Many celebrities were once just regular people doing their jobs, such as rock stars Gene Simmons and Sting, who were teachers before they became famous. However, it’s somewhat unusual for lawyers to go on to become celebrities–unless they end up living in the White House like Michelle and Barack Obama or Hillary and Bill Clinton, who are perhaps four of the biggest lawyers-turned-celebrity in the U.S.
However, a few lawyers left the law books and briefs behind to go on to bigger and better (or at least more publicly recognized) things. Others remained lawyers, but became celebrities themselves either with a side gig or by representing celebrities or high-profile clients.
Here are the top eight lawyers-turned-celebrity:
John Cleese
Actor John Cleese never actually practiced law, but he did study it at Downing College in Cambridge before making it big in acting and comedy, perhaps as a backup option if acting didn’t pan out. Cleese is best known as part of Monty Python’s Flying Circus, but has also starred in several other movies, including A Fish Called Wanda, The Pink Panther, and Shrek.
Peter Garrett
Musician and Australian politician, Peter Garrett was the vocalist for the band Midnight Oil from 1973 to 2002, when the band broke up so that he could pursue politics full time. Best known internationally for their 1988 hit “Beds Are Burning,” Midnight Oil was extremely popular in Australia, not only for their rock hits, but also for their political activism. During his early years in the band, Garrett attended the University of New South Wales where he received his law degree. He now serves as a Labour Party MP in Australia’s House of Representatives.
John Grisham
John Grisham is best known for writing best-selling legal thrillers, but before he hit it big as an author he practiced law in Mississippi for 10 years, specializing in criminal defense and personal injury law. Nine of his novels, such as The Firm, The Pelican Brief, and A Time to Kill, have been turned into movies, and he has more than 275 million books in print, in over 40 languages.
Scott Turow
Scott Turow is another lawyer-turned-author, and has written nine best-selling books, including the one that launched his writing career, Presumed Innocent. Several of his books have been made into TV movies. Despite his success as a writer, Scott Turow continues to practice law in Chicago, specializing in white collar criminal defense and pro bono cases.
Wallace Stevens
Speaking of writers, American modernist poet, Wallace Stevens attended New York Law School and worked as a lawyer for an insurance company in Hartford, Connecticut. Since it’s hard to feed yourself as a poet, Stevens continued his legal work throughout his life, even after winning the Pulitzer Prize for poetry in 1955, eventually becoming vice-president of the Hartford Accident and Indemnity Company. His literary work is studied by school children nationwide.
Howard Cosell
Howard Cosell is known for his unique “tell it like it is” sportscasting style, nasal-y Brooklyn accent on ABC’s Monday Night Football, and as a boxing announcer for Muhammad Ali. But he actually practiced law before becoming a broadcaster. He practiced union law in Manhattan, representing several athletes and Little League of New York. Cosell was asked to host a radio show for ABC that featured Little League players, which he did for three years, unpaid. The rest is sports broadcasting history.
Howard K. Stern
Howard K. Stern attended UCLA law school and began his career as a lawyer in 1994. His firm handled the legal matters of model and billionaire J. Howard Marshall’s widow, Anna Nicole Smith, and Stern later became Smith’s “domestic partner,” manager, and co-star on The Anna Nicole Show. Suspicion and controversy surrounded Stern, boosting his infamy, when Anna Nicole died suddenly of a drug overdose and a paternity and custody battle broke out between Stern and Larry Birkhead over who had fathered Smith’s infant daughter. Stern later stood trial for his part in Smith’s death, but only one conviction stood and was eventually reduced to a misdemeanor.
Gloria Allred
Gloria Allred is an attorney who became a celebrity because of her extreme outspokenness, courting of drama in the media, and controversial clients. She often represents those on the other side of celebrity cases, such as people who accuse the rich and famous of sexual harassment. Allred has represented non-famous clients against people like Rob Lowe, Britney Spears, and John Travolta. Her website describes her as “the most famous woman attorney practicing law in the nation today.”
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