Bad Poet, Radical Lawyer is an intimate portrait of Tony Serra, the legendary San Francisco criminal defense attorney, self-proclaimed 'marijuana lover', and unapologetic radical who has dedicated his life to fighting for society's outcasts.
Born to humble origins, Serra was an athlete at Stanford before discovering philosophy and an intellectual curiosity. He was later swept up by the cultural revolution of the 1960s, becoming an early part of the San Francisco Haight-Ashbury movement and a self-described 'hippie lawyer'. His life and legal philosophy were profoundly influenced by the counterculture, LSD, and his self-imposed vow of poverty.
His career as a trial lawyer has been marked by a fierce commitment to justice and an anti-establishment stance, defending high-profile clients from the Black Panthers, including Huey Newton, to members of the Symbionese Liberation Army and environmental activists.
At age 90, Serra reflects on his life, principles, and family.
