. in a week called “rush week”, enablin
g
the tea m re-convene the court at It is attended by around
26,000
Ba ck at the off ice , wh ere she dem onstrates newcomers to get a feel
for the different
, and Cal lahan the shower, she had
undergraduates and 11,0 sor orit ies
celebrate s the vic tory y’s alib i: if 00 graduate and their members (the
re
t when they the flaw in Chutne students every year. It
is located in are mo re tha n 60 Fra ter niti es and
congratulates Elle. Bu sho we red str aight after her perm, Westward, a neighbour
a pass at her ruined hood of Sororities at the real UCL
A). If a student
are left alone, he makes tment would have been Los Angeles. It is consist
ent
fire s her wh en she rejects him. the trea r wo uld now be stra ight. subsequently decides
to apply her
and Emmett and her hai
highly in league tables for ly ranked application
she d, and alth oug h dow n and con fes ses universities will be judged and voted
Elle is cru tney breaks to
in the US. Amongst its Alu on by
is determined Chu sho t her father in an attempt
mni it boasts existing members. If suc
cessful
tries to stop her, she tha t she nobel winners, import
to leave the course and a return to oke , and the judg e immediately ant politicians she will be admitted into the sororit
y
shoot Bro and lawyers, plus notabl
Los Angeles. e. e names such through an initiation ceremony.
dismisses Brooke’s cas as Francis Ford Coppol
a (director of Alongside the core value
the Godfather), Tom An of a support
The next day, Paulette in the trial, derson network, sorority memb
ership comes
Seeing Elle’s success (founder of MySpace)
, Jack Black wit h other benefits includ
and KylKy e’s romance r rea lize s too late that Elle ing
Warne (actor) and Nancy Car
twright (the accommodation in the sor
is blooming when e bee n per fec t for him. ority house,
would hav she
voice of Bart Simpson) financial support through
Elle arrives to rry him , and scholarships
He asks her to ma and networking with exis
say goodbye. cts him . ting and former
reje sorority sisters. The nam
But Viv V ienne is there es of sororities
are often represented by
and ack a nowledges arrives. Greek letters,
Elle’s graduation day which link to their mottos
that she was wrong clu des her valedictory speech . As seen in
She con Legally Blonde, sorority
abo
ab ut Elle, urging mett, and the women are
her
h to stay. with a proposal to Em often parodied, being rep
s are fina lly abl e to reprise resented as
Elle
E agrees, but Delta Nu airheaded and stupid – yet
ir acclam atio n of Ell e’s on to prove, in reality sist
, as Elle goes
on her own terms. the ing ma rria ge. ers are often
imp end highly intelligent young
Sh e ret urn s to women who
go on to excel in their cho
the trial in a pink sen fields.
Delta Nu is a fictionalis
dress with her ed sorority
at UCLA.
dog Bruiser
und
un er her arm,
ta SORORITY HARVARD LAW SCHOO
L
accompanied by the Del
Nus, the Salon o folks, Elle’s own If you drive through any Founded in 1817, Harvar
d Law School
students in American is now the oldest continu
parents, and her fellow University Campus you
are likely to ously operating
a grand par ade . see houses with signs
on the door
law school in the U.S. Con
sidered the
displaying Greek letters wo rld ’s pre mie r cen tre
. These are for leg al
the houses belonging education and research,
to the Harvard Law
is home to the world’s larg
est academic

6 7
Introducing Legally Blonde: Definitions Introducing Legally Blonde: Definitions

fea st, CHEER TEAM

g nearly 2 His tor ica lly a rel igio us nksgiving
t tha
HOMECOMING QUEEN
law library, comprisin commemorating the firs
Cheerleaders lead specta
tors at sports
um es. A stu den t like Elle rim Fathers, ma tch es usi ng org ani Homecoming is celebrated
million vol to be zed rou tine s at US schools
y luc ky ind eed to God in 1621 by the Pilg r holiday.
ere d a sec ula and colleges in late Sep
would be ver it is now con sid com pri sed of dan cin g,
acr tember/ early
nearly 7, 000 diti ona lly gat her together October when past gradua
tes
accepted; each year, Familie s tra cheers and stunts to dire oba tics ,
ct
ed and about and the we eke nd around take part in a series of soc return to
ial
applications are receiv at this time
towards their team. Che attention
erleading is
are offe red ; an acceptance busiest travel traditionally built around activities
800 places Thanksgiving is one of the
recognized as a sport in
its own right, a central
rate of about 12% . Elle’s decision and every US school and sporting fixture such as
a football or
periods in the US year. college has
ain at Har var d to stud y at this time a Cheer Team that will basketball game. Other
events include
to rem also compete
LSAT can t as her cho ice not to in its own competitions, a parade, a feast and the
crowning of
AT) is as signifi as well as in
on Tes t (LS Chr istm as. support of others. the Homecoming Queen
to reign over
The Law School Admissi return home for the proceedings (in som
by prospective e places a
is an examination taken tes
United Sta INTERNSHIP whole Homecoming Cou
rt is elected).
Law School students in the VALEDICTORY SPEECH Pro spe ctiv e Ho meeco
chosen school. dent commin
ingg Qu een s
before applying to their A the highest-ranking stu An Internship is a tempor
ary position
Law Schools In the US cla ss is typ ica lly given
are nominated by their
classmates in
Created as a method to give dua ting in an org ani sat ion sim
ilar to an
nts uniformly, in a gra cto ria n, and the ir
recognition of their con
tribution to
a way to judge all applica log
apprenticeship in that it
offers on the
tests a candidate ’s ic and the titl e Val edi to give the final
e is
the school (and often
because of
the exam tra diti ona l rol job training rather than just
employment.
range from ech) at the Getting the right interns
their popularity) and ele
cted by a
reasoning skills. Scores e sco re
ave rag speech (Valedictory Spe hip with the student vote.
120 to 180 , wit h an tion cer em ony . Tha t Elle gives right firm early in a car
rva rd is such a gradua eer can offer
of abo ut 151 . As Ha ech at the end of Leg ally Blonde valuable experience and
Elle is required this spe top contacts. TEACHING ASSIS STATAN
T NTT
prestigious law school, ind ica tes that she has graduated As a lea din g law yer Ca
llah an’s
T. The title Valedictorian In universities a Teaach
chin
ingg
to score highly in the LSA of her yea r! internships are highly priz
ed by young Assista
vale dicere law students wanting to nt is a graduate
comes from the Latin get a leg up studen t who assists
THANK SG IVIN G BR EAK say fare we ll”. in their career. ts a
meaning “to professor in their classe
on the fourth s.
Thanksgiving is held
in the USA. DISTRICT ATTORNEY
Thursday in November UP S
An individual elected in
each judicial United Parcel
district to charge and pro
secute those
accused of committing Service –
crimes.
a leading
SENATOR international
Co ngr ess , the US Pa rlia package delivery
me nt, has service, well knownn for
two elected houses: the
lower house, its brown truc
the House of Represent ks and
nd smart
atives, and the drivers dre
upper house, the Senate ssed in
. Each US State brown uni
is represented by two forms.
Senators.
There are 100 Senators
in total in
the Senate.

8 9
Introducing Legally Blonde: Characters Background: US Legal System

DEWEY ORIGINS OF THE US When the United States

wa
CHARACTERS Paulette’s ex-boyfriend LEGAL SYSTEM in July 1776 (having dec s formed
lared itself
independent from the Uni
ted Kingdom),
ELLE WOODS RUFUS Have you ever wondered
why
its leaders established
their national
en and Delta
UCLA Homecoming Que Paulette’s dog
lawyers are “admitted
to the bar” government under a doc
ument called
Nu Pre sid ent and “approach the ben
ch”? ‘Th e Art icle s
of Co nfe der atio n”.
AR, KATE, BROOKE WYNDHAM
MARGOT, SERENA, PIL accused The US judicial system has
its origins in
This document was the
first
Y OF DEL TA NU Television fitness guru
AND A BEV d the British legal system,
as do many of
constitution of the Un
ited Sta tes
of murdering her husban its terms. At the Inns of Cou and leg ally established
SORORITY GIRLS rt in the union of
LE London, 16th Century law the separate states
Elle’s sorority sisters KYLE BRENDAN O’BOY were ready to practice law
students who es into a federation.
But the Articles didn’t giv
ive ry Guy wh o’s perfect passed a e the
UPS Del symbolic physical barrier
– the bar – to
fed era l govoveernrnmmeentnt
BRUISER for Paulette enough pow
join the seasoned lawyer
s on the other we err and so
Elle’s Chihuahua side; later, the word cam failed to briningg the
e to mean the
III JUDGE railing surrounding the are
a where the
states to sololvvee
WARNER HUNTINGTON judge sat. The judge’s sea
t and hence,
national proobl bleemmss..
’s college boyfriend, from an upper NIKOS ARGITAKOS
Elle the judge himself was refe
rred to as
In 1789, the states
to be a senator l boy,
class family, who plans Brooke Wyndham’s poo “the bench”; to this day
the space
ratified the U.S.
s 30. to hav e bee n her lover.
by the time he’ who claims around him or her is sac
red, and one
Constitution, which
must seek permission to established three
enter it.
ELLE’S MUM CARLOS branches of government
Both the British and Am and set down the basic
Nikos’s friend erican systems laws
ELLE’S DAD are based on English Com
mon Law–
of the U.S. as well as
the
essentially the sum tota rights of its citizens.
D CHUTNEY WYNDHAM l of custom,
WINTHROP, LOWELL AN pdaughter tradition, and especially The Constitution seeks
to
Brooke’s frizzy-haired ste precedent
PFORZHEIMER over the centuries. balance pow weersrs,,
ons Officers assigning som
Stuffy Harvard Admissi mee to the
And…. federal govern rnmmeentnt,,
N and leaving others to
PROFESSOR CALLAHA luding UCLA
me rcil ess Criminal A cast of thousands inc the ind ivid ual al
Har var d Law ’s LA Ma rch ing Band
students, the UC sta tes themselves.
Law Pro fes sor . eople, salon
and Cheer Team, salesp
s and the
clientele, prison inmate
EMMETT Law cho
Sch ol
ool cla ss of 2009.
Harvard
g Assistant
Professor Callahan’s Teachin The struggle ove
verr
the balance of these
N
VIVIENNE KENSINGTO powers continuues es in the
rner’s new girlfriend, an upper class
Wa courts today. Under the
Harvard student Constitution, botthh the
federal and thee state cou
TE rt
PAULETTE BUONOFUON systems have as their
final
h a hea rt of gold court of appeals the Uni
A hairdresser wit ted

