Fictional Attorney of the Month: Barry Zuckerkorn

Barry Zuckerkorn is the Bluth family attorney in Arrested Development. Unlike rival attorney Bob Loblaw, he's the original family attorney.

To put it mildly, Mr. Zuckerkorn is deeply incompetent. He never actually passed the California bar, as he hired a lookalike to take it in his place. After a judge lists off pending charges (conspiracy, racketeering, evidence tampering, fraud, theft, grand theft, petty theft), he responds, "Wow, I... I did not get that page." Under the pressures of typical litigation, he lashes out with scare quotes, "That's why I want to settle. I'm not 'super prepared.'" His misunderstanding of law, ranging from spousal privilege (advising his clients that a husband and wife as coconspirators cannot both be charged) to basic ethical obligations (advising his clients to lie to police).

Another exchange illuminates how quickly he's impressed at the legal perception of non-lawyers around him:

Barry: And you don’t want to go in front of that judge. I caught him in a drag club.
G.O.B.: What were you doing there?
Barry: Wow... you should be the lawyer.

There's much more to read about Henry Winkler's portrayal of Barry Zuckerkorn at devoted fansites, but for now, that's all on this month's Fictional Attorney of the Month.