Original subtitles

Previously on The Practice. Are you trying to get disbarred as self

-destructive? All right, all right, on that note.

We've decided to let you go. Go where?

Here's a check.

Representing two weeks severance pay.

I've generated fees in excess of six million dollars. You've handed me a

for fifteen thousand.

Alan Shaw seemed to know this was coming. Did you tell him? Yes.

Your employment here is terminated. Wherever you take your business, I would

urge you again not to take it to Alan Shore.

It is our belief that he is unstable.

I can't bear the idea of going back to work with you not being there. I need to

be able to bring Tara back. My presence is so powerful, I don't even have to

talk. Sometimes I'm better when I don't talk. This was my thinking.

I'm Denny Crane, damn it. You hired him. Why didn't you stop me? You need to

argue this motion.

I'm scheduling an evidentiary hearing for next week. We'll take off our gloves

and have at it.

What's up?

This is Noah Burke.

He'll be representing us in our labor dispute.

Wow.

So we are going outside.

Yes.

Just a thought, but shouldn't I have been included in that decision?

Well, that's the very issue we need to talk about. Look, Miss Fred, I can walk

you through the legals, but cutting to the chase... This thing is close.

I mean, Mr. Shore's estoppel claims are colorable. I mean, we have an associate

here whose financial contributions grossly exceed those of the partners.

hired an extremely deep and talented firm. I mean, we're in for a fight here,

difficult fight. So all this really is to preface one question, which is, where

do you stand?

Can I get you a cup of coffee?

Okay. The guts of our case will be that Alan Shore is a bad guy.

Now, you will need to testify.

You will need to get in the witness chair and not only support the idea that

he's a bad guy, but actually sell it. I mean, see, this man has a personal

animosity towards Mr. Shore. I mean, his bias will be exposed in Lance like a

giant boil.

This man looks like he hates everybody, and his emotions will make him anything

but impartial. The only objective and fair -minded voice we have, if we're to

have one, is you.

All right, once again, it's you.

So, as I've told Mr. Young and Mr. Bellotti, you will have to win this case

us. You will have to take...

Alan Shore down. So let me put to you the great interrogatory once posed by

leader of the free world.

Are you with us?

Are you against us?

Whether or not we go forward all the course we're going forward not so fast

slow down I Canceled your 10 o 'clock. I had to tell the beast and she's in the

mood Tell us you looks beautiful and the meeting will be rescheduled. Well, she

won't believe she's beautiful unless you didn't tell her I said so. Goodbye

Who's the beast?

Sarah lip we could sing your partner of the East Denny crane.

Yes. I know you're Denny crane. Why do you always tell me your name?

Is it so you won't forget?

Well, let me tell you something, soldier.

I've learned from experience that people can't believe they're actually in the

room with Denny Crane.

They think it can't be true. So I let them know it is true.

I look them in the eye.

Denny Crane.

Gives them something to tell their grandkids.

Denny Crane.

You know, I wanted him.

Because he knows the judge. I'm having deep concerns now that the judge knows

him. First of all, he did win the motion last week.

Second, I'll first chair, he'll be second.

But he talks.

Aloud. I'll rein him in.

It's an asset. We want him at our table.

Trust me.

Denny Cray.

Hara, hey.

What's new?

Don't even ask.

You doing okay?

Yeah.

Tara, thanks for coming in. Let's go to my office.

Listen, Eugene, Jimmy, and I, we realize that we put you in an impossible

situation, asking you to protect a firm confidence to the detriment of a friend.

We appreciate...

That maybe we were unfair.

Anyway, we're offering you your job back.

We consider you an extremely valued member of this practice, and we hope

you will consider rejoining us.

You're offering me my job back?

Yes.

And you're actually sorry for putting me in a difficult situation?

Yes.

Is Eugene sorry?

Yes.

Well, could Eugene apologize in person?

That would help me decide.

He's obviously under a lot of stress, Tara. Let's not make... Eleanor, I have

great respect for you.

And my hope is that the conclusion of all this ugliness, there will be no

erosion of that respect.

But this isn't about you being sorry.

This isn't about you valuing me as a member of your firm.

This is about you getting me on your side.

Securing my testimony to favor you.

Look, Tara.

You know I care about him.

And believe it or not, I also care about you.

You are a young...

Law student with your entire future ahead of you.

You need to consider carefully which side you'd rather be associated with

I have considered that very carefully.

I'll be testifying in support of Alan.

I can't underline enough my reservations about him being here. And I can't

underline enough his presence has currency.