10 11
Background: US Legal System Background: Key Cases Timeline

n, and mob
- the highest selfishness, superstitio GROUNDBREAKING Congress may not prohib
States Supreme Court se it; but it also attests it slavery in
No oth er court or mentality to abu federal territories. Dre
court in the lan d. ght of the COURT CASES IN US d Scott was
its dec isions and to the ing eni ous for esi
power can ove rru le who designed
a slave who had lived in
the free state
re guide the Constitution’s creators, LEGAL HISTORY of Illinois and the free
the decisions made the icia l sys tem to ada pt to territory of
king the laws the jud Wisconsin before ret
lower courts and those ma e soc ial and technological urning to the
rpr eta tion of the unimaginabl 1692–Salem, Massachu
setts slave state of Missouri. He
throug h the ir inte e. had appealed
er por tion of the changes over tim The Salem Witchcraft
Trials to the Supreme Court in
Constitution. The low hope of being
a few of the An atmosphere of hyster
ia pervaded
granted his freedom. Com
monly referred
timeline below shows DID YOU KNOW?
Supreme Salem Village during the
summer of
to as The Dred Scott Dec
ision, it fuels
landmark decisions in is the old est
tory. The U.S . Co nst itut ion 1692, during which ove
r 150 people
the flames leading to
the American
Court his effe ct in the wo rld! Its authors
charter in and
were accused of witchc Civ il Wa r. (Th e 13t h and
14t h
tem of che cks raft and brought
ively cre ate d a sys into court presumed gui
lty. The court
Am end me nts exp lici tly
ove rtu rn
In the US today courts act rna te bal anc es tha t hav e effectively kept Dre d Sc ott .)
e Alte allowed torture to extrac
t confessions
enc our age and ove rse fro m gai nin g too
R), in the form any one bra nch and testimony that inc
luded dreams
Dispute Resolution (AD much pow er. Mo st importantly, they
tion, which and apparitions. After
19 executions,
1886 - Chicago, IL
of mediation and arbitra for allowed for the doc ument’s own very 1 dea th as a res ult of The
sa e time and expense
can sav r time. tor tur e, and Haymarket Riot Trial eru
pted when
t parties involved and
both the measured evolution ove the dea ths of sev era
l pri son ers , a bomb was thrown at
Governor Phips finally an otherwise
g ernment.
the gov Kingdom has disallowed peaceful workers’ pro
test against
ve theless, the US is a
Never In contrast, the United “spectral evidence” and
created a police violence and in
utio nal document. 8-h
support of an
ou ly litigious society, and
famous no single constit superior court to hear the
remaining our wo rkd ay. Eight anarch
es mo ve The UK is oft en sai d to hav e an cases, all of which were
us nds of cas
thousa constitution – dismissed. convicted of inciting vio ists were
lence during
thr
th oug h the sta te and ‘unwritten’ or de facto The eve nts of the se tria
ls we re the rio t. A fre nzy of ant
mo st of the UK constitution dramatized in Arthur i-la bor and
federal courts. Only a tiny although tte n forms of Miller anti-immigrant fears in
the populace
does exist in the wri res ulted
fraction of those in
play The Crucible drawin ’s 1953
g parallels in an unjust trial; although the
tem wil l eve r sta tutes, cou rt jud gments and treaties with the contemporary
either sys s. witch hunts prosecution produced no
evidence that
rt, as we ll as in unw ritt en sou rce of McCarthyism.
reach the Supreme Cou Pa rlia me nta ry
the accused men had ma
de or thrown
ory The doc trin e of
but throughout U.S. hist the bomb that detonated
during the riot,
local cases have capture
d sovereignty is the foundation of the 1803 7 of the 8 were sentenced
stit utio n, and so the to death
the nation’s attention and Bri tish con Marbury v. Madison dec by hanging.
on stit utio n can be cha nge d by lares a law
focused debate con passed by Congress unc
Parliam ent by passing new Acts. onstitutional
1896
issues foremost in the sometimes
(contradictory to the
constitution).
nci
Today this pri ple is
minds of the populace. to the UK
As a result The Supreme
Court’s power Plessy v. Ferguson
questioned, however, due of Judicial Review is est
the ers hip of the Eur ope an Union, ablished and In 1892 Homer Plessy del
Some of the cases in me mb the “checks and balanc iberately
cha ngi ng att itud es of the es” of US entered a railway carriag
timeline, on the page and the government defined. e designated
o no lon ger automatically for white passengers onl
opposite, are landmark judiciary, wh y. He had been
Sup rem e see Act s of Par liam ent as sacrosanct. born free and was one
decisions in US 1857 and seven-eights white,
eighth black
and yet
Court history. Dred Scott v. Sanford
rules that under the law of Lousia
African-Americans, wh na was still
t ether freemen considered black. When Plessy refused
t eline reveals the fac
The tim or slaves, are not U.S
. citizens, not to leave the white only carriage and
t US sys tem oft en
that the protected by the constit
s of ution and that moved to one for coloureds, he was
w the wo rst tendencie
allo ws arrested. In court Plessy
humana nat ure suc h as argues that

12 13
Background: Key Cases Timeline Background: Key Cases Timeline

and state’. helped build popular sup

port for the
thir teenth ‘separation of church
his rig hts und er the 5 play bas ed on the trial, Inherit Ko rea n Wa r. The tria
l has bee n
1995 – Los Angles, Califor
nia
and fourteenth The 195 Jer ome Lawrence and explored fictionally in nov The O.J.Simpson Trial
(the abolition of slavery) The Wi nd by els including
p to all) had ived E.L.Doctorow’s book The
Book of Daniel
After 133 days of televise
d testimony,
(extension of citizenshi rejected. Robert E Lee, was recently rev
was Vic The atr e. Lik e Miller’s which was adapted into jurors acquitted O.J. Sim
been violated but this Old a film. It also pson of his
regation and at the provided the inspiratio
n for James
ex-wife’s murder, despite
overwhelming
The decision upholds Seg arate but The Crucible, it drew parallels
stitution ality of the ‘sep Philips’ 2005 play The Rub evidence of his guilt. The
the con Carthyism. enstein Kiss. case inspired
will curb the with Mc national debate over the
rela
equal’ doctrine, which
n citizens k 1954 bet we en law, cel ebr ity, tionship
rights of African-America 1951–New York, New Yor and
for dec ade s to com e. Brown v. Board of Educat rac ial att itud es. Simpso
The Ros enb erg Tria l invalidates the ‘separ
ion of Topeka con
victed of wrongful dea
n was later
became the ate but equal’ th in an
Ethel and Julius Rosenberg doctrine and outlaws rac anticlimactic civil trial.
1919 exe cut ed for conspiracy ial segregation
1st U.S. citizens in public schools, paving
Schenck v. United States to com mit esp ion age. Their case was the way for
2003
of speech the partiality
desegregation in all are
establishes the likelihood highly controversial, and
as of public life.
pre sen t the pol itic al climate Grutter v. Bollinger and Gra
cau sin g a “cl ear and of the jud ge and 1963
tz v. Bollinger
its ma de a fair tria l almost Rules that colleges ma
y consider
dan ger ” as the tes t for of the Red Sca re
utio nal pro tec tion . (T is is
(Th ore and sin ce the Gideon v. Wainwright
guarantees a
race in admissions in a
‘holistic’ and
constit more impossible. Both bef defendant’s right to leg individualized’ manner,
replaced in 1969 by the Ros enb erg cas e, there have been al counsel in but not in a
of criminal cases. ‘mechanical’ one.
narrowly defined test y for conspiracy to
’) convictions not onl
‘imminent lawless action. ion age , but also for actual
commit esp 1966
no er defendants
espionage, and yet oth
1925–Dayton, it appears Miranda v. Arizona rule
s that criminal
hav e been executed. Thus
Tennessee ard les s of the ir gui lt or suspects must be informe
d of their rights
tha t reg
The Scopes Trial , the Ros enb erg s were before being questioned
by police.
innocence story
tea che r peg oat s wh ose
High school convenient sca 1973
John Scope pes agreed Roe v. Wade guarantee
to be arrest e ed and s a woman’s
right to an abortion in the
put on trial in order first trimester,
but allows states to inte
to cha llllen ge rvene in the
2nd and 3rd trimesters
a Ten nes see . Before this
case laws in some US
law aga ins in t states
prohibited abortion. Thi
tea chi ng evo e luti on. made abortion legal thro
s ruling
The cas e fam fa ous ly ughout
the United States.
pitted Clarence c Darrow,
a we ll-k now n law yer
1974
and civ il libe rta ria n, United States v. Nixon
against fundamentalist limits the
President’s Executive
Christian states te man Privilege,
and leads to Nixon’s res
William Jennings g Bryan. ignation.
The so-called “Monk o ey Trial” OJ Simpson
al Photo: Sipq / Rex Featur
es
spa rke d hea ted nat ion
r evo luti on, reli gio n in the The Rosenberg Spying Features
Case
debate ove Photo: Everett Collection
/ Rex
an ng of
ani
public schools, and me

14 15
Background: Legal Terms Background: Legal Terms

rriage” is not LSAT – In the US, Law

School
used, “common law ma Admission Test. The LSA to whether they are “guilty
legally recogn ise d. T is or not guilty”,
LEGAL TERMS: HOW all individuals in the US taken by
(and some
made at the arraignm
ent (the
proceeding during wh
MANY DO YOU – other countries) who wa
nt to apply to ich the state
CROSS EXAMINATION charges a person with
witness by an law school and is intende
d to a crime).
ALREADY KNOW? The questioning of a
other than the certain basic reasoning abil measure
ities deemed
individual or attorney PLEA BARGAIN – an
legal terms s on matters to be imp ort ant in the
suc ces sfu l arrangement
Here are some of the US one who called said witnes whereby the district atto
oun tere d in Leg ally Blonde, many wh ich the wit nes s has testified study of law. If you wis
h to be a rney on behalf
enc to of the state and the def
e in the UK n. lawyer in the UK you
will take a endant and his
of which are the sam during Direct Examinatio or her attorney negotia
ted wh ere there’s slightly different route.
You must have te a mutually
(we’ve indica agreeable resolution of
a difference). inal trial, the a law degree or have com
pleted a law the case, for
DEFENDANT – In a crim example, less jail time
ant is the person accused of conversion course. Solicit
ors in the UK provided the
defend defendant “pleads guilty”
ount of an then take a course cal
led the Legal to the crime
ALIBI – A provable acc the crime. or testifies against som
ere abo uts at the time Practice Course and wil
l then apply eone else
individual’s wh for a two year trainin involved in the crime.
it impossible e and testimony g contract.
of a crime that makes DEFENSE – The evidenc
e committed by the def endant to defeat the Barristers complete the
Bar Vocational
for said individual to hav offered Course and then apply RESIGNATION – A formal
e. rge . for one year renouncement
said crim criminal cha of ‘pupillage’. or relinquishment of a pos
ition or an
office; for example, “After
mpt or threat – being charged
ASSAULT – Any willful atte DIRECT EXAMINATION with assault, he offered
ict injury upon ano the r person and witness by the
MOTIVE – The cause or
reason that his resignation
to infl The questioning of the as director of the Peace
nt pre sen t abi lity to do so. d said witness
moves an individual to a
certain action. Foundation.”
the appare counsel who has directe
ate nin g the assault In a criminal trial, the rea
son why the
The individual thre to be present. TRIAL – An examinatio
defendant committed the
crime with n and
is the “assailant”. which s/he is charged. determination of issues bet
D.A.) – ween parties,
DISTRICT ATTORNEY (or whether they are issues of
law
ual working in the US state;
ASSOCIATE – An individ Essentially, an attorney for before and by a judge (an or of fact,
a partner, or owner. of the people PATENT – Something tha
t is evident d sometimes
a law firm who is not an attorney who, on behalf a jury) in a court of law
pro sec utes (i.e . initiates and or obvious. A legal patent
for an invention .
of a sta te,
– A cou rt att end ant ; an a leg al act ion to its gives the inventor the
absolute right
BAILIFF car rie s out ant to the invention and pro
in a courtroom clus ion) the case against a defend tects it so as
individual who works with con laws. to exclude others from
ping order, d with breaking the state’s making, using
and is charged with kee cha rge or selling the invention
the prisoners attorneys who for a period of
custody of the jury or There are also district
cou rt is in ses sio n. and pro sec ute for the United
time without first obtain
ing the patent
while the protect holder’s permission.
nm ent (i.e . the federal
States Gover
AG E – UK equivalent
COMMON LAW MARRI government). In the
ge not bas ed upo n leg al ns are the Cro wn Prosecutor PERJURY – A crimina
l offense that
A ma rria pos itio
with required ern involves making false
statements,
ceremony and compliance lan d, Wa les and No rth
upo n the agr eem ent of (in Eng the Pro cur ato r Fis cal or lying, while testifying
(making
formalities but Ireland) and
leg ally Sco tland.
statements as a witnes
s in court)
two ind ivid ual s wh o are in under oath.
eth er for a
com pet ent to live tog
l per iod of tim e as husband mer-like
substantia GAVEL – A small ham call for
con trac t of Common Law trum ent used by a judge to
PLEA – In a criminal cas
e, the “plea”
and wife. The ins
in 11 States courtroom. is the statement by the
defendant as
Marriage is only recognised the USA. order and attention in a
bia in
and the District of Colom
, alth oug h the term is often
In the UK

