Oscar Goodman

I want to say I respect what he does, and if I needed help, I hope my advocate is half the lawyer he is.

At the same time, what he's done and who he's defended troubles me, makes me uncomfortable, ethically, even if I'm not sure it should.

When Oscar speaks about his clients, he does so very deliberately, as if to make sure he doesn't say something that would get him in trouble.

He claims there's no such thing as the mob, even though history has proven it beyond a shadow of a doubt, but that might just be his well-polished shtick.

Oscar will tell you that he's really just naive, but it's hard to accept because he's clearly very intelligent.

He considers his greatest accomplishment to be his family, and he loves his wife very much.

It's clear he passionately enjoys what he does, and what he does is defend rights.

He's also incredibly likable, although he's one hell of a ball buster.

Oscar is the kind of guy that you want to like you, even if you're not sure you like him.

Oscar Goodman was born July 26, 1939 in the working class neighborhood of West Philadelphia.

His last name and stereotypical Jewish features made him a target for bullies and bigots.

But Oscar wouldn't back down from a fight, even if he often lost them.

He had difficulty taking his education seriously despite his family's emphasis on it.

Despite being more of a quick wit, Oscar eventually became a top student.

He got into Haverford College more because of his tenacity and charm than his grades.

He graduated in 1961, then attended the University of Pennsylvania Law School.

During a summer break, Oscar and a friend visited Las Vegas, specifically Dunes.

Oscar loved to gamble and drink.

He earned a reputation as a ladies' man.

That was until he met Carolyn Goldmark.