I don't like it when people talk about me like I'm not in the room.

Last time I checked, I was in the room.

You know, I'm having a sudden burst of insecurity. I could use some

Could you just say those two little words I so long to hear?

Tony Craig.

Thank you.

How are we late? Let's get started. Um, I'd like to preface my remarks by

saying... Hold on, hold on just a minute.

You're not late.

You derive some sort of power keeping everybody waiting.

We agreed to meet at two o 'clock knowing you'd turn up at ten past.

Our plan all along was to start the meeting at a quarter past, so we're just

gonna stand around for five minutes.

You little gerbil, why don't you gnaw on a stick of celery?

Danny Crane.

Look, we are here to take one last stab at settling this. We are not waiting

five minutes. We are not waiting two.

Let's start over.

Please.

I think we can all assume should this go to trial, you'll be vicious, we'll be

vicious. It'll get publicly nasty and everybody will bleed.

The reason for this meeting is to avoid all the bloodshed.

Obviously, we have a number. You have a number, I suspect.

Shall I give you ours?

Please.

$750 ,000.

And before you reject it, that's three times the salary of the next ranking

associate, and that's probably $750 ,000 more than you'd get if we proceed to

court, given Mr. Shore's conduct. And what if I were you I'd be most concerned

with? You're not me, Mr. Burke. Let's not ever make that mistake.

If certain things in this trial become public, Mr. Shore may be unemployable in

perpetuity and perhaps even disbarred. Danny Crane.

Let me respond. May I, Matthew?

Let's not compare my salary with that of the highest -ranking associate.

The whole point here is I don't compare with the rank associates at Young,

Fronten, Berluti. I, in fact, out -earn and out -produce the rank partners.

You're being contentious.

Denny Crane.

Okay. Why don't you just tell us your number?

$1 .9 million.

What? Should Mr. Shaw be declared a de facto partner, he's shared this year

alone will be over a million.

And that doesn't even account for the revenues generated in the future by

clients he brought in.

Which he then stole.

Denny Crane. And what that really doesn't account for?

You guys were close to going under.

Not true.

You know what? You can read the books just like I can.

If the jury finds that Alan saved this firm, and we have to allow for the

possibility of that finding, we could get five million.

Maybe six.

Alan Shaw was fired from his last firm for embezzling.

We hired him out of charity more than anything else. We seem to be moving

further apart now. May I finish, please? You may, but that last remark just

pushed our demand up to 2 .5.

Alan. You know what? In the absence of any contract, I think the only fair

is to agree.

I have no right to work at your firm. I should walk away, and I will. I just

want the money I brought in, $9 million.

Take out overhead, give me the rest.

8 .9 million. We can all shake hands.

I think we're going to trial.

Let's be fair, Mr. Shaw.

You were fired from your previous firm for embezzling. And I deserved it. I did

not deserve to be fired from this firm.

Because? Because I saved them from going bankrupt. Because I won my cases and

because I look good doing it.

Did you ever break any laws?

Break any laws?

Yes. Did you extort lawyers?

Did you illegally download records?

Were you privy to deals, buying off witnesses?

Did you suborn perjury? Ah, that.

Perhaps.

Perhaps? Look, they knew my character when they hired me. I never did

Hello, judge.

I never did anything ever that wasn't in my character.

Well, Alan, come on.

You could have risked disbarment with all this. That would run for the

reputation of the firm.

I was called before the bar already. Eugene Young stood up unsolicited,

me a just and honorable man.

But when it was time to split up all the millions of dollars I generated, I was

suddenly unworthy.

Thank you, sir.

This feels dramatic.

You left out the part where you impersonated an airline official from

opposing side and then settled a case under that false identity.

Using money out of my own pocket to spare the firm a malpractice suit. You

out the part where you hired a lawyer who believed God talked to her. It was

never established he didn't. You left out the part that you constantly defied

the partners. Only when they were wrong, which granted was most of the time. Is

it just me?

Or are all his questions in statement form? You left out the part where you

a murder weapon from the police.

Well, if I were to mention that, the police would demand to know where I hid

You left out the part where you took a hooker to a client's wedding.

The invitation said significant other. I thought it would last.

You left out the part where you secretly installed video cameras in a woman's

hotel room and taped her having sex.

For blackmail purposes only.

Okay, that was a lie.

I watch for my own pleasure.

This is all one big source of amusement for you, isn't it, Alan?

I'll tell you this, Eugene.

If you take life too seriously, it ceases to be funny.