16 17
Women in the Law: An overview Women in the Law: An overview

that whether Delaware was the last

state
responded by legislating In Scotland the first wo
is a slave or a free person women to the bar. In 186 to admit
9, men Solicitor,
LEGALLY FEMALE: A or not a child Madge Easton Anderson,
accordance Barkaloo entered the Law Lemma
Department was admitted
will be determined in in 1920. In England the
BRIEF HISTORICAL tus (hereby of Washington University
in St. Louis, first women
with their mother’s sta to pass their law examin
nin g the cou rt’s dec ision). thus becoming the firs
t woman law ation were
OVERVIEW OF overtur student in the nation. Maud Crofts, Carrie Mo
She did not rrison, Mary
Pickup and Mary Sykes
WOMEN IN THE LAW training for a complete her studies but
passed the in 1922.
Women faced a battle in Carrie Morrison finishe
fes sio n bef ore the y we re even Missouri bar upon the con
clusion of her d her articles
fac ed an pro first and was admitted
For cen tur ies , wo me n to ent er it. In 179 2 Mary first year of study and beg
an practicing to the role of
cha llen ge in the ir efforts to allowed solicitor in 1923. Both she and
enormous her in 1870. Of all the regions
in the US, the Ma
fession . All institutions Wollstonecraft published had studied at the wome ud Crofts
enter the law pro of Women. In No rth eas t, wit h the hig
hes n’s college
law schools, Vindication of the Rights Girton, at Cambridge wh
of the law, namely the iod wh ere wo me n were viewed concentration of male atto t
rne ere they had
re under the a per been allowed to attend
law society and courts, we ty in longest history of male atto ys, the
rneys, and lectures, and
con trol of me n. as decoration and proper sit exams – but not bee
exclusive tral arguments the most prestigious law
schools, was n allowed to
marriage, one of its cen receive degrees. A yea
be educated the most resistant to the
admission of r earlier, in
the history of was that women should 1922, Helena Normanto
In both the UK and USA, nec ted the y mig ht con trib ute fully to women to the practice
of law. n was the first
con in so woman admitted to the
women in the law is closely until 1876 bar. A true
the women’s suffrage mo m vement society. However, it wasn’t women trailblazer, she would go
r, the al Act allo we d In the United Kingdom
an application on to be the
in its early stage and late that the Medic by a woman to be admitted firs t wo ma n to lead the prosecution
hts mo
m vem ent . to train form ally as doctors in the UK as a solicitor in a murde
women’s rig ckwell had was made in 1876, but wa r trial, the first, with Ros
e
e (British born Elizabeth Bla s turned down. Heilbron,
A women’s right to practic w Yor k and qua lified as Women were associate to be appointed King’s Cou
nsel,
sel y trained in Ne d with the and , as a cam pai gne
any profession was clo ale doc tor the re in 1849 profession, acting as
assistants to r on ma rria ge
l status. the first fem reform, the first British
connected to her own lega on to become the first
solicitors and barristers woman to be
s see n as the and we nt , and in 1912 a issued wit
A woman wa UK). In 1878 bill was introduced into h a passport in her maide
n
‘property’ of her hus h band practicing doctor in the parliament to name. She
all Uni ver sity acc ept ed women permit them to qualify in
their own
was also, like Elle, a
and the ownership of London Sorority Sister, an honora
in all its sub jects – a rig ht but fail ed. In 191
4, wh en her ry member
her pos ses sio si ns wa s for graduation application to be registered of the of the US wome
n lawyer’s
leg ally
a ove r to mo ve follow ed by many universities as a solicitor ass ocia tion
turned was turned down by the , Kap
ntry. However Oxford Law Society, elected off pa Beta Pi and Principal
him on her marriage – a around the cou Gwyneth Bebb went to icer for Europe of the
not Univer sity did n’t award degrees to the Court of
law which was Cambridge in 1948 Appeal. Here she was reje International Legal Sororit
y. Yet despite
u il the 1880s. women unt il 192 0, cted once these female
changed unt ostensibly the again on the claim that
A erican and Harvard Uni sity, ver she was not a professio pioneers, entry into the
African Am nation (and law ‘person’ within the term n remained difficult for
n ofte n sla ves , bes t law sch ool in the s of the 1843
women, Solicitor’s Act. The Com many women with the
high cost of
for Elle Woods in mittee for the training
have an early powerful school of choice not admit women Admission of Women into for articles preventing
nde ), did the Solicitor’s women of only
history in pursuing the Legally Blo as late as 1950. Profession was formed independent means, or
law as a meansa of obtaining to its law school until fight, with new private
to take up the wealthy,
enl ightened parents from
m. In 165 5, member’s bills entering.
their own freedo found introduced and reject
ed in 1914
In 1931, nine years aft
er
d for her Women in the United States Carrie Morrison had bee
Elizabeth Key, a slave, sue abl e to ent er the legal and 1917. It wasn’t unt
il 1919, with n admitted,
freedom by arguing tha th t her status themselves n their only about 100 women
ear lier tha the suc ces sfu l pas sin
g of the Se x had qualified,
should be determined by b the ancestry profession slightly and as recently as 1967,
rath er tha n Bri tish sis ter s. Be gin ning with Belle Discrimination (Removal only 2.7% of
ite,
i ) Bill that the solicitors
were women.
of her father, a free wh Iowa, women cause was won. The bill
finally
that of her mother, a sla s ve. Although A. Mansfield in 1869 in
an gai nin g the right to recognized that women
1662. The slowly beg were ‘persons’ From
Ms Key won her case, in te by sta te. In 1923, and therefore able to hol early on, as women ent
ered the
gin ia practice law, sta d public office. profes
Co mm onw eal th of Vir sion of law, contrasting
views
hav e ari sen as to the
ir rol e and

18 19
Women in the Law: An overview Women in the Law: An overview

US Supreme percentage of woman

law students
law . On one hand, has been suggested by advice on maternity/ pat
con trib utio n to the Rut h Bad er Ginsburg. In was 62.2%. There were
more women ernity rights
tha t the re is no Court Justice for both men and wome
women hav e arg ued rtly bef ore her trainees (61.8%) and mo
re women n enabling
is practiced a speech given sho parents to negotiate the
difference in the way law ina tion to the Sup reme Court, student enrolments wit
h the law balance
that the two nom ured society (63%). However between family and wo
by men and women - rg suggested that “meas , the rk with more
der s are equ iva len t and thus equal Ginsbu to me righ t, in the ma in, of women partners in law number support. Although many
battles have
gen ther motions see m firms was
ect s. Ho we ver , ano as we ll as com mo n far lower – only 23.2% and been well fought in the
campaign for
in all asp for constitutional concerns
women have ion . Doctrinal limbs too remain about how many women to achieve parity
with their
argument is made that law adj udi cat women leave
perspective, nce teaches, the profession after the male counterparts in the
courtroom,
brought to the law a unique swiftly shaped, experie early stages
tha t is les s adv ers aria l than the tab le.” Gin sburg has of their careers. In a spe the war is not yet won.
one may prove uns ech delivered
lished by men) tha t the Supreme Court
to the Association of Wo
traditional method (estab als o urg ed men Solicitors
rt of law and h ele cte d on 12th March 2007 to ma
of trying cases in a cou allo w for dia log ue wit rk the 85th
ner and the ion not previously anniversary of Carrie
declaring one side the win branch es, a not Morrison’s
oth er the los er. d by the me n wh o served qualification, Mrs Justice
Dob
considere that “research shows tha bs noted
t bef ore her . t the issues
resolution tha of gender equality in the
In an effort to find case law and legal
of a “win-win” e come professions still continu
entertains the philosophy n solicitors today hav es to present
tea d, wo me n hav e expanded the Wome the pro fes sio n tha n their a challenge today all ove
ins dispute far further in r the world.”
are as of alte rna tive tury cou nte rpa rts, Wh ilst the re has bee
law into twentieth cen n a ‘he alth y
tion, especially early e bar rier s of their own. increase’ in women tra
inin
resolution such as media stil l fac
ent and family but Law Society qualifying as lawyers, “yo g and
in the areas of employm Research by the British u only have
, wh ere it is not nec essarily 200 7 rev eal ed that in 31 to look at the attrition
law have an published in rates to see
riat e or des irab le to of sol icit ors on the that women are not rea
approp July 2006 43.7% ping the same
er. Similarly, a 9) we re women and the
rewards and advancem
outright winner and los rol e (57 ,24 ents as men…
to adjudication Women always have to
more gentle approach at everything to get there.
be exceptional
Why, if they
are equal at the start?
Do women
suddenly become inc
ompetent at
a certain level in a biz
arre and
unexplained way? Of
course the
answer is no. It is largely
due to the
culture within which the
y operate.”
It is the changing of this
culture that
the Association of Wome
n Solicitors
and other organisation
s are working
hard to exact. Their cur
rent
campaigns include the
encouragement of wome
n to apply
for more judicial appoin
tments and
equal pay in the legal sec
tor. They
also run services to sup
port
re-entering the professio women
n and giving
ice Ruth Bader Ginsburg
US Supreme Court Just
Photo: Rex Features

20 21
Women in the Law: An overview Women in the Law: An overview

FROM THE SCRIPT

EXERCISE: Discussion about the
ulus for a discussion
rmation above as stim curren tly wit hin the law WARNER
Use the historical info ly and Well, hello Marilyn! Loo
e faced both historical ks like you’ll make partne
r now.
obstacles women hav You’ve really earned it.
sio n. Que stio ns pos ed may include:
profes VIVIENNE
me in (elbows him) ELLE can
n lawyers had to overco VIVIENNE
only shake her head.
the obstacles that wome
• What were some of (disgusted) Warner, shu
t up!
the 1800s? VIVIENNE (walks off) WARNER foll
the law ows her. ELLE is alone.
had such obstacles in ELLE
torically women have TAKE BACK THE BOOK
• Why do you think his S AND PACK UP THE CLO
THES.
profession? CLEAR OUT THE ROOM
AND DROP OFF THE KEY
se obstacles?
n need to overcome the LEAVE WITH WHAT’S LEF
• What skills did wome T OF MY DIGNITY
has
female lawyers? What GET IN THE CAR AND JUS
T GO
How hav e thin gs cha nged for contemporary
• CHALK IT ALL UP TO EXP
stayed the same? ERIENCE.
st to THEY SAID I’D FAIL BU
sion to Elle’s own que T I DISAGREED;
Blonde, turn the discus
Thinking about Legally WHO COULD SAY THEN
WHERE MY
become a lawyer: PATH WOULD LEAD?
taken
had to overcome to be
the obstacles that Elle ...WELL, NOW I KNOW
• What were some of t in Legally Blonde ? :
seriously as a law studen BACK TO THE SUN;
?
rcome these obstacles BACK TO THE SHORE;
• What did she do to ove
racters / contemporary BACK TO WHAT I WAS
BEF ORE.
she not meet that other cha
• What obstacles did BACK WHERE I’M KNOW
N,
women do?
law profession? BACK IN MY OWN
have changed for current women in the
• Do you think things VERY SMALL POND.
Why or why not ?
LAUGH WITH MY FRIEN
DS
you ma ke if you could? WHEN I ARRIVE
• What changes would
WE’LL DROP THE TOP
AND JUST DRIVE
THAT’S FINE WITH ME
.
JUST LET ME BE,
LEGALLY, BLONDE.

22 23
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies

vote in 1911, they wante

d a woman in the Brooklyn public sch
prosecutor, and so Ms. ool system.
Foltz became
FIGHTING TO WORK, the first female deputy dist
rict attorney Nationa
In 1895, Ray became
active in the
for Los Angeles County l Association of Colored Wo
ARGUING AT WORK: . We are lucky Ra y die d on Jan uar y men.
to have much informa 4, 191 1, fro m
tion about
WOMAN PIONEERS Ms. Foltz, as she kept
scrapbooks
acute Bronchitis.
IN THE LAW that are being used by
a biographer CARRIE MORRISON
who is writing a book abo
TZ ut her life.
CLARA SHORTRIDGE FOL Accomplishment: First
woman to be
ale lawyer CHARLOTTE E. RAY admitted as a solicitor
Accomplishment: First fem in the UK.
ifor nia ; Dra fte d Cal ifornia’s Accomplishment: Firs
in Cal Clara Shortridge Foltz t African-
Law yer ’s Bill ; Inv entor of Photo: University of Califo
rnia Portrait Library American woman adm
Women’s er” itted to a US History: Born in 1888, Car
rie Morrison
Pub blic Def end state bar.
the position of “Pu sage, Foltz had studied at the wome
n’s college,
Long after the Bill’s pas
wa s cri bed her fee ling s as follows: Girton, in Cambridge and
had served
Fol tz
t des History: Charlotte Ray in the War Office and
History: Clara Shortridge I would have was born on Army of the
who had h “I coaxed, I entreated,
a single mother of five had the y bee n reasonable January 13, 1850 in Ne
w York to a
Black Sea at Constantin
ople (now
occupupations” reasoned
tried various “women’s beg -- not for a living, Reverend father who wa
s a member
Istanbul) during the Firs
t World War.
and could not suppor po t her men. . . I had to of the Underground Rai At Cambridge she had
tha
t t it but to be allo we d to earn a living.” lroad been allowed
family. She wrote paigning, the bill hel ped sla ves ma ke the (which
ir wa y
to attend lectures and
sit exams, but
was her five childre ld n who After much hard cam
in 187 7 and in the following to freedom). In 1869, she
graduated
was not awarded a deg
ree. Passing
“by their very depend e ence became law
tz bec am e the first from the Institution for
the Education her law examinations
in 1922, she
spur me onward in year, 1878, Fol of Colored Youth in Washin finished her articles and
stru ggle wo ma n law yer to be admitted to the gton, D.C. and was admitted
my profession.” The day she joined became a teacher at How
ard University.
to role of solicitor in 192
3. She married
between career and an family, California bar. On the suggested She applied to the law sch
g the bar, a fell ow law yer ool at
Ambrose Appelbe and bec
ame a partner
the dilemma of the workin fail bec aus e ‘her sex using her initials (C.E. Ray Howard in his firm when he est
). Although ablished it in
mother, is not a new that she would there was some commo Lin col n’s Inn in 193 5.
n but wa s cou ld not kee p a secret.” During one tion when the Sh e had a
phenomeno the jury “not university realized she
was a woman, particular focus on family law, reading
an emotional n issue trial, the prosecutor told
to her bec aus e she was they allowed her to continu
e her courses.
a pap er on the cos ts
of dom est ic
for Foltz. “I have lost to listen son ”. Ms . Foltz is Ms. Ray graduated Phi relations in 1931 and
m self that incapable of rea Beta Kappa in
the
on reform of
more for my invented “the public
1872 to become the first married women’s pro
gai
ga ned for the per son wh o female attorney perty law.
I have , in part due in the Capitol as well
as the first In particular she argued
for women’s
all women. n All the defender” as an institution
fac t tha t she her sel f suffered African-American lawyer
in the nation.
independence from the
ir husbands in
pleasure of my young to the airn ess per sonally. The event is immortaliz
ed
terms of income and tax
.
’s unf
motherhood I sacrificed the system ed ma ny poo r and Woman’s Journal, which in the
describes
for woman’s cause...” Ms. Foltz represent
me n titu te peo ple for fre e wh ile her as a “dusky Mulatto”.
In the same BRENDA MARJORIE HALE,
Ms. Foltz drafted the t Wo des
cas es we re year she opened her ow
n law practice BARONESS HALE
s stituting
Lawyer’s Bill by sub pro sec uto rs on the se
me nt. She star ted speaking in Washington, D.C., how
ever, due to Accomplishment: First
the word “perso rs n” for the receiving pay pos ition called the pervasive sexism woman to be
d for a and racism of appointed a UK Law Lord –
words “white ma m le” in the out about the nee tran
ena bling pub lic def end er wh o has a equal title the time, she was forced
to close her sferred in 2009 to the new
existing Code, therebre y practice due to a lack of UK
ivalent to those bus Supreme Court.
women to enter the th profession. and resources equ
port, of the pro sec uto r of such cases. She returned to New Yor iness.
k where in
With five children to sup ifor nia ’s women won the
1886 she married and obt
ained work
ate
a to pas s Wh en Cal History: Born in Yorksh
ire in 1945 she
Foltz was desper
yer. studied at Richmond Hig
h School for
the bill and become a law

