A brilliant young man with no law degree starts working at a top New York firm under its star lawyer, relying on a photographic memory and quick wit to survive in a world built on credentials.
Watch with your teacher. Don't worry about understanding everything the first time.
Section 1
Warm-Up
Before you watch — talk with your teacher
💼
Do you think talent and intelligence can ever make up for not having the "right" qualifications on paper? Why or why not?
Section 2
Vocabulary
Words from the episode
A sharp, fast-talking lawyer at a prestigious New York firm is famous for closing deals nobody else can. When he unexpectedly hires a young man with no law degree but an extraordinary memory, both of them have to rely on confidence, quick thinking, and a little bit of bluffing to survive.
M — Meaning
Read each sentence. Choose the best meaning for the highlighted word.
1. In sales, she's known as the office's best closer.
2. As a junior associate, he had to work long hours at the firm.
3. She used her connections as leverage to get a better deal.
4. He tried to bluff his way through the negotiation, even though he had a weak position.
5. At only twelve years old, she was already considered a musical prodigy.
6. The witness gave a deposition before the trial even began.
7. The court issued a subpoena requiring the company to hand over its documents.
8. Despite the pressure, she refused to compromise her integrity.
P — Pronunciation
Click each word to hear it. Tap i to learn more.
closeriPronunciation tipStress on the first syllable: CLO-ser, not "clo-SER."/ˈkloʊ.zər/nounsomeone who successfully finalizes deals or agreements
associateiNotePronunciation changes slightly as a noun vs. as a verb (to associate)./əˈsoʊ.si.ət/nouna lower-ranking lawyer working under senior partners
leverageiCommon phrase"to use something as leverage" = to use it to gain an advantage./ˈlɛv.ər.ɪdʒ/nounan advantage that gives someone power or influence
bluffiCommon phrase"call someone's bluff" = to challenge them, suspecting they're not telling the truth./blʌf/verb / nounto pretend to be confident or powerful in order to deceive someone
prodigyiCommon phrase"child prodigy" = a very young person with adult-level talent./ˈprɑː.də.dʒi/nouna young person with extraordinary talent
depositioniWord familydepose (verb) → deposition (noun)/ˌdɛp.əˈzɪʃ.ən/nounformal testimony recorded outside of court
subpoenaiSpelling tipTricky spelling — pronounced "suh-PEE-nuh," not how it looks./səˈpiː.nə/nouna legal order demanding someone provide testimony or evidence
integrityiRelated wordintegrity shares a root with integer — the idea of being "whole" or "complete."/ɪnˈtɛɡ.rə.ti/nounthe quality of being honest and having strong moral principles
F — Form/Fill: Fill in the Gaps
Click a word from the bank, then click the blank.
1.Everyone in the office admired him as the firm's best ___________.
2.As a new ___________, she had to prove herself quickly.
3.He used his knowledge of the case as ___________ during negotiations.
4.She decided to ___________ and act confident, even though she had no real evidence.
5.He was treated like a ___________ after passing every exam with perfect scores.
6.The lawyers scheduled a ___________ to record the witness's statement.
7.The judge issued a ___________ ordering the company to release its files.
8.Even under pressure, she never compromised her ___________.
Word Bank
U — Use
Answer with your teacher, using the word in your response.
1
Do you think being a good closer in business requires more confidence or more honesty?
2
If you started as an associate at a demanding company, what would worry you the most?
3
Have you ever used something as leverage to get a better outcome in a negotiation?
4
Do you think it's ever acceptable to bluff in a business or legal situation?
5
Were you considered a prodigy at anything when you were a child?
6
Would you feel nervous giving a deposition if you were ever a witness in a legal case?
7
Have you ever received or heard of someone receiving a subpoena? What happened?
8
Is there a situation where keeping your integrity cost you something important?
Section 3
Discussion
Talk about the episode
1
The main character pretends to have qualifications he doesn't actually have. Do you think talent alone can ever fully replace formal qualifications in a profession?
2
The senior lawyer values results above almost everything else. Do you think that attitude is necessary to succeed in highly competitive fields?
3
A long friendship gets complicated once one friend starts a very different, high-pressure career. Have you ever felt a friendship change because of a new job?
4
The firm strongly prefers hiring graduates from one particular university. Do you think where someone studied should matter that much in hiring decisions?
5
If you discovered that a talented coworker had lied about their background to get the job, would you report them or stay quiet?