The 1973 novel, The Paper Chase, which inspired a movie and television series, created a lasting image of the cut-throat law school experience through the story of first-year student James Hart’s struggle with competitive fellow students and his daunting contracts law professor, Kingsfield.
Thirty years after writing the book during his third year at Harvard Law School, John Jay Osborn has become a kinder, gentler version of his fictional anti-hero. Osborn, 57, just finished his first year teaching contracts law at the University of San Francisco School of Law and will return in the fall to teach Contracts, as well as Estates and Trusts, and Law and Literature. But take it from Osborn’s students—he doesn’t have an ounce of Kingsfield in him.
“I was expecting a professor like Kingsfield when I realized he was the author of The Paper Chase,” said first year law student Gary Johnston. “Osborn is definitely not like Kingsfield in any way. You’re not afraid to go into his classroom. He’s not going to rip you apart. He won’t even call on anyone unless they raise their hand.”
Osborn concedes that he does not inspire fear in his students in the tradition of Kingsfield, who he says is a composite of several professors he had at Harvard. In fact, he doesn’t even try to.
“I really don’t,” he said. “I think law school students put an enormous amount of pressure on themselves…and this is a joint effort. I try to create a safe classroom where everybody is comfortable.”
So how much has law school culture changed, based on his experience at Harvard as a student and at USF as a professor?
“USF is not a good measuring post,” he said. “because this is an exceptionally nice law school. For God knows why, (students) here are actually supportive of each other. Instead of grade-grubbing (or) backstabbing, they support each other. The second reason is, the faculty go out of their way to be nice. That is not the case at other law schools, where there are different factions.”
Osborn’s relationship with USF began several years ago when he participated in a forum on law and popular culture organized by Professor John Denvir, who founded a Web site devoted to the study of law in popular culture. Osborn is a Bay Area native and is also a lecturer at Boalt Hall.
“He is a great teacher, a wonderful person, creative, energetic, a good citizen of the law school,” said Jeff Brand, dean of the School of Law. “In sum, a wonderful colleague and a tremendous asset for our students, who love him.”
From his office on the third floor of newly remodeled Kendrick Hall, Osborn added that he is also impressed with the school’s facilities. “This is the best physical plant for a law school in the Bay Area. The library is beautiful, most of the school is new, and this location is the best. The facilities here are nicer than other law schools in the area.”
While his book, which was reissued this year for its 30th anniversary, portrays Kingsfield’s contracts course as terrifying, Osborn says the course was his favorite class in law school and the professor was also his favorite. “Contracts law is very rewarding as a field because it has grown out of human interaction. It’s not legislated. It’s the most organic area of the law,” he said.
