BREAKING AWAY

Legal Representation Activity

Overview of Activity Plan: How and when to seek legal advice

Suggested Time Allowance: 5-10 minutes

Outcomes: The students will know where to find legal services. They will also know when they should seek legal counseling and how to pay for counseling. They will also learn how to seek help if they think that an attorney has treated them unfairly.

Watching and Listening: Episode 17 deals with tenant’s rights. Before watching the interview together, the teacher should start a discussion about whether or not an attorney is always needed for tenant/landlord disputes.

Procedure: Separate the class into groups of 3 or 4 students. Ask them to "brainstorm" and try to think of times that they need an attorney’s help. Did they seek out the help, or did they simply try to resolve the issue on their own? What was the result of their decision?

Writing Activity: After the groups have thought of a situation, have them write a letter to an attorney explaining the situation and asking for his/her guidance.