I tried to impart that and other little wisdoms to you, which you never took,

but you always took the money.

Ellen, I don't know what you're doing.

You say you want to settle, but I don't think you know what you want.

Carr, I plan to keep your testimony very simple.

Basically, I want you to establish that he was open and notorious with his

antics from the beginning.

Okay. I will not put you in the position of attacking Eugene or Ellen or Ant. I

don't want you to.

Denny! This is Tara Wilson, a law student I spoke of. In need of

Yes, she's extremely talented. I can personally vouch for her skills as a

paralegal as well as... Stand up, please.

Turn around, please.

Lips real?

Yes. Yours?

Let me tell you something, Tara. We hire only pretty people in this firm.

Pretty people get better results.

Pretty girls keep me aroused.

I think more clearly when I'm aroused. Are you a pretty girl, soldier?

I am, sir.

Good girl.

At ease.

I'm always at ease.

Sir.

The truth is, it's been a horrible year.

I haven't liked going to work since he's been there.

My cases... Seems he's gotten all the good ones.

How's your love life?

Sounds like I hate my life, doesn't it?

Very much so.

Why don't you change it?

How?

Well, what do you want to do?

Jimmy, you mean you haven't even asked yourself the question?

Dishonorable? No.

Ethically challenged?

Perhaps.

What's the difference?

He was honest with how he dealt with his friends and...

his fellow partners.

Where he was perhaps underhanded was with opposing counsel.

Did the partners at the firm know about his underhandedness?

Yes. They would often protest and threaten him.

But as Alan correctly points out, at the end of the day, they would cash the

checks. And Ms. Wilson, you had the opportunity to see the financial records

Young, Frutt & Berluti?

I did.

And what kind of impact did Alan Shore have on their business?

In dollars?

He more than tripled it.

Obviously, you're friends with Alan Shore.

I consider him a friend, yes.

Forgive my indiscretion. And admittedly, I'm speculating. But have you had sex

with him?

No.

Objection. She answered the question.

That's what I'm objecting to. I want to have sex with her. She keeps saying no.

I believe you've witnessed Mr. Shore committing acts of sexual harassment in

workplace. Have you not? I have. In fact, you once complained to Eugene

that he repulsed you, that you thought he was vulgar. I believe the witness

she had vulgar thoughts that involved me. There's a difference there. Please

rephrase.

As you can see, his behavior is quite incorrigible.

Incorrigible? He lies? He steals?

He conceals evidence?

He openly defies the partners, and that's the word you use?

Incorrigible?

Well... I'm just curious. Is Mr. Shore helping you to find new employment?

Actually, he just helped me find a new job, yes.

Oh, well, that's interesting. So, I mean, why don't you say you're in his

little? I would.

Thank you very much, Miss Wilson.

Isn't it true you really do want to sleep with... Nothing further.

Matthew, the client confuses me.

Does he want to lose?

No, he just can't contain himself sometimes. He's

a complicated guy. This is not good behavior. This is not consistent with

someone who wants to win.

I understand.

I'm concerned, Matthew.

The client confuses me.

He called me fat.

Mr. Short, it?

Almost every day.

Usually in front of other people to humiliate me.

It was some remark about my body.

He'd also call me stupid.

This is an associate directing insults at partners.

And he's all shocked that we didn't want him. So that's why you voted to

discharge him, because of all the insults?

No, that's not the only reason.

He violated legal ethics.

He ignored privilege.

I voted to discharge him because we're not just a place of business.

We're not simply a corporate entity that exists to generate profits.

We're a practice of law.

The people in our practice.

have respect for the profession, respect for each other as people.

He didn't.

I voted to discharge him because it is not okay to ignore the ethical rules of

the practice.

I voted to discharge him because it is not okay to belittle people, to treat

them with cruelty or ridicule.

If he wants to build a firm where that kind of behavior is okay, let him build

his own firm.

But he was an associate at ours.

And he dishonored it.

And us.

Daily.

Thank you, sir.

You spoke with a great deal of emotion, Jimmy.

No,

I don't.

Is it possible for you to completely separate your personal dislike of me

your objective opinion of me as an attorney?

Honestly.

Probably not.

Thank you.

testifying against me, Eleanor.

Alan, what do you want?

The jury can't order us to rehire you.

You claim it's not about the money.

No.

What is it that you want?

I don't know.

Maybe just to be...

Well, let's leave it at that.

Just to be.

Are you trying to get the jury to judge you negatively?

To confirm some twisted... Again with the psychoanalysis.