24 25
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies

spectives Ginsburg worked as a

law clerk and
Cam bridge because we need the per History: Born in 1955 in
Girls and Girton College can brin g to jud ging.” then as a professor at
Rutgers Dominica to
that women Antiguan and Dominican
ts are human University Law School
and Columbia parents and
duating with a This is because: “...juris the tenth of twelve children,
where she read law gra are informed University Law School
. It was at she
class. She beings, and, as such, moved to Walthamstow
starred first, top of her uen ced by the ir backgrounds, Columbia that she bec London when
ss again in and infl ame the first she wa
gradua ted top of her cla and exp eri ences. tenured woman profes
sor
s three where she attende
d
n cal led to communities, Walthamstow School for
1969 when, hav ing bee l, social and co-authored the first law and girls.
ted her fina ls. For cultural, biologica school case She stu
the bar, she com ple n do have book on gender discrimina died for her Law Degree
from
bined work historic reasons, wome tion. In 1971, London
nt exp erie nce s tha n men.” she lau nch ed the Wo University externally at
Mid
For eighteen years she com ic work
dem differe Project of the American
me n’s Rig hts Essex
Technical College in 197
as a barrister with aca Civil Liberties was cal 6 and
of Law at Un ion (AC LU ) and ser
ved as the
led to the bar at the Mid
dle
and became professor DAY O’CONNOR Tem ple
ver sity in 1986. In 1984 SANDRA General Counsel for the in 1977 specialising in fam
ily
Manchester Uni woman to be ACLU from and childre
and youngest Accomplishment: First 1973-1980. Ginsburg steppe n’s law. She was made
she was the first woman to the app oin ted to the Sup reme Court. d down from Queen’s
oin ted that position in 1980 afte Counsel in 1991, the firs
t
person ever to be app r President black wo
she oversaw Jimmy Carter appointed man to be made so and
the
Law Commission where Day O’Connor her to the you nge
s in fam ily law – History: In 1981, Sandra United States Court of App st person since William
Pitt
proposed reform wo ma n appointed to eals for the the Younge
of hate for the became the first District of Columbia Circ r. In 1994 she was named
which made her a target rke d on US Sup rem e Cou rt. Born in 1930 uit. On June
o wo the 14, 1993, President Bill Clin as a Millennium Commis
sioner and
rightwing press. She als from Stanford ton nominated was als
ildr en Ac t. in Texas, she graduated her as an Associate Jus o a member of the
the gro und bre aki ng Ch 9 y and Sta nfo rd University tice of the Com mis
nsel in 198 Universit Supreme Court. During her sion for Racial Equality.
In
She was made Queen’s Cou and her fam ily settled confirmation 1997 she
t year. In 1994 Law School. She hearings, Ginsburg refu was elected as a Benche
r of
and Recorder later tha Jus tice eni x, Arizon a, where she served sed to answer the Mid
rt of in Pho questions regarding her dle Temple and received
a life
she entered the High Cou ted a rney general personal views peerag
oin as an Arizona assistant atto on most politically cha e in the same year as par
t of
as a judge and was app 5-1 969 unt il she joined the rged issues
Order of the from 196 s elected
(abortion, gay rights, the Labour Party list of
working peers.
Dame Commander of the In 197 4, she wa separation of Whilst
became the Arizona Senate. church and state, etc serving in the House of
Lords
British Empire. In 1999 she oin ted l jud ge and five years later, in 1979, .) or how she
be app a tria would adjudicate certain she has served a number
of
second woman ever to Arizona Court hypothetical
aking new she was appointed to the situations if they were government posts includ
ing
to the Court of Appeal (bre s. It wa s onl y eig hteen months before her;
kground in of Appeal “Were I to rehearse her Parliamentary Under-S
ecretary of
ground given her bac sid ent Ron ald Reagan e what I would State
Privy Council later that Pre say and how I would rea at the Foreign and
academia), entering the wa s ina ted her to the Supreme Court son on such
4 she nom questions, I would act Commonwealth Office
and in 2001 she
at the same time. In 200 t female ame its first injudiciously.”
firs where in 1983, she bec Her refusals, now kno
wn as the
became Parliamentary
Secretary in
appointed to become the s me mb er. She reti red from the the Lor d
ry and wa woman Ginsburg Precedent, has Chancellor’s Department
and
Lord of Appeal in Ordina yea rs of ser vice. reappeared was ma
of Richmond. bench after 24 in subsequent confirmatio de a member of the Priv
y
created Baronness Hale equ al n hearings. Council.
abo ut In 2003 she was made
She holds strong views G
importance RUTH BADER GINSBUR PATRICIA JANET SCOTLA Minister of State for the
Criminal
rights for women and the top of ond Woman to be ND,
me n rea chi ng the Acc om plis hm ent : Sec BARONNESS SCOTLAND Justice system and Law
Reform at
of more wo the Home Office where
the legal profession and
judiciary. In a appointed to the US Supreme Court. Accomplishment: First she was
in 200 4 she Black Woman charged with promoting
a new
Bar Reform Lecture years after
to be made a Queen’s
Counsel and
ted Chi ef Jus tice Be verley History: In 1993, twelve
extradition treaty with the
USA in the
quo rt of ointment, Ruth
First Woman to be appoin
of the Sup rem e Cou Jus tice O’C onn or’s app ted Attorney House of Lords. In 2007 she
was
McLachlin e the second
General of England, Wa
les and
of women’s Bader Ginsburg becam Northern Ireland
appointed Attorney Gen
eral by
Canada of the importance e ... the US
icia ry: “Th woman app oin ted to Gordon Brown, the first
woman to
contribution to the jud
st imp orta nt rea son why I believe Sup rem e Cou rt. Prior to joining the court, hold this office since it
was
mo established in 1315.
benches is
we need women on our

26 27
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies

• In your pairs write a

diary entry of “a day in
include an obstacle from the life” of this woman.
her professional life tha This day should
FROM THE SCRIPT in cap
t affected her.
. The entire cast enters • In your writing think
Wa rne r exi t we tran sition to graduation day OF 200 9.” Viv ien ne is at about where the obstac
(As Elle and ds “CO NGRATULATIONS CLASS this obstacle as well as le came from and how
she overcame
gia nt ban ner rea the obstacle itself. What
and gown as a overcoming it? How did
she feel? Was she cha
were the consequences
of her
the lectern.) true. And it nged in any way?
te: “To thine own self be
IEN NE : Wil liam Shakespeare once wro can st not the n be false to any EXERCISE PART 3: Point/C
VIV the day. Thou ounter Point Diary Entries
must follow as the night, lies to a wo ma n. A blonde • Having finished your – Creating Antagonists
e statement best app diary entry for this chosen
man.” I believe this wis we d us all, tha t being true to yourself character who is opposi woman, now think of ano
ther
, and sho tion to her in her life, and
woman. She taught me your valedictorian, Elle she faced/ or knows abo has contributed to the
obstacle
Ladies and gentlemen, ut them. This information
never goes out of style. information, so you mu
st create this character
isn’t in the historical
Woods! be a judge, a male collea you
ourrse
sellf.
f. For example they might
gue or an unsupportive
familyy member.
on the Wall
EXERCISE PART 1: Role the Wall as follows: • Take the same obstac
ole gro up dem ons trate the activity, Role on le you wrote about in you
As a wh approach it from the opp r dayy in the life diary ent
ry and
from osing point of view of this
resent the character Elle about moments in Leg new character (think
er, draw a figure to rep – so you don’t need to be an ally Blonde where cha
racters
• On large piece of pap era l out line different perspectives – ers see things from
uld just be a gen to write on for example Elle sees Wa
Legally Blonde. This sho so that you have room a tragedy but Warner see rner breaking up with her
as
the form large enough re, Elle . s it very differently).
artist to draw it. Draw figu
e of the figure. Label the
the inside and the outsid • In your pairs now wri
res, te a diary entry where
ernal influences, pressu about the female lawyer
.”
this new character is ‘tal
king
figure brainstorm the ext ins ide bra ins torm her feelings
• On the outside of the On the
Elle in the musical.
conflicts that affected ssures. EXERCISE PART 4: Sha
ring
tho ugh ts ass oci ate d with these external pre
and In Legally Blonde: The Mu
sical characters sometim
device of mingling the es use a theatrical
small groups. ir spoken thoughts wit
• Divide the class into h their speech. This
provided. particularly happens wit
hin songs.
ter from the historical list
them to choose a charac to com ple te the sam e, Role on the
• In these groups, ask m ernal
each group and ask the instorm the possible ext
• Think of some examp
Pass out large paper to the musical.
les where this happens
within
act ivity for this cha rac ter. In groups they will bra of the cha rac ter’s life,
Wall the facts
Since they don’t have all be.
and internal pressures. ssu res mig ht
e what some pre • You are now going to
use this device for the
they are asked to surmis characterss you’ve wri
about. The written dia
ries of the character’s tten
tagonists aloud in pairs. thoughts will be spoken
in the Life – Creating Pro ters drawn
EXERCISE PART 2: Day sce ne between two charac
nex t exe rcis es bui ld up to the creation of a e sel ect ed. •
The you hav In your pairs choose a
eriences of the woman character each e.g. Per
son A iss the
from your imagined exp Female Lawyer and per
their son B is the antagonist
character.
er.
ooks to keep a record of
n kept diaries or scrapb nto n bot h kept scrapbooks
In the past many wome ena No rma • Divide the diary ent
rtridge Foltz and Hel nting to ry you will be reading
into sections
experiences. Clara Sho resource for people wa that separate out the ma
ich are now arc hiv ed and used as a valuable in thoughts of the charac
ter.
wh Number each of the sec
m. tions. If possible Person
A (the
discover more about the female lawyer) should
re depth, have one more passag
e than Person
r chosen woman in mo B. For example A might
rting point to explore you rke d wit h in a larger group in have 5 sections and B
• Using this idea as sta hav e wo might havvee 4.
character that you women).
split into pairs (keep the story for each of these
ear lier exe rcis e – the re will be more than one
the

28 29
Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies Women in the Law: Female lawyers Case Studies

ding
ed passages, practise rea 2
n
the entry into the number
FROM THE SCRIPT
• Onc e you ’ve split up A, then 1 from B, the
approach – passage 1 from of
them aloud in a ping/pong on. You ma y wis h to redivide up the pieces (Meet Kate, Delta Nu’s
B and so Scholastic Chair.)
from A and then 2 from KATE
ether.
text so they flow well tog Harvard Law School?
of it. ELLE
formance and the shape I have a 4.0 average.
think about the end per mid dle and the end? How
• As you’re practising ? Ho w is it in the KATE
beginning Yeah, in fashion merch
What is the mood at the ce feels finished for the andising. What makes
final moment of the pie you can do this? you think
might you ensure that the
audience? ELLE LOVE!
h the class. I’M DOING THIS FOR LOV
E,
• Share your piece wit
AND LOVE WILL SEE ME
paring THROUGH;
EXERCISE PART 5: Com the
e time thinking about YES, WITH LOVE ON MY
SIDE I
en eve ryo ne has sha red their texts spend som ver sio n of eac h of the
Wh one
ters you cre ate d. The re should be more than Wh at differe nt par ts of CAN’T LOSE,
charac en them?
re the differences betwe is no right or wrong
female lawyers. What we em ber the re AND HARVARD CAN’T
REFUSE
highlighted? Rem torical
their personalities were s create stories from his A LOVE SO PURE AND
sio n of any cha rac ter here. When writer sev era l asp ect s) of that TRUE...
ver drawn to an aspect (or
ter s the y are alw ays ona nt. DON’T LAWYERS FEEL
charac ing or res LOVE TOO?
y find interesting, intrigu KATE
character’s life that the EVEN IF THEY DO;
g Scenes WHAT YOU WANT, SW
EETHEART,
EXERCISE PART 6: Creatin that your lawyer has to
rs ret urn to the original obstacle
• Back in your pai tise the action. IS NO EASY THING.
are going to drama
overcome. This time you IF YOU’RE GOING TO SW
ws ING IT
ne between them that sho
ters create a short sce IT WILL WRECK YOUR
• Using your two charac act, rather than tells it.
what happens and its imp SENIOR SPRING.
try to
the situation itself either YEAH, IT’S TRUE:
ter was not involved in day
• If your second charac lude them, or think of another moment in the
to FIRST YOU’LL NEED AN
amend your scene to inc It might be an unsupportive relative reacting
eg. LSAT SCORE
where they are involved t has on the law yer telling
tha OF MORE THAN ONE SEV
ident – and the impact conflict between your two ENTY FOUR,
being told about an inc where there is a clear
and find a situ atio n
them. Try
characters.
l at
do your characters fee
ore thin k abo ut the mood of the scene. How the mo st pow er in the
• As bef o has
changed at the end? Wh
the beginning? What has the end ?
shifted at all by
scene? Has the power
the group.
and play them back to
• Rehearse your scenes
beginning.
sheets you made at the
shared consider your roll racter thinks/ feels?
• When everyone has cha
to them about how your
Is there anything to add

