Genria Nicole G.

Guzman
2020400217
Legal Profession 1E

Reflection Paper on the Film “Marriage Story”

The film “Marriage Story” is about a couple who is going through a divorce. At first, the couple
agreed to separate amicably and agreed not to hire any lawyers. However, upon recommendation of a
female producer of her show, Nicole hired family lawyer Nora Fanshaw. When Nicole first met Nora,
Nora did not delve right into the strategy, the technicalities or even talk about her attorney’s fees first.
Instead she made small talk with Nicole and showed concern after Nicole started tearing up when she
asked her how she was doing. As she gave Nicole time to cry, she told her that if Nicole hired her as a
lawyer, she would work tirelessly for her and that she would always be available to help Nicole except
when she’s with her children, when she drops off and picks up her children from school, as she too was a
mother. Nora asks Nicole what she wants and agrees to do what her client wants, with how to go about
their divorce as Nicole wishes to stay friends with Charlie. After confessing to Nora how she felt
neglected by Charlie and how she suspects that Charlie had cheated on her, Nicole is comforted by Nora.
Opposite from Nicole’s experience with her lawyer, when Charlie tried to find a lawyer, after getting a
phone call from Nora reminding him to file a response soon, he first meets with Jay Marrota, who upfront
tells him how much he will charge him if Charlie wants to hire him and even tells him that he has any
stupid questions to ask he should not ask him but instead ask his associate. Jay’s approach was more
aggressive and he does not seem to care what his client wants as he seems to be aiming at getting the most
out of the divorce and ensuring a win for his case. Since Charlie did not like Jay’s approach and neither
could he afford his seemingly exorbitant fees, he tried looking for another lawyer. However, he had
difficulty finding a new lawyer as Nicole and her lawyer had already consulted with approximately 11
lawyers across Los Angeles, thus Charlie could not hire any of them. With the help of his mother-in-law,
Charlie was able to meet Bert Spitz. After meeting and speaking with Bert, Charlie hires him as a lawyer
as Bert seemed to treat him with more compassion and unlike Jay, he was willing to do things Charlie’s
way, by making sure that the divorce process is not terrible for his client and helps him keep his client’s
expenses as minimal as possible. From this, it can be seen that both Nora and Bert are focused on getting
what’s best for their clients as well as satisfying their clients’ wants and needs.. During their meeting, Bert
takes Charlie aside and advises him to settle with the terms Nicole and lawyer are offering as it would be
the best option not only financially and emotionally for Charlie but for Charlie and Nicole’s son, Henry.
This shows that Bert seems to want to protect the best interest not only of his client but his client’s child
as well as instead of pushing to win, he would rather have his client agree to a settlement that would be
the most favorable, least expensive and least troublesome for all parties.

In regard to the film’s relevance to my course, as a law student, the divorce process that the
couple in the film is going through, the strategies that their various lawyers are taking in order to protect
their client’s interests seems relevant to subjects that involve family relations. The way the lawyers
handled their respective client’s cases and the way they try to get the best possible outcome for their
client, to meet their client’s demands, their zealous efforts to ensure that their client’s interests are
protected are also relevant when it comes to subjects that pertain to legal ethics.