I don't have time, Eleanor.

I've got a long day in court tomorrow.

Do you?

He had no contract. It was employee at will. And legally, we're entitled to

terminate an associate for personal reasons.

But it wasn't just personal reasons.

We had to protect the integrity of our practice.

But, Eugene, as it's been said, he did take the money.

Yes. He earned revenue in his capacity as an associate, but that didn't give

tenure. You heard all the things he did against the law, against the canons of

law, against us.

How do we employ a person we can't even trust?

Fiduciary duty, that has to mean something in a partnership.

There's an implied obligation to deal fairly with one another.

Honestly, that man never did.

As a result, he had to go.

He had to go.

Thank you.

I want you to know I agree with everything you said, and if what you

my client is true, I'd have fired his ass, too.

Good work, soldier.

Nothing further.

I imagine this business about

fiduciary duty, obligation to deal fairly, honestly, goes both ways.

You would have a duty to be...

Fair and above board with Alan Shore.

I would, and I did.

Good man.

You had a meeting with Samuel Gould, a client of Al Shore's,

last week, did you not?

I did.

Long time client of Al Shore's, am I right?

Yes.

belief that he is unstable, that he has self -destructive personality

tendencies, that he's also prone to committing unethical, sometimes even

criminal acts.

Wherever you take your business, I would urge you again not to take it to Alan

Shore.

That was you trying to steal Al Shore's client. Was that a fiduciary stab in

Al's back?

At the time of that discussion, Samuel Gould was a client of the firm. Your

Honor, it's illegal to secretly tape recordings. There was nothing secret

it. Mr.

Gould taped all his meetings. Firm knew it.

Did you forget?

He is unstable.

That he has self -destructive personality tendencies.

That's slander, Mr. Young.

Truth is a complete defense to slander.

I spoke the truth.

You know, son, I'm a senior partner in my firm the way you are in yours.

And here's the thing about good leadership, and you tell me if you

It's not enough to insist on fidelity or honesty or fair dealing.

A good leader has to practice it.

Denny Crane.

Was it my imagination or was he actually quite effective?

I keep telling you, once he's in a courtroom, all the plaque on his brain

dissolves. I don't know what the hell it is.

I think it was effective.

I don't like it when people talk about me like I'm not in the corridor.

Last time I checked, I was in the corridor.

He said that he had been fired by his firm and that he needed a break.

Did he say why he was fired?

He embezzled.

He said it was a half Robin Hood kind of thing, that he took from the rich and

kept it.

And knowing this, you hired Alan Shore?

Yes.

Why?

He was a friend who... Well, like you said, he needed a

break. And...

This testimony today, this is difficult.

You have no idea.

In fact, despite all the infractions he's committed since joining your firm,

you've continued to defend him.

Why, Eleanor?

I think Alan is deeply troubled.

As talented as he is, as terrific as he is.

I don't think he likes himself.

And on some psychological level... Objection.

Foundation. This will be a lay opinion from a friend, Your Honor.

I'll allow it.

Please continue.

I think to service his own self -loathing, he breathes contempt from

We heard Eugene Young use the word self -destructive.

That would be fair.

I've said that to Alan on more than one occasion.

I truly believe he's trying to destroy himself.

I don't think it was ever his intent to damage the firm.

But that's what he started to do.

So you agree then with the decision to discharge him?

I do.

Thank you, Eleanor.

Do you really want to do this one?

Alan?

Yeah?

You think it's best that I

leave?

Did you not say last week, let's work this out?

Did you not say you couldn't bear the idea of going to work at a place without

me?

I said that.

Did you mean it?

I meant it.

But, Alan, I said that unobjectively as your friend.

As a person who continues to care deeply for you.

But... I don't think you're entirely well.

You are going to self -destruct one day.

And I can't prevent that.

But I can't let you destroy my partners in the process.

I see.

We live in a time where breaking rules, being a rebel.

Flash and irreverence for any kind of convention is cool. It's hip.

Alan Shore is a hip, cool guy.

He's entertaining, too. It can be fun watching him do his thing.

But when he's doing it to you or people you love or something you love.

You see these people here?

We don't have husbands and wives.

Eleanor has a child. I have a son. But no one can accuse us of living rounded,

balanced lives.

Our lives are that law firm. Our lives are each other. And working together in

place together, that's something.

I might even call that everything.

This man couldn't get that.

He came in from the very first day and behaved in a way that said, People here

don't have to be moral.

People here don't have to conduct themselves with integrity.

People here don't need to be honest.