30 31
The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer

Eg: a politician wants vot

ers
promises and highlightin to vote for her (and not her opponent) by makin
g her experience. Or a g
FROM THE SCRIPT his parents to let him sta tee
y out later because he has nager wants to convince
A LAW CAREER and trustworthy. shown that he is respon
sible
OW WHEN YOU CHOOSE
CALLAHAN (easily) ...N
BARK;
THE MOMENT YOU EM Make a record of these
different speakers on a
T JOK E YOU ’RE BOUND TO HEAR; You may want to create white board or sheet of
paper.
THERE IS THA students’ responses for
a chart [Speaker/Argume
nt/Audience/Methods] to
K.’ their reference in Exercis record
“A LAWYER IS A SHAR e 2.
.
PLISTIC AND IT’S DUMB 2. Get them to now thin
IGNORE THAT. IT’S SIM k of a time recently wh
JUST SOME. en they have used a form
LL TURN OUT SHARKS, persuasive language the
mselves. of
ONLY SOME OF YOU WI
(he smiles) • What point were the
y trying to make?
.
THE REST... ARE CHUM • Who was their audien
e for ce?
yers have to argue a cas
in many legal dramas, law their version of events.
In Legally Blonde, and of • How did they shape
vince the judge and jury the what they said in order
to
their clients and try to con e by using clear and persuasive language. In get their point across?
to ma ke the ir cas ar persuasive language
They need ses her ow n cle • How successful we
nde, Elle harnes rder. re they in their persuasio
final scenes of Legally Blo le for her husband’s mu n?
oke was not responsib langua ge to con vince
to demonstrate how Bro sua sive • If they were, why? If
we watch Emmett use per mies wrong. not, how might they hav
Elsewhere in the script dies and prove her ene e changed their argum
ckl e dow n to her stu speech in order to be mo
re successful. ent/
Elle to knu
different
courtroom but in many
sua sive lan gua ge isn ’t just a skill used in the into acc oun t the aud ience
Per
s of life . Effe ctiv e per suasive language takes
aspect
d effect on them.
and the speakers intende
ts to explore persuasive
es to encourage studen
Here are some exercis
language for themselves.
n ts to
EXERCISE 1: Discussio language ask the studen
ced the concept of persuasive ed in dai ly life.
1. Having introdu enc oun ter
in which it may be
think about contexts
Ge t the m to con sid er:
suasive language?
k of who might use per
• Who else can you thin
ke?
k they ware trying to ma
• What point do you thin
d aud ience?
• Who is their intende
to reach
speaker shapes their language in order
• What are the ways this
that audience?

32 33
The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer

FROM THE SCRIPT

FROM THE SCRIPT CALLAHAN (Smiling)
MY SHOULDER. Gotcha!
EMMETT NO THAT’S THE CHIP ON
D TOLD HER: OH DEAR, I FEAR MY CO
I HUGGED MY MOM AN MMENT HAS OFFENDED
.
BEEN GIVEN, …. HARD TO ARGUE, THO
WITH THE CHANCE I’VE UGH, WHEN YOU’RE TOO
N AS HELL! MAD TO SPEAK.
I’M GOING TO BE DRIVE
THE DAY OFF, YOUR EMPLOYMENT WI
THOUGH I CAN’T TAKE LL BE VERY QUICKLY EN
DED
OFF. ONCE THEY SEE HOW YOU
I JUST THINK OF THE PAY R EMOTIONS MAKE YOU
WEAK.
YOU R SHOULDER,
YOU NEED A CHIP ON EXERCISE 3: Voting wit
CO MM A, ELLE. h your feet
LITTLE MISS WOODS, 1. Before the exercise
assemble a set of statem
on which students are ents related to Legally
Blonde
Character likely to have strong opi
EXERCISE 2: Getting into are used to communicate
things like: “It is never
OK to repeat a secret”,
nion. They may includ
e
der n wo rld, ma ny different kinds of media ines, “An
In the mo spapers, websites, magaz
“It’s understandable wh
y Elle was never taken
ger is always negative”,
including TV, radio, new (you can also prepare sta seriously before” and so
on
a persuasive argument tements on specific are
as).
blogs and billboards.
d to 2. On large sheets of pap
nt media that may be use er write out five possible
respon
brainstorm all the differe Strongly Agree, Agree, Nei
1. Get the students to ther Agree or Disagree, Dis ses to the statement:
uments. agree, Strongly Disagree.
convey persuasive arg
3. Line these pieces of
they created together in paper in order across the
the stu den ts to retu rn to the list of characters n). agreement (leave plenty floor to
2. Ask of another one of their ow of space behind them and create an ‘axis’ of
(or alternatively to think around them).
Exercise 1 and select one
some 4. Read a statement from
that character. Imagine your list and ask the studen
er or a short speech as the bes t wa y for them stand behind the paper tha ts to vote with their feet
and
3. Ask them to write a lett abo ut t corresponds to their ow
the lan gua ge tha t cha racter might use. Think and targ et aud ien ce. n response to the statem
of ge ent.
ping in mind their messa text? Would it make 5. When they have settled
to express their case, kee m to use in the ir con on their responses ask the
media for the t? with them why they find m to discuss with the peo
ple
What would be the best conference? A radio spo themselves at that pos
a statement for a press ition.
most sense to prepare
tor? 6. Ask the group to sele
Or write a letter to an Edi ct a spokesperson who
y have the main points in sixty can relate to the rest of
the group
ing in character. When the seconds or less, and try
share their work, remain out how ma ny of them groups to join them. Onc to enlist people from oth
er
4. Ask for volunteers to ce to find e all the arguments hav
w poll of the audien e been heard, give studen
finished conduct a stra the opportunity to move
if them arguments have ts
we re con vin ced . changed their minds.
7. After the exercise hav
e a group discussion abo
particularly effective, and ut which arguments we
why? How did it feel to re
believed? How did it fee have to explain what the
l to change their minds? y

34 35
The Art of Persuasion: Thinking Like A Lawyer The Art of Persuasion: Working For Change

FROM THE SCRIPT

FROM THE SCRIPT ELLE has a LIGHTBULB
MOMENT, raises her han
DAY YOU’D LEAVE d.
VIVIENNE I USED TO PRAY FOR THE ELLE
YOU DID NOT BELONG. Your honour, I would like
to go to the bathroom.
SWORE UP AND DOWN JUDGE
G, Shouldn’t you have gon
G THEN I SAY I’M WRON e before the murder tria
l?
BUT WHEN I’M WRON WARNER
OUT YOU . Why do girls always do
that?....
AND I WAS WRONG AB VIVIENNE
(punches WARNER in the
bicep.)
ELLE
Speechmaking g to I mean, I’d like everyo
EXERCISE 4: Impromptu n finds herself needin ne to go back to the
bathroom
Like many law yers and public speakers, Elle ofte es on her gut instincts to
reli JUDGE
where this alleged sho
wer took place.
lot of time to pre par e and This I gotta see…. Let’s
speak without having a all go to the bathroom.
build her arguments.
speeches
nity to give impromptu
ts will have an opportu -ex pos ure partnerships.
In this exercise, studen var iety of low
entered topics in a
on a number of youth-c
be
r selects one partner to
to get into pairs. Each pai
1. Ask all the students
“B”.
“A” and the other to be
ow as a prompt.
of the possible topics bel
2. The teacher offers one • Fam ily • Dat ing • College • Driving
Vacation
• Friendship • Summer • Tec hno log y • War
dia • Voting
• Money • Food • The Me point B
ticular topic to B. At any
all of the “Pros” of a par of the Cons on the topic.
3. Each A begins stating in to exp lain all
must now beg tely
can say “Cons”, and A and “Cons” for approxima
between saying “Pros”
B continues to alternate
2 minutes.
B must
the partners swap over:
ounces a new topic and “pr os” and “co ns” again
4. The teacher now ann aki ng
rnates between spe
now speak while A alte
app roxima tely 2 min utes.
for
ten,
to speak and to prompt/lis
have had the opportunity tne rs.
5. Once both partners par
t students to find new
the teacher can instruc
ngs).
5-6 times (or for 5 or 6 groupi
6. Repeat the exercise
the
k together and discuss
rcise bring the group bac y find challenging?
7. At the end of the exe e wit h the m. Wh at did the
experience of the exercis king change at all in different groupings?
ma
Did they find their speech

36 37
The Art of Persuasion: Working For Change The Art of Persuasion: Working For Change

littering the had paid for his first we

ll. Inspired by
cigarette butts were Ricky McCalla – Froste
her hom eto wn. Since it his perseverance, his
classmates d Ice Inc
“CHANGE BEGETS beaches of
for the remains of joined in the effort, and
the media told
Ricky was a talented
young dancer
takes five years
CHANGE. NOTHING cig are tte to dis inte gra te, she knew his story, bringing in fun
ds for more
and choreographer fro
m Bromley in
a
e. wells, as well as equipm
ent to dig them.
Kent, who seemed to hav
e a promising
PROPAGATES SO FAST.” something had to be don
up campaign Ryan has continued his
work through
future, already in demand
from some of
CHARLES DICKENS Joying launched a clean-
on the Beach”. his non-profit organizat
ion, Ryan’s
the biggest names in the
music industry.
and dubbed it “No Butts
world change? ies troop and Well Foundation. Ryan
is now 15, and
But when he was shot
in the back of
When and how does the She enlisted her Brown
how eve r you decide ced loc al sch ool s, businesses, to date he has raised ove
r $1.5 million
the neck during a bungle
d carjacking
Whenever and convin
is populated ters to don ate labor and and built 266 wells in 12
countries.
he was left partially dis
abled.
to change it. Legally Blonde and carpen
ters mo tiva ted to have their cigarette butt “I’m just a typical kid
,” says Ryan.
De ter min ed not to be
def eat ed he
by cha rac materials to construct
rld – whether each entrance “I had a small dream, and
I stayed with.
decided to turn his exp
erience into
hand in changing the wo disposal containers for
asp irat ion s to run for the bea ch. Tha nks to Joying’s Everybody can do som
ething.”
something positive by
becoming a
it be Warner’s to the
d politician, or loc al bea che s are mentor to young people
at risk
US Senate as an electe initiative, the
the political noticeably cleaner.
Talia Leman – Random
Kid
of offending. Just three
months after
Enid’s desire to redesign the shooting he devise
alto get her , or the change Ten-year-old Talia Lem d Fro
system an was eager
ut in Pau lett e’s life Kids for to help the victims of Hur Inc, a music training pro sted Ice
ject to help
brought abo Madhav Subrmanian – ricane Katrina, violent teenagers esc
Tigers
but wasn’t sure how to ape life on the
through Elle’s support. do it until she streets, which he set
ed Madhav came up with her plan
for TLC -Trick up with grant
In 2008 the Guardian nam sup por t fro m the Pri nce
nex t gen era l 50 peo ple wh o could save or Treat for the Levee
Catastrophe. ’s Tru st.
As we app roa ch the one of the The pro jec t beg an in
cou ntry later in 2010, friends , Kirat Singh, Talia challenged thousa
nds of kids 200 6 and by
election in this the planet. With his 2008 more than 300 tee
with different hnol, twelve across the country to
ask for small nagers had
the media will be filled Sahir Doshi and Suraj Bis n set up completed his course.
change the nia change instead of candy
at Halloween
ideas about how we can better… year old Madhav Subrma
and the world for the t which works and con vin ced a Mi dw
est ern
country to do it. the Kids for Tigers projec
the bes t peo ple across India supermarket chain to prin
t 8 million TLC
and who are in hundreds of schools
aware of the trick-or-treat bags. She
ask
to make young people
happens in big cats. Governor of Iowa to con ed the
tact each
But change in the world dangers facing these
ere nt wa ys, and even if you es mo ney on the streets state’s governor’s office
to help spread
many diff Madhav rais
ugh to vot e you can ting poe ms , singing and the word. Talia’s origina
l plan, drawn
are not old eno of Mubai by wri
nge – whether 2008 he had in #2 pencil on lined sch
ool
still contribute to that cha selling merchandise. By
about things t two years. resulted in kids from app paper,
roximately
it be writing to your MP collected £6,500 in jus
cer n you , or foll owing in the fort ige rs.o rg 4,0 00 sch ool s tric k-o
r-tr eat ing or
that con www.kids
e of the you ng people holding hurricane relief
fundraisers.
footsteps of som
nge the world Well All told, the campaign
raised over
below who set out to cha Ryan Hreljac – Ryan’s five million dollars. Talia
and succeeded. Founda tion is now CEO
of RandomKid, an organi
d of the dire zation that
mental Ryan Hreljac first learne helps kids help others.
Joying Brescia – Environ d for cle an wa ter in Africa in his “You can do
nee anything if you put you
Campaigner away he took r mind to it,”
first year at school. Right say s Tal ia. “It mig ht be
n children old cho res to raise har d, but
“I have learned that eve earth,” on extra househ when you get worried,
the he discovered just remember
can do good things for $70 to build a well. When all the people you are hel
o took on a only pay for ping.”
says Joying Brescia, wh that that amount would
iron me nta l pro blem at the he we nt on sav ing until he
local env the pump,
en she not iced that
age of eight wh

