If someone says "lawyer", what image comes to mind? A wily con-man in a spiffy suit? There are jokes galore about a lawyer's character... or lack thereof. On The Good Wife, some characters embody this stereotype but many do not. There are those who will take on a sympathetic case pro bono; others will spend hours pouring over litigation; some will take on a case they know is a guaranteed loss. At Lockhart/Gardner - and other firms - it takes all sorts of personalities to steer the ship.
In Harry Potter, at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a person's temperament is of utmost importance and is the basis for which house students are sorted into - Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, or Gryffindor. If The Good Wife characters were to pack up their briefcases and make the trip from the Windy City to Hogwarts, which houses would they find themselves in? You might be shocked to find that not every lawyer is a Slytherin.
Alicia Florrick - Gryffindor
Alicia Florrick may know the law, but she does not play by the rules. Society's rules, anyway. When her disgraced husband was thrown into prison and all the Florricks' dirty laundry became public, most wives would understandably retreat. Not Alicia. After over a decade away from the law, Alicia is back with a vengeance, despite her muddied name. She is a Gryffindor who makes a meal out of challenge and dessert out of setbacks - washing them both down with a robust red wine.
Alicia's an underdog who becomes a top dog, and viewers root for her along the way. The one caveat is the fact that Alicia is too much of a "good wife". The tagline for the show should be The Good Wife: Why Doesn't She Just Leave Peter? Most Gryffindors would have cast a jinx on him, so he'd break out into pimples that loudly spelled out, "CHEATER".
Cary Agos - Hufflepuff
Maybe their roar isn't so loud, or their bite so venomous, but Hufflepuffs can be competitive too. Cary Agos has ambition to burn, but that doesn't mean he'll burn anyone else. Fresh out of Harvard, he and Alicia are competing for a first-year post at Lockhart/Gardner. He tells Alicia, "It's in my nature to be competitive, but I don't want you to lose." Is that the perfect slogan for a Hufflepuff law firm, or what?
Cary takes hard work to a soaring Hufflepuff level. He's got a rock-solid work ethic, but Cary also seeks validation. He has a tenuous relationship with his father and looks up to Will, seeing him as a father/older brother figure.
Diane Lockhart - Ravenclaw
Diane Lockhart took a battering ram to the notion of an old boys' club, and single-handedly forged herself a path to success in the legal field. Nobody can accomplish such a feat without serious smarts. Ravenclaw smarts. A self-described liberal feminist, Diane isn't shy about her political beliefs, but she will never allow them to get in the way of running her law firm.
When interested in a potential suitor, Diane enlists Kalinda, the firm's private investigator, to look into the gentleman in question. This is taking pragmatism to a whole new level. As one of the most fascinating Ravenclaw characters ever, Diane stars in her own spin-off show The Good Fight.
Eli Gold - Slytherin
Eli Gold really missed his calling as a dancer. He pirouettes around rules and leads a conga-line of suckers right into acting against their best interests and serving his. How does he do it? Not with money and certainly not with intimidation. Eli's secret weapon is his silver tongue, so Slytheriny it should be forked.
He may have the social grace of a freight train, but Eli can turn on the charm when there's a play to be made. He pulls the strings and convinces Alicia to stay with Peter for its political benefits. In spite of his addiction to duplicity, Eli is beloved by fans because he has so much fun at his job.
Kalinda Sharma - Gryffindor
As Chicago's top private investigator, Kalinda has more street smarts than she does knee-high boots. Digging up dirt on people is dangerous work and calls for a Gryffindor adrenaline junkie. In Kalinda's line of work, being successful sometimes means breaking the law. The Potterverse has definitely seen its fair share of rule-breaking in the Gryffindor community.
Like Hermione Granger, Kalinda is a private person who keeps precious few close friends. Cary Agos, who goes on to become Kalinda's lover, is one of them. When Cary gets in trouble with the law, Kalinda fudges evidence on his behalf. Gryffindors love to take risks and they don't always pay off. In this instance, Kalinda found herself the target of a drug kingpin and had to skip town.
Will Gardner - Gryffindor
As an avid sports fan, Will gets high on competition. In the world of the law, Will is known for making outrageous Gryffindor moves. That's what makes the even-tempered Diane his perfect law partner. She can reign him in when he's too hot-headed. Will has a lot of loyalty and respect for Diane, but if he were to look into the Mirror of Erised, Will would see himself as top partner.
Gryffindors may seem like the toughest kind of people, but under their lion manes are soft skin. Even though he has Rolodexes full of available women to call, Will's heart truly belongs to Alicia. When she leaves the firm, taking a slew of clients and fourth-year associates with her, Will takes it personally and goes on the warpath. Really, all the thrown objects and screamed curses are because Will loves Alicia. The two never got to reconcile, however, as Gryffindor Will was tragically shot dead in court.
Peter Florrick - Slytherin
The bad husband to Alicia's good wife, Peter Florrick is the Slytherin poster boy. He comes from old money and is used to getting what he wants. The only thing worse than Peter cheating on Alicia with a hooker is expecting Alicia to stand by his side as Peter rebuilds his political career.
While he isn't heartless enough to be a Death Eater, Peter shows precious little appreciation to those who are loyal to him. As slick as Eli Gold may be, he's always had a soft spot for the Florricks and is crushed when Peter hires Ruth Eastman as his campaign manager instead, casting Eli aside like last night's call girl. While the Democrats may not want Peter, the Slytherins will snap him up in a heartbeat.
Grace Florrick - Hufflepuff
Atheist Alicia may be uncomfortable with her daughter's devout Christian beliefs, but as far as teenage rebellions go, this is fairly tame. In fact, Grace Florrick is in awe of her mother. She aspires to follow in Alicia's footsteps, wanting to help out with her cases. Who but a teenage Hufflepuff would forgo getting drunk or shopping at the mall to answer phone calls and Google clients?
Grace is somewhat naïve about the likelihood of her parents reuniting, but that's what makes her the eternal Hufflepuff optimist. Her love for everyone involved will get her through her parents' divorce and anything else thrown her way. Not only does Grace give teenagers a good name; she gives Hufflepuffs one as well.
Zach Florrick - Ravenclaw
As the son of a disgraced politician, many would forgive Zach if he were to act out. But that's not who Zach Florrick is. He's a Ravenclaw who keeps his head down, earns good grades, and stays strong for his family. He's self-aware about his maturity and sometimes acts like too much of an adult, but it's rare that he gives his parents much grief.
Anyone who needs tech support, ask a Ravenclaw. Zach is Alicia's knight in wired armor whenever the wi-fi's on the fritz. He even discovers incriminating photos of Peter that were photoshopped. Zach may be a smartypants but using his wit for those he loves makes him a great Ravenclaw treasure.
David Lee - Slytherin
It's not proven, but the man's middle name has to be Macbeth. David makes merry sport of turning Lockhart/Gardner into a Shakespearean tragedy - thankfully without the bleeding corpses. He's always hiding behind corners, snooping and eavesdropping. He collects more intel than billable hours, readying for the right moment to use it against his enemies. If Voldemort ever needs a good lawyer, David's his man.
David has certainly climbed on the backs of many to achieve his success. But does he stop to thank anybody? Not a chance. In an effort to earn more money for the firm, David dangles the prospect of a partnership in front of some hungry fourth-year associates. But when their hard work pays off in dividends, David snaps the offer away. Voldemort would be proud.