It’s the story of con-man Frank Abagnale, the teen back in the 60’s who posed as a pilot,doctor,and lawyer while passing millions in fraudulent checks.
The part where he takes and passes the Louisiana bar exam. Didn’t that make him a ‘real’ lawyer?
In other words, is it the law degree, the actual time spent learning the law, or passing the test that says you know it that counts?
I believe that some states will let you take the bar with out a ‘law degree’ and thus you would be able to practice in that state.
However I’m sure that at least some of the information on Mr. Abignale’s application was fradulent and that (plus his later convictions) would get him dis-barred.
No longer, Zebra. Today, in almost every state you must have a law degree to be permitted to sit for the Bar Examination. A few states (such as my own Virginia) still allow people to “read” the law and get their education from an apprenticeship instead of a law school, but even those programs are regulated and require formal legal training, albeit outside a classroom.
To qualify for admission to your state Bar, you must in general 1) have a degree, 2) pass the Bar Exam, and 3) be of “good character.” Abagnale would not qualify under this paradigm, as he did not have a degree and was not of good character – at least at that time in his life.
N.B., however, that since all this happened in the 60’s, the rules as to who was qualified to practice law may very well have been different than they are today; regardless, merely passing the Bar is not the only requirement to becoming licensed in a particular jurisdiction.
(I agree with Zebra’s observation that Abagnale’s fraudulent statements on his Bar application would themselves be enough to prevent his licensing, even without the phony checks.)
–Cliffy
P.S. I have heard that in one state, graduation from an accredited law school in the state will qualify you for practice without having to sit for the Bar Exam.
Here are the current requirements to be admitted to practice before the Louisiana bar. How much they may have changed since the time of the movie I don’t know.
Oh, and if you’re really that interested and have the time on your hands this site contains links to the requirements for every state.
Sidebar: what does the abbreviation N.B. stand for?
I can’t see the link right now, but an English teacher used it and said it was “Nota Bene.” Trying to remember the translation - I think it’s just ‘good note,’ meaning it would behoove you to note this.
You don’t have to have a JD to take the patent bar exam. But if you don’t, you aren’t considered a patent lawyer, though you could be a patent agent.
SPOILER:
How about the way he snuck out of the airplane (near the end of the movie)? Did that really happen? Is it even possible?
I deal with these people every day as part of my job, I see more PhDs than anything else. No telling what degree, if any, someone has when they don’t indicate one with their name. I see more of those than I do JDs.
Hallo! ‘Nota bene’ usually translates as ‘note well’, that is, ‘pay attention.’ One finds it even way back in medieval texts…
As for Mr Abagnale’s escape from the airplane, he describes it in his autobiography as well, and how he managed…it’s a jolly good read – he’s got such a wonderfully understated, dry sense of humour that his descriptions of his experience in the French prison are unimaginable…and you’ll find if you read the book that his motivations are rather different than Mr Spielberg would have you believe…
This may or may not be a spoiler:
What couldn’t have happened is for him to see the World Trade Centre (the scene is in 1969, and the WTC wasn’t finished until 1973)…there is also no runway 44 at La Guardia…and I don’t think international flights landed there (runways too short)…I love www.moviemistakes.com (although lately it has become the pop up site from hell)…
No one likes to sit next to me at the cinema…dunno why…
cheers!
That would be Wisconsin. There are only two law schools (U of WI and Marquette) and if you graduate, you’re in. I’m not sure if any other state has this situation, but I think that there being only the two schools makes it much easier to handle.
JJ, the escape from the airplane was chronicled in the book and it actually happened. Abagnale (once again) was extremely lucky in that he was being brought home on a 707, and through riding the jumpseat of various 707s had learned about a way to exit the aircraft through a lavatory.
This could not happen today, much like the DB Cooper hijacking/parachuting could not happen. When someone figures out something like this, modifications are made to airplanes to prevent future occurances.
If you’re so inclined, I’d suggest reading the book - Abagnale is lucky to be alive today.
One very important difference about the great bathroom escape is that in RL there was no FBI agent on the plane. They were waiting at the gate. In the book he told of a pilot telling him how the toilet was modular and not even bolted in to the plane. You just ripped out some tabs and you could life the seat and holding tank up and you would drop into the lower deck.
I love the contrast between the French jail and the Sweedish (?) jail.
Here’s a second to the book. I thought it was an incredibly good read. The movie was actually a good treatment of it, I think.
Wow, and all this time I assumed that the airplane escape was “artistic license”. I’ll read the book.
Attorney wanna-bes in Wisconsin still have to make it past the Board of Bar Examiners. Getting the degree does not equal automatic admission to the Bar.