38 39
Elle on Stage: Writing her Script Elle on Stage: Writing her Script

GOING BLONDE – THE What first excited you

about working
FROM THE SCRIPT ROAD TO BROADWAY on Legally Blonde?
OVERSEAS HH: The thought of Bro
I DID THE PEACE CORPS FOR ELLE WOODS adway was
ENID intoxicating and a new
UG EES challenge,
INNOCULATING REF Originally, Elle Woods exi
ste as I’d never worked for
MUD
T I BUILT MYSELF FROM the mind of Amanda Bro d only in
wn, who Broadway before.
IN FAMILY CLINICS THA penned the novel LEGALL
AND TREES. Y BLONDE
in 2001 and named her
THEIR LAGOONS heroine after What is your writing pro
I FOUGHT TO CLEAN UP the vernacular law stu cess like?
dents use to HH: It’s very collabora
ENDANGERED LOONS describe themselves to tive. I worked
AND SAVE THEIR RARE one another closely with Larry and Ne
– a “1L” is a first year ll to beat out
MARCH AGAINST law student, how we saw the story
THEN LED A PROTEST so Brown named her fict flowing - new
S. ional alter-ego twists and where the son
INSENSETIVE CARTOON “Elle”, and a cultural ico
n was born. gs might fall
- and crafted it together.
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE
EMMET & STUDENTS:
LEGAL TRACK, After making the leap
to the silver
BUT NOW I’M ON THE NB: Then, in terms of son
ENID (keeps going) ’S OUT OF WHACK
screen in the 2001 MGM
film “Legally thing, before the lyrics
gs, the first
BECAUSE THIS COUNTRY Blonde” starring Reese
Witherspoon, or music, is to
D TAKE identify the idea behind
VE THE GUTS TO GO AN Elle had officially broken
loose as the the song.
AND ONLY WOMEN HA The best songs are new
newest pop culture em
bodiment of ideas that
IT BACK. female empowerment can only happen at this
moment in
NMENT COME CLEAN, . After the the story. When you dec
WE’LL MAKE THE GOVER resounding success of the
film version, ide what the
VOTING GREEN, a sequel was spawned in important moment is, (wh
at decision
AND GET MORE PEOPLE 2003 chronicling
C WAR Elle Wood’s further advent or statement needs to be
ma
TO THE PHALLOCENTRI ures. So one
AND REALLY STICK IT has to wonder, how mu now) then you know wh de right
at your
ch bigger can characters are going
MACHINE. Elle Woods get? to sing about.
Once we have the ide
a, we look for
ion the right words, phrase
s or ideas for
nge – Discussion and Act As k the res ide nt blo nde
s on the
EXERCISE: Creating Cha them to sing. (For instan
ce, a bunch
nt, bra instorm with students musical’s writing team -
Heather Hach of excited sorority gir
cs as a jumping off poi (bo okw rite r) and Ne ll ls would sing
• Using Enid’s song lyri Be nja min
m. “Omigod you guys!”) The
n we try and
issues that matter to the (co-author of the music
and lyrics, outline the things tha
with her husband, Lar t happen in
they could make their ry O’Keefe), the song. Only then do
instorm of ways in which and they’ll tell you: MU we start
• Follow this with a bra munities.
CH bigger! writing lyrics and music
voices heard in their com
How did the writers of
Legally Blonde .
ht approach the challen
g a difference? How mig ge of taking a What makes Elle Woods
rs they face to makin well-known and loved special?
• What are the barrie character and
translating her story into HH: Everything! She is
they be overcome? a so fantastic
dancing Broadway musica singing, and I adore her... the mo
step in contributing to this l? We asked st positive
dent to think of the next the m, and got the ans
we r, and
person I know and alw
ays sees the
• Encourage each stu much more... bes t in oth ers and her
change. sel f. I am a
better person for having
writing worked with
some of the persuasive
to their local MP using wo rk or a charity,
Elle Woods so closely,
and I feel very
• This may be writing ching onl ine , join ing a net connected to her.
techniques above, resear nt.
g eve
organising a fundraisin

40 41
Elle on Stage: Writing her Script Elle on Stage: Writing her Script

with a smile
she wants HH: I hope people leave FROM THE SCRIPT
NB: Elle goes after what and hop e in their step!
or usi ng other in their heart
WITHOU T hur ting be a little bit more ELLE
som eone smart, I hope they want to JUST LAUGH IT OFF, LIK
people. It’s rare to find Wo ods ... E I’VE ALWAYS DONE.
o still thinks like Elle - LORD KNOWS THEY’V
pretty and ambitious wh E ALL LAUGHED AT ME
re than about you real? BEFORE.
about other people mo EXERCISE: What makes SHOULDN’T SURPRISE
She doe sn’ t jud ge people by s in the
ME MUCH ANYMORE
herself. of the cha rac ter
ns. She pro ves that you • Many ”
SHOULDN’T STILL HURT
first impressio a “ha ppy end ing BUT IT DOES.
being nice and play have
can succeed while still o they are,
is an idealist. because they accept wh EXERCISE: Status
generous to people. Elle are funny
es in thin gs like sisterhood, sometimes in ways that Legally Blonde displays
She bel iev n sur pris ing . how our status is informe
lov e. A rea list might or eve ourselves and how it is con d by how we feel about
friendship and aknesses
ferred upon us by others
gs to be we and treat us. At UCLA Elle through how they percei
ve
consider those thin k of people ’s status is high, living in
s tha t hol d you bac k, but they • Ask students to thin women who treat her wo a supportive community
of
-th ing are nderfully. It takes a knock
creates a whom they admire who but she overcomes this. when WARNER rejects
her
drive Elle forward. Elle sfu l and hav e fou nd a way At Harvard, though, her
nds (like Pau lette, Emmett succes work hard to raise herself status sinks low – and she ,
network of frie of wh at ma kes them up amongst her peers – has to
om she hel ps and to keep hold esteem. Her relationship and to build her own self
-
and Brooke) wh or s with EMMET and PAU
where she real. What challenges GREEK CHORUS) are imp LETTE (as well as her SO
RORITY
who, in turn, help her get dent’s ortant in helping her do
this.
obstacles has each stu
wants to be. had to face and how did s/he
person 1. Ask half the group to
se diffi cul ties ? observe quietly as the
gest overcome tho group is the first round audience. The other hal
f of the
What has been the big of players.
llen ge in tell ing this story?
cha e that they
ges t cha llenge is • Ask students to imagin 2. Each player receives
NB: For me, the big rke ting exe cut ives organizing a playing card that s/h
She’s a pretty, are ma to her/his forehead fac e cannot look at, but hol
making Elle an underdog. pai gn and they can ing out. From the highes ds up
wh o’s the a “Be Real” cam on the totem pole” – a Two t – an Ace – to the “lowe
sm art , ric h, thin , blo nde g in any sta rs they want to – the cards create a hie st
ive sorori ty. brin rarchy among the studen
president of an exclus service ts.
jealous of her, create a series of public 3. Give the players a set
My first reaction is to be cem ent s. Ask stu dents to ting, such as a supermark
But hopefully announ et or a school dance. Ask
not to listen to her story. of wh at the ir favorite to interact with each oth
er in players
ause in spite write a script card they are holding, and such a way that they can try to figure out what
she wins people over bec ’s per son mig ht say . If time allows, ask they also want to give the
for her, she scripts for hints as to what cards
they have. other players subtle
of all that she has going students to perform their
or snobby.
not catty, or conceited each oth er.
. She wants 4. After a few minutes,
She’s a really nice person pause the game and ask
the players to try to arr
to be you r frie nd. range of themselves from lowest
to highest (point out wh ange
• Remind students of the ere
ple the y mig ht fea ture in their who is 2 to stand, where
ple take away peo the Ace should stand). The you want the person
What do you hope peo ors , ath lete s, aut hors, they have been given and
the
y can only use the clues
Legally Blonde? PSA’s: act standing out of order. Onc y can’t “fix” other players if they see they are
from their experience at edu cat ors , musicians, newscasters- e an order has been det
ng smart is to put their cards out of
sight for a moment.
ermined, ask the player
s
NB: The feeling that bei the list goes on and on.
ng gorgeous
just as important as bei
that everyone that it is
5. Ask them how it felt to
and well-dressed, and • The form of a PSA is
play the activity, what clu
(ev en peo ple you might sweet”. Students can
other players, how did the es they received from the
in the world “sh ort and y feel about being watch
e they’re e in on one some of the behavior tha ed? Ask the audience abo
ut
dismiss on sight becaus use the exercise to hom t they observed. Was the
re anything going on tha
something to tha t is esp eci ally important maybe the players weren t
different from you) has issu e ’t aware of? Ask the player
r, and som eth ing to teach you. and the ir cha rac ter. and see what they had. s to take out their cards
offe to them How close did they get to
achieving the “right” ord
Where there any discrep
ancies and why? Again, er?
ask the audience for inp
ut.

42 43
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up

INTERVIEW WITH Blonde]... Through his kin

dness and
FROM THE SCRIPT GH.
COSTUME DESIGNER support, I did several sho
ws with him,
UN, I’M HARDLY THROU including Dirty Rotten
Scoundrels
ELLE LOOK, I’VE BARELY BEG GREGG BARNES on Broadway. This is
ANT BLISS, my fifth
I WAS LIVING IN IGNOR Broadway show.
ring to hair) THIS. How did you become
a
BE MORE THAN (gestu
TIL I LEARNED I COULD costume designer?
What does costume des
TO LEARN; ign add to
THERE’S STILL SO MUCH I was a late bloomer
in many ways. a show? How do you view
EARN. I’m from San Diego, and your role
SO MANY DREAMS TO to teach high school, and
I was going as a costume designer?
I CRA SH AN D BURN my major in To be a costume
BUT EVEN IF college was dramatic lite
rature. I took important thing is
designer the most
TEN TIMES A DA Y, some technical classe
s towards my to listen to the
to be a good listener...
requirements and found people who you
Y. I had a strong collaborate wit
I THINK I’M HERE TO STA connection to design and h. A clothing designer
WA Y. clothing. A gentleman nam
history and may be viewed as
an auteur, but we’re
I’M GOING TO FIND MY ed Robert kind of anonymous, bec
Morgan [costume design
er] ause our job is
to tell a story. I try to be
talk to the Masters studen came to a good listener.
ts, and my Som etimes you develop all the
teacher encouraged
me and said I but they haven’t cast the se ideas,
should go and talk to him
. Well, that be thinking of an actor. You could
conversation with him actress who is five
changed the feet, ten inches
course of my life. I went , and
to NYU (New four foot eleven inc then they cast a
York University) and got hes character actor.
my Masters So you have to be
in costume design. flexible, as sometimes
you have to change for
the actor, you
have to be fluid. You can
After I graduated, I tau ’t be too set
ght at NYU for on you r ideas. I always tell the
twenty years. I just recent
ly left. It was don’t fall in love with the actors,
really through teaching
that I realized be trousers tomorr skirt, it could
how to question both my ow (laughs). I feel
self and the like my job in this case
students: ‘What is you
r philosophy Blonde], is to be a [with Legally
and how do you create little quiet. You want
a character
through clothing?’ I thin
k I learned
mo re fro m my stu den
ts tha n the y
learned from me! (Laugh
s) I
a lot from having to com learned
municate
that daily. It was a gre
at platform to
learn your public person
a.
I wa s als o doi ng reg ion
al the ate r
and opera. I was the res
ident costume
designer at Paper Mil
l Playhouse
[in New Jersey], and
there I met
Jerry Mitchell [the dire
ctor of Legally

