The Street Lawyer is set in modern times. All the action in the story takes place in Washington D.C. with the exception of a few scenes. Most of the action is centered around Michael’s previous and current apartment buildings, the Drake and Sweeney firm, and Michael’s new job at the legal clinic. The Street Lawyer is fictional, but could certainly take place today. It describes the situations of the poor, as well as the legal situation in the country at that time.  The book is very realistic in that there are no events in the book that could not feasibly take place today. In fact, it actually truthfully describes society’s view of the poor: they are criminalized. Every time a burglary takes place, society’s first thought is to blame the poor. Every time a homeless man breaks the law, they are often held accountable more than a person who commits the same crime but is wealthy. People automatically assume they are just beggars who will run to the liquor store every time they get a buck. This idea presents the conflict that Michael Brock deals with throughout the book.