You heard the list.

Blackmail, extortion, breaking privilege, impersonating opposing

concealing evidence. It goes on and on. He did this acting as an agent of the

place we built.

Alan Shaw thinks he got fired because we were afraid he'd bring the firm down.

What he can't seem to get is that he's already brought us down.

Like I said, I know scandal is hip these days. For sure, it's profitable.

But at young, frat, and berluti, character still counts. It must count.

Our dignity is not a fungible thing.

Not to Eleanor.

Not to Jimmy.

Not to Jamie.

Not to me.

Alan Shore just can't get that.

When this firm hired me, they knowingly engaged the services of an embezzler.

They let me go about my evil, sinister business and make them rich.

And then they tossed me.

I had an uncle.

He'd bring a delicious dessert to every family get -together, and everyone

would.

fawn and gush, saying, You're so thoughtful, Charles. You're so generous.

He admitted to me he wasn't generous at all. He was hungry.

And his logic was, if he brought a pie, he'd get a slice.

I brought the pie, ladies and gentlemen.

They didn't give me my slice.

As for all my despicable, unethical, immoral, treacherous, sleazy conduct,

they called me everything but a terrorist, didn't they?

This business is not an ethical arena.

Our legal system is adversarial by nature, where it is often the very

of a lawyer's job to prevent the truth from ever coming out.

We get paid to suppress and squash and conceal evidence.

Remember, this is the system that freed OJ but also convicted Ruben Hurricane

Carter. Every first -year law student is taught, don't ever, ever

equate legal ethics with morality.

They're almost always mutually exclusive.

It's an ugly world where underhandedness... is often celebrated.

I didn't enter Eugene Young's church.

It was a law firm, a criminal law firm, the dirtiest kind, where lawyers get up

in court, as Mr. Young has many times, and knowingly, falsely accuse innocent

people of murder.

Why? For the noble cause of getting the real killer off.

Eugene Young has put guilty people back on the street to kill again. He's in the

business of freeing serial rapists. But hey, I brought the firm down by

pretending to be an airline executive.

I'm sorry.

I guess I just don't get it.

He goes behind my back, tells my client I'm unstable for the purpose of stealing

that client.

This somehow falls within the bounds of integrity.

I guess I just don't get it.

There's a couple of things Eugene Young just can't seem to get.

First, I'm just an unscrupulous guy trying to get by in an unscrupulous

profession.

And second, I respect him profoundly.

There's perhaps nobody I respect more.

In the eight or so months I've known you, I've found you to be utterly...

Beyond reproach.

Which is why I'm so surprised he would take all that money I brought in,

fire me, then go through all this just to

avoid giving me my slice.

How'd it go? They're deliberating. Can we talk about the outfit?

All the assistants here wear uniforms.

I like it.

Do you?

Well, as soon as I pass the bar, it's coming off. I can't wait. Let's go to

bar now.

We conduct our sexual harassment behind closed doors. Here, see what I shudder

to think.

Excuse me.

That was a hell of a closing. I like what I see so far.

Nine million dollars, portables.

Closing like that, what do you say we take our relationship to the next level?

Are you a homosexual, Denny?

I'm offering you a job, sailor.

You can't be serious.

They already have a verdict.

What? That means they never got to damages.

You lost, pilgrim. Come on.

It's exciting.

All right.

Mr. Foreman, the jury has reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

What say you?

On question one, was the defendant's termination of the plaintiff wrongful?

We find in the affirmative.

That means yes.

On question two, concerning damages, we are the defendant to pay the plaintiff.

Compensatory damages in the amount of $2 .3 million.

Congratulations. Thank you.

Lost. 2 .3 million.

Who?

We've appealed.

Let's not... Well, does this affect payroll?

I mean, can we still finance our cases? Do you guys need me to open up a

separate account?

Look, I'll advise you what to do. We'll see, okay?

Jimmy, Eleanor in the conference room, please.

I don't want the money.

If the judgment holds up, we'll pay you the money.

I don't want it.

Well, you'll get it. Do with it what you want. But this firm always meets its

financial obligations.

Maybe we can donate it to a cause that we mutually... Legalization of

prostitution.

Something that... Whatever.

Why are you here?

I'm here...

Because I'm a sucker for closure, I guess.

Not to be confused with sentimentality.

I wanted you all to know two things.

First, I'm sorry for

any embarrassment that...

any embarrassment.

And second, I

really loved working here.

I know my coming back isn't an option, but

people should know where people stand.

I've always believed that.