44 45
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up

shows You know the story wit

sciously you do, and it hin the first
brin g a sign atu re to it, but everybody subcon rac ter is sta yin g true few minutes, but what’s fish out of water. Then the
re’s Paulett
to how the cha interesting is world
lyricist, the HOW they tell it. The sto in the hair salon, which e’s
is
– the bookwriter, the to her sel f. ry itself is very differe
the inspiring. You know wh nt suburban group... middle a
cla
composer, the director, at I love about young
er designers le, who played [the character of] Elle, and sexy. We wanted a roc ss,
k star
choreographer, the oth The actor Christian Bor is that she’s a
the col lab ora tors and all the parts Em me t [on Broadway], woman who has it all, but look [for them] so we use
d all denim,
– all e mesh the character of
she’s so kind. every den
equ al. It’s like an intricat nat ural bodyline, You never see her pla im idea you can imagin
should be wanted to obscure his y tha e!
most thing. es him a] makeover She’s a real humanitarian; t card. Then there’s the Delta Nu
s, too, [as the
so that the story is the fore so [wh en Elle giv very aware Greek Cho
istian didn’t of all the people around rus]. Our story is about
did circ us shows, people think “wow!” Chr her. I’m not a stu den
In my pas t wo rk, I too slo ppy or unkempt designer who’s done a
lot of modern
ts, and Elle ’s a fas hio
n
as show and want to look dress, fantasy or histor me rch and isin g studen
t, so she
the Radio City Christm bef ore tha t, so we played over the course ical based. kno ws
sometimes a lot of input We spent a lot of time in a lot.
ice shows, shows where of many fittings, with pre-production.
no narrative. has suc h good instincts. My assistant Skye and
there’s no dialogue and from him . He I photographed The
jus t the se am azi ng feats! I did a people here in New Yor re are a lot of challen
ges for a
It’s k City, on the cos
and it’s very ’t we look Upper East Side. We tume designer specific to
the genre
lot of that kind of work, had friend in of mu
Leg ally Blo nde. Finally, we said, “why don rt from
get a shi Los Angeles who photog sicals. You have to build [co
stumes]
different from Inte rne t, and raphed people tha
know when on the at the Beverley Center
and on Rodeo
t are really strong. The
re are a lot
With theater shows, you you know the Roxbury School [where Emmet’s
get it righ t – tha t’s wh en we’ll put it Drive, and we had frie of quick changes. A lot of
fashion today
you character is from], and nds in Boston is frag
ple say, “Oh, I . So Emmet wears a
at Harvard, taking photos ile and disposable; slip
dresses,
it’s just a skirt, and peo und er a jac ket of what the t-shirts
n somehow Roxbury logo, kids were wearing. We look , especially when you’re
young.
loved her costume.” The technical t-shirt, with a ed at Vogue
s. The final thin g tha t we sought and those high-end magaz
ine
It’s funny, when you go
from a drawing
it’s more than just clothe cifi c
red ien t is tha t – wh en the audience a very spe Em me t is still connected the gamut. We would sho s. We ran to a 3-D, it’s not always a hom
e run.
ing w tha t w things to
nce and ideas out to sho and his home. Also he
Jerry [Mitchell, the dire There is one dress in the
show, where
brings their own experie t to his mo the r ctor]; we went Elle
wa
they connec e through a million ideas. The s picking up her dog, and
then
to the table too, so when Star Trek watch, becaus design was she’s
n just clothes. wears a e “ne rdy .” All of those a mix-master of a lot of diffe sitting on a rough texture
a little
to it – it becomes more tha Emmet is a littl rent sources. later
in the scene, and the
thought out. dress
cos tum e des ign things are very carefully kept snagging.
How do you thin k My favorite picture is from
up on 5th
ponse? Legally Blonde Avenue, a beautiful blo
creates an emotional res In San Francisco [where nde from the Sometimes you have to
How does it convey per form anc es] , some of the back, crossing the stre
et. A beautiful see
tion ? began its choreography works, how how the
em otio nal info rma tee nag ers would come lace summer dress. We the design
young girls and based Elle’s works
Elle has three sse d as Elle, which was thrilling!
first dress on it. I told
my assistant,
, and design a costume
that will
Well, for example in Act II, dre e with
she’s onstage re was one girl who cam
I wished we had a picture
of her from
different scenes where to hav e The inner
ole tim e, so we had s! It app eal s to our the front, and he said, she
was about
the wh eal in bunny ear
nt loo ks tha t rev of dre ss- up. seventy years old. So
it can come
three differe child, the idea from anywhere.
sitions from
different ways as she tran as she
als o do for
sce ne to sce ne, and sort of research did you
tion s into Ha rva rd by wearing What ?
Legally Blonde has thr
ee different
transi ally Blonde
color]. So the Leg vie one
visual stories. First the
re is the
less pink [her signature also hav e We ll, we’ve seen the mo
tly. But we ugh s) I had not
Los Angeles story, which
I call it the
outfit changes sub es! (La
vard clothes. thousand tim ‘Easter Bunny popped
by’ look; the
a pink slip under the Har sub tle, see n the mo vie , the first movie, before
y’re ut the movie
Harvard, a brown world
in which we
Little things like that, the this project. What I love abo
ce doesn’t nt leve ls it works on.
use d eve ry sha de of
bro wn , gre y,
and maybe the audien is how ma ny diff ere
t I think that ochres, greens, so she
looks like a
notice it right away. Bu

46 47
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up

is your own
We are always is in cool pinks. What different cities and contex
fit all of [those elements]. show? ts in
thin gs up until favorite costume in the As aud ien ces , as in life America. Main Activity: Buzz Groups
adjusting a lot of re’s a dre ss – I don ’t want to say , we are
The incredibly sensitive to the In this exercise, studen
the opening. ept that it’s a way people ts will explore
too much about it, exc look and as a result, get both extemporary speaki
dre ss tha t she wears ting the right ng – a skill
then we had trick – it’s the costume for characters that Elle develops and use
We drew it, painted it and wh en Wa rne r dum ps her. My friend at a specific
Legally Blonde – and
s throughout
their designs r, han d-
point is an important par
t of storytelling. the themes
it bid [the designers take 26 yea rs, Jef f Be nde
to assess how for dre ss. It’s a ver y simple
In our lives how we dre
ss is often
explored in the warm-up
theatrically.
to all the costume shops painte d the
it will take to be ma de] . You it’s han d-p ain ted. I love
controlled by the culture
s in which we
much to cost. slip dress, but
how mu ch it’s goi ng ing the sto ry, and grow up and work. So how
does fashion
1. Break the students into
discussion
determine the role it has in tell
made, half of ere nt people’s roles in it,
cha nge and how is it
aff ect ed by
groups of 3 or 4. Ask the
m to
For this show, half of it is all the diff
all over New Bell’s.
historical events and cul
tural contexts?
number off 1, 2, 3, 4. 1 wil
l speak
it is purchased. We went Jeff’s, Jerry’s, and Laura first, then 2, etc.
City , cou ture bou tiqu es in NYC,
York
Woodbury e outfit?
The following set of exe
Saks, Bergdorf Goodman, What is your own favorit
rcises explore 2. Intr
thin gs tog ether. ssed up!
fashion, clothing and app
earance and
oduce and model the disc
ussion:
Commons, mixing d to be dre
purchased. If I work too har its impact on who we are
from a
“As I ask questions I
would like
Usually if it’s modern, it’s tha t, I hav e a uni for m and it’s not you to share your tho
y get number of different sta
ndpoints. ughts with
it’s historical, it’s made. The ar sneakers,
impressive (laughs). I we your group. 1 will spe
ak first.
but you make your own. and a shi rt un- tuc ked. I won
jeans EXERCISE 1: Changing
Fashions/
Please allow each person
to speak
r, and I had to wear a - withou
for your a Tony last yea Fashioning Change t interruption - until I clap
my
What else inspired you s so har d! I spend han
? tuxedo and that wa Warm-Up ds (or use another sound
device).
designs in Legally Blonde my life dre ssin g other people up, and Then 2 will have his/her
s you – that’s ). Write the below three chance to
When the actor inspire est mess in the room (laughs quotes from speak, etc. (On the second
t wa y. Orf eh, the act res s playing I’m the bigg cul t. The hou rs are lon g, Legally Blonde on the question
the bes ry job is diffi board or 2 will begin first, etc.).”
, was a rocker Eve I love all the large posters. Ask studen
ts
Paulette [on Broadway] wh at she I work 7 days a week, .
I ask ed her I get to do with people
for two minute on Post-It to write
not
in the 1980’s – so inte rac ting • What fashion style wa
s appropriate
ed me by her ar unc om fort able sho es, I make responses to the three quo es their
wore then. She inspir I don’t we tes. In pairs, for your parents when
they
y tender, but wear those. (laughs)
ask students to share the
audition outfit. She’s ver and roll, other people
ir responses, were young? What did
they wear
gh edg e, ver y roc k and then share out. Stu to sch
with a rou dents may also ool, to important occass
ions,
bought a pair post their quotes on the
but in a playful way. We g from the Outside In boards to aid during their free time?
h-h eel sneakers, Lookin the next activity.
of vintage platform hig Elle Woods and her
, first thing In Legally Blonde
florescent green for her m to sor orit y sis ter s at college dress and • What are the most pop
ular clothing
wed the ‘Dye hair brunette to be
we found! When we sho the ir hai r in a certain style that is serious.” styles for young people
today?
nd, from when wear
Orfeh, she knew the bra very importa nt to the m. Costume design, What happens if someon
e wants
y didn’t make gral element “ ‘Casual Friday’ is not
they were popular! The is in Callahan’s to go against this style?
How are
d. I had seen as we have seen, an inte nde .
Blo vocabulary and you hav
the cut, but they inspire ) in a of the mu sic al Leg ally e to they treated? Why mig
ht a person
plays Elle part if you want to get ahe dress the
Laura Bell Bundy (who expresses both her ad.” choose a different fashio
n style?
w last year The character Elle
full workshop of the sho emotions and per son ality in her clothing
it’s useful to [Emmett tries on new clo • What influences how
– and watched her, and bot h celebrated thing:] styles change
son. Elle wears choices, and is “Think of the guy you wa and adapt?
know what suits the per it’s her and der ide d for her faith in her nt to be.
act, as
a lot of pink in the first ll own app ear anc e.
Laura Be • Discuss a fashion sty
signature color, and so le in history
earsal to get tumes for
wore a lot of pink to reh (anything not current) tha
t appeals
When designing the cos
into character. ally Blo nde , Gre gg Barnes spent to you or that you questio
n.
Leg
king closely at the
what shade of a lot of time loo • How do male fashio
From that, I could see ys tha t people dress in n styles differ
. So the show different wa from females?
pink looked good on her

48 49
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up

Read the scene aloud.

Sharing ions.
their small group discuss
a circle again to reflect on ELLE
Ask students to gather into If it’s impressing Callah
an you want, I can help.
more than one way to do There’s
that, too.
Discussion questions: EMMETT Ok. How?
emporary speaking? ELLE
did it feel to practice ext
• How did that feel? How silences that thought, pla
cing a hand over EMME
in your small groups? ELLE You can start by tuckin TT’s mouth.
or discoveries came up g in your shirt.
• What new thoughts EMMETT What?
s of opinion. ELLE
if you had any difference You look law school, not
• Please share with us law firm, Emmett. “Casua
not in Callahan’s vocabu l Friday” is
dress? lary, and you have to dre
thoughts on fashion and if you want to get ahead. ss the part
• What are your overall
EMMETT
fashion styles? Ah. So... shirt tucked in,
or not conform to certain problem solved. And ma
ybe with
• Why do we conform some teeth bleaching, I’d
e win the case. Or... Get a
lunchtime
er on what is appropriat facial and be made par
tner!
and adults so often diff ELLE
• Why do young people Okay, you’re right, you’re
style and dress? working for you.
right. The ratty corduroy
IS totally
EMMETT Elle, didn’t your mother
EXERCISE 2: Uniform? book by its cover?
ever teach you about not
judging a
Introduction s
ss code, and other rule ELLE
ool s in Eng lan d hav e a school uniform or dre artm ent of Chi ldre n, She did. But this isn’t a
Most sch the Dep perfect world: books wit
h tattered
at the end of last year from have a uniform,
covers stay on the she
lf.
on appearance. Guidance y enc our age schools in the UK to (beat)
ilie s stro ngl s to the “ethos of a
Schools and Fam it con trib ute
ny other benefits, Think people haven’t jud
stating that amongst ma ged me my whole life?
Think it
ps to set the tone. wasn’t a good idea to ma
particular school and hel EMMETT
ke navy my new pink?
she No, that was a good ide
a.
omes an issue for her. Can ELLE
thing that Elle wears bec atto rne y Elle debates I know.
In Legally Blonde, the clo ? Jus t as
k, and being a blonde l explore the topic of
succeed by wearing pin courtroom, today we wil
in her cla ssr oom and Discussion questions pos
issues t-scene:
school uniforms. • How does Elle persua
de Emmett?
Warm-Up: Scene Study the
ipt to the students. Divide • Do you agree with Elle
below scene from the scr ign eac h pai r or group ’s
Pass out copies of the y, and ass choices? Why or why not
?
groups to read chorall
class into pairs, or two • How does clothing ide
a cha rac ter. When not?
ntify the person? When
do people dress to fit in?

