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Fans of the Independent Film Channel show “Portlandia” have gotten to see a real lawyer portray a lawyer this season.

That may be nothing new, but for IU McKinney fans, the lawyer in question this season is Kenan Farrell, ’03.

Portlandia is a sketch comedy television series, set in and filmed around Portland, Oregon, starring Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen. It’s in its fifth season.

Farrell is a fan, and on a lark responded to a callout for extras for the show that he found on Facebook. He got invited to take part in episode 9, titled “Call me Al” and starring Paul Simon, where he was part of a crowd scene.

“It was a fun half-day experience so I jumped at the opportunity when they called again with a courtroom scene,” Farrell said.

Farrell played a lawyer on the show in two other episodes. In episode 6, titled “Fashion,” he portrayed an IP attorney in a story involving “The Simpsons” creator Matt Groening. In episode 10, “Dead Pets,” starring Paul Reubens of television show “Pee-Wee’s Playhouse” fame, Farrell played a deputy prosecutor. Courtroom scenes were filmed in the Clark County Courthouse in Vancouver, Washington, on a Saturday in Summer 2014.

Farrell had never acted before, but “No real acting was required. In the Matt Groening episode, I was really just playing myself, an IP attorney. For the Paul Reubens episode, I played the role of a gritty, no-nonsense Deputy Prosecutor. I'll have to let my ‘acting’ speak for itself,” he said.

“Television filming is very methodical. Takes, small changes, retakes. My toughest job was staying calm and ‘lawyerly’ while ‘defending’ the genius creator of ‘The Simpsons’ and getting a front-row seat to a brilliant Paul Reubens’ performance.”

There are behind-the-scenes photos of Farrell’s experience, but being the highly intelligent lawyer he is, he’s abiding by the non-disclosure agreement he signed.

Farrell is the founder of KLF Legal, a firm dedicated to intellectual property law, technology, and the arts. He received the law school’s Early Career Achievement Award in 2013. He is a member of the board of directors for the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library, and teaches art and museum law as an adjunct professor at IU McKinney.