50 51
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up
e Writing
Main Activity: Persuasiv
pre sen t the following:
rt
On a large cha
School Uniforms
Pros Cons
into a circle. Have studen
Ask students to gather
school uniforms, as
stating a pro or con to
the ir com me nts .
und the circle.
Number off 1, 2, 1, 2 aro
an informal debate, 2s
1s write a Pro piece for
Sharing
volunteers to share their pieces. If appropriat
Ask for
ssroom with students pre
informal debate in the cla
er spe ake
as attorneys or oth
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up
Exercise 3 - Stereotypes
FROM THE SCRIPT
SALESWOMAN (evil)
Oh, blondes make com
mission SO much fun.
(The SALESWOMAN sw
oops down on ELLE, car
rying a dress.)
SALESWOMAN (cont.)
each Excuse me, have you see
ts go around the circle, n this? It just came in;
r or vol unt eer charts it’s perfect for a blonde
the tea che .
ELLE
Right, with a half-loop stit
SALESWOMAN ch on china silk?
Uh huh.
ELLE
But the thing is, you can
’t use a half-loop stitch
will write a Con piece. china silk. It’ll pucker. And on
you didn’t just get this in
because I saw it in last
month’s “Vogue.”
DELTA NUS (Sotto Voce,
delighted) OH MY GO
an ELLE:
D. OMIGOD YOU GUYS.
e and there is time, hold
ir pieces “in-ro le” I am not about to buy last
senting the year’s dress at this year’s
price.
DELTA NUS
rs.
…ELLE SAW RIGHT THR
ELLE
OUGH THAT SALES GIRL’S
LIES.
It may not be perfect for
a blonde, but I’m not THA
“Legally Blonde” has ma T blonde.
ny characters who have
each other, and much of pre-conceived notions
the comedy of the show about
expectation of where eac builds
h character may be com on the audience’s own
work in three smaller gro ing from. Ask students
ups for brainstorming and to
their responses using ma discussion and to record
rkers and large chart pap
er.
Each group will select a
piece of paper at random
paper is written one of the . On each of the three pie
three pairings listed below ces of
, though the pages are fac
e-
• UCLA & Harvard
• Blonde & Brunette
• Someone who is a “Se
llout” & Someone “Repre
senting”
The topics remain a sec
ret to the other groups
Each group is asked to until the end of the exe
discuss and list the attr rcise.
ibutes and characteristi
cs of
each item in the pairing.
Responses may be entirel
students are being ask y subjective and impressio
ed for nistic;
Once all three groups hav associations and not necessarily concrete fac
e reached a natural bre ts.
to announce their topics aking place, ask the gro
and to post their respon ups
quietly to see each pos ses. Ask the groups to
ting and to reserve com travel
if they have any questio ments until the end. Ask
ns about what they see students
Do they agree or disagr posted and seek clarific
ee with any of the points ation.
made by other groups?
Is there
52 53
Elle on Stage: Dressing Her Up Legally Blonde: Further Resources

lists EXERCISE 5: Creating Cos

s anyone think that the tume Designs
any thin g the y wo uld the y add any of the lists? Doe if it weren’t paired with
nt This exercise explores
might have been differe elements of costume des
eral costume designs studen ign. Through creating the
under each individual item to share briefly with the larger group the gen ir own
Ask eac h gro up ges the y may have
ts will explore how clothin
another item? any cha llen g characterizes an individ
ual.
conversation and
tenor of the small group Warm-Up: Character Wa
lk
fac ed as a gro up. 1. When actors create
up to their characters, they ofte
n ana
moments with each gro physicality based on the
discussions, spend a few den ts sta y on task and a ir character’s clothes and lyze and create their
During the small group help stu the following questions: posture. Ask students
n your presence will .
monitor their progress. Ofte their thoughts more clearly
gui din g que stions from you may help them focus mo n as we ll as any
few e in com How do people show the
at each pairing may hav e is meant to ir character/personalit
Ask them to consider wh ort ant to stress that the exercis
y in what they wear?
nce s. It is imp h gro up, ask students
obvious differe ns wit hin eac How does how they fee
are a range of opinio cau se for contention. l about their clothing affe
record responses. If there s any ct their physicality?
ord all of the m and to be prepared to discus ind stu den ts that the
to rec ed. Rem 2. Clear a large space
consensus should be not ion . Groups should not
in the room for your cla
Similarly, any points of t and con ver sat Ask students to stand, ss to comfortably walk
around in.
voke though ate and walk around the
exercise is meant to pro may be asked to illumin following prompts. Be room according to the
end their lists, but they tween each prompt, ask
feel that they need to def observe their own and students to freeze and
others’ choices. Encour
their thought process. their posture and gesture age students to transfo
rm
And it s using their imaginatio
thine own self be true. n and whole body.
peare once wrote: “To e to any ma n.” I believe
Vivienne: William Shakes the n be fals • Walk like a person
day. Thou canst not who is wearing their fav
must follow as the night, the lies to a woman. A blonde woman. She taught orite outfit.
wis e sta tem ent bes t app le.
this lf never goes out of sty • Walk like a person
that being true to yourse ! who is not comfortable
me, and showed us all, rian , Elle Wo ods in their outfit.
your valedicto
Ladies and gentlemen, • Walk like a person
on their way to an intervie
w.
Appearances nt
EXERCISE 4 : Judging on mbers about how importa • Walk like how you
h friends and/or family me s an ind ivid ual have to imagine yourself in the
future.
Have a conversation wit ility doe
m. How much responsib y can recall an instance
appearances are to the her appearance? Can the • Walk like you have
others per ceive his/ they discovered that on your dream outfit.
control how neg ativ ely , wh en
ed, positively or y exp ected their behavior
when they were surpris wh at the • Walk like you are in
earance did not match reality different? After the your favourite fancy dre
someone’s physical app ected and how was the
ss costume.
like. Wh at had the y exp orta nt points that were
to be most imp After the activity discus
a brief summary of the s with students about the
conversation, write up ir experience of the exe
rcise.
s said.
discussed and what wa • What choices and
discoveries did you ma
ke?
• How do you think clothe
s make, or don’t make,
the person?
• How do clothes (and how
we feel about them) change
our physicality? Why?

54 55
Legally Blonde: Further Resources Legally Blonde: Further Resources

Design
LEGALLY BLONDE – Johnson, Donald Clay
Main Activity: Costume large- and Helen
the musical in either a
h the stu den ts the two quotes from Bra dle y Fos ter. Dre ss
Se nse :
1. Discuss wit
FURTHER RESOURCES
small groups. Emotional and Sensory
Experiences
group discussion, or in FILMS: of the Body and Clothe
s.
Legally Blonde, direct Berg Publishers, 2007.
gs: ed by Robert
Elle’s friend Margot sin Luketic, starring Reese
Witherspoon.
TE IN CLOTHES! Released by MGM, 200
1.
Lawrence, Jerome and
GOT SUCH GREAT TAS Lee, Robert E.
“CAUSE YOU’VE BOTH Inherit the Wind. Mass
Market, 2005
Legally Blonde II: Red
POSE!!!” , White and
OF COURSE HE WILL PRO Blonde, directed by Cha
rles Herman-
Lucia, Cynthia. Framing Fem
ale Lawyers:
Women on Trial in Film
ate his wardrobe: Wurmfeld, starring Reese
Witherspoon. . University of
after she helps him upd Texas Press, 2005
Later, Elle tells Emmett, Released by MGM, 200
3.
Valley Girl, directed by Lynch, Annette and Mit
“THE OUTSIDE IS NEW Martha chell
Changing Fashion: A Critical Strauss.
,
Coolidge, starring Nichol
as Cage and Intr
WHAT’S ALREADY IN YOU Deborah Foreman. Rel to Trend Analysis and Cul oduction
tural
BUT NOW IT REFLECTS eased by
MGM, 1983. Meaning. Berg Publish
ers, 2007.
T IF I WANTED TO.”
COULDN’T CHANGE THA Unzipped, directed by Dou Miller, Arthur. The Crucib
glas Keene, le. Penguin
Modern Classics 2000
re their thoughts. starring Isaac Mizrahi.
Released by
• Ask students to sha Miramax, 1995.
design
rent elements of costume Mossman, Mary Jane.
to brainstorm what the diffe cho ice s, colors , plot point/ The First
2. In pairs, ask students Women Lawyers: A Com
– eac h pai r sho uld identify at least three (fabric (if you hav e acc ess BOOKS AND PLAYS: parative
are boa rd. Study of Gender, Law And
Write these criteria on the visu al prompts).
Editors of Phaidon Press. the Legal
event, mood, theme, etc.). might be use ful as Professions. Hart Pub,
e design these The Fashion Book. Phaido
n Press, 1998. 2006.
to any pictures of costum
wing
themselves, through dra Adler, Sue. Baroness Pat Normanton, Helena. Eve
ryday Law
No w ask stu den ts to act as costume designers ing pro mp ts: ricia Scotland
3. ow QC: Peer, Barrister, Jun for Women. Nicholson
and
three outfits with the foll ior Minister
or sketching their own (Black Profiles). Tamarin Watson,1932
d Books 2001
able for you now.
1) An outfit that is comfort Brown, Amanda. Legally
Blonde.
Philips, James. The Rub
enstein Kiss,
yourself in the future. Time Warner Paperback Methuen Modern Plays,
2006
am of... or how you see s, 2003.
2) An outfit that you dre
Russell, Willy. Educating
riate for a job interview.
Brown, Amanda. Elle Wo
ods: Blonde Rita:
3) An outfit that is approp Love (Legally Elle Woods).
Hyperion, 2007.
A Comedy. A&C Black,
2001.
n three, Watson, Linda. 20th Cen
Sharing and Discussio t’s favorite sketch (or all
Brown, Amanda. Elle Wo
ods: Vote tury
ting the ass ignment, hang each studen y” format around the 100 Years of Style by Dec Fashion:
ade and
After comple ss) in a “ga ller Blonde. Hyperion, 2006.
and individual cla rk. Designer, in Associatio
depending on the space observe each other’s wo n with Vogue.
ts on a “gallery walk” to Gregory, Mollie. Wome
n Who Run
Firefly Books, 2004.
classroom. Guide studen
? the Show: How a Brillia
ilarities did you notice nt and
sio n que stio ns pos t-gallery walk: What sim municate through our Creative New Generation Wollstonecraft, Mary. A
Vindication
Discus we com of Women
differences? What do a style Stormed Hollywood. St. of the Rights of Women.
Where there any/many clo thin g cho ices? If someone choose Martin’s
oug h our vie we d? Is conformity Griffin, 2003. Penguin Classics 2004
choice of color? Thr is tha t
mon, not the norm, how
that is not the most com important?
nt? Wh y or wh y not? Is non-conformity
importa

56 57
Legally Blonde: Further Resources Legally Blonde: Further Resources

Solicitors: StageNOTES
Association of Women
MUSIC: olic itor s.o rg.uk/ A FIELD GUIDE FOR TEA
CHERS
sical Original www.womens
Legally Blonde: The Mu
Cast Record ing , 2007 society.org.uk A Camp Broadway LLC
Publication
Law Society: www.law
Motion w. Publisher: Susan E. Lee
Legally Blonde: Original The Women’s Library: ww
M, 2001 me t.ac .uk /the wo menslibrary/
Picture Soundtrack, A& lon don Associate Editors: Rho
na Silverbush
WEBSITES: Harvard Law School Art Director: Joseph M.
for Pisarchick
The official UK website www.law.harvard.edu
sical
Legally Blonde: The Mu Contributors:
usical.co.uk Kids for Tigers:
www.legallyblondethem
www.kidsfortigers.org Judith Bendewald, Ma
Legally riana Elder, Alexandra
Lópezz
The official website for – Interview
: The Mu sic al on Broadway Fashion of Legally Blonde
Blonde ign er Sophie de
Sherri Marton, Shanno
llyb lon det hem usical.com wit h film costum e des n Morrison, Karina Naum
er
www.lega nz/article/573
Rakoff: www.thread.co. Sami Plotkin, Alexia Ver
non
-the- scenes
For a wonderful behind Beauty
out Legally Blonde Style and For Legally Blonde The
look at the show, check yle.co.uk/ Musical UK:
e Roa d to Bro adw ay” : Page www.stealtheirst
“Th
roa dw ay. com /ge n/g eneral. movies/Legally%20look
Jerry Mitchell Director/C
www.b horeographer
aspx?ci=5400 70
Heather Hach Book Wr
iter
Laurence O’Keefe Music
and Lyrics
Nell Benjamin Lyrics and
Music
David Rockwell Scenic
Designer
Gregg Barnes Costume
Designer
Kenneth Posner Lightin
g Designer
Paul Miller Lighting Des
igner
Acme Sound Partners
Sound Designer
Christophe Jahnke Orc
hestrations

58 59