All language subtitles for LA Law s02e04 Brackman Vasektimized

Previously on L .A. Law.

What would you be looking for in the way
of compensation?

$72 ,500.

He's a winner.

I want him to be our winner.

Obviously, his salary demands are
totally out of line.

I'm pulling rank, Douglas.

And I guess you've bought yourself a
lawyer.

I hope you haven't bought all of us a
giant headache as well.

I happen to have raised $5 ,000 for the
homeless, Douglas. I also happen to have

shattered last year's record held by
Stan Kagan, the Beverly Hills

I'm not surprised.

You're probably more experienced in the
field.

Sooner or later, we're going to have to
discuss the implications of your pending

nuptials. What implications?

Just that most other firms around town
find it awkward to have married partners

working together. Douglas, this is not
the time. I'm only suggesting that

perhaps the more expendable partner
could resign. That's enough.

Ms. Kelsey accosted me in the garage
this morning. She demanded apologies for

remarks yesterday regarding your
hypothetical resignation.

If I have a problem with Douglas
Brackman, I'll solve it myself.

Stuart, I was angry with him.

Yeah, but the result was you embarrassed
me and you belittled me.

The session is now called to order.

The Honorable Justice Douglas Brackman
is residing.

I see that our docket is quite full and
accordingly...

Let us proceed to our first case.

$200. I pay for a talking bird, and all
it does is cuss me. Can you talk for

Judge Brackman?

Hello? Well, Mr. Weedman, it seems...
You're a wimp!

Hey, is he?

Jackass! You're in contempt.

So, I go to his house, but the place is
lit with like a thousand candles. Weird,

okay? So, I go to the living room, and
there's like this box, like this...

and the $200 is lying on top of it, so I
go over there, and this old guy is

lying there totally nude. So I start
freaking out and screaming and

and all of a sudden he pops out, and he
starts moaning like... That

was Mr. Ludlow. Sir, if I may... So, I
mean, I'm totally flipped out. I mean, I

got right on out of there.

Later, I figured that's probably what
does it for him, the screams.

Your Honor, the absurdity of this young
girl.

I said quiet.

And I will ask you to refrain from
further commentary until Miss Schiff has

completed her testimony.

Continue, please.

Well, that's it. Except for the next day
when I went back to get my money, he

gives me some story about how I didn't
do it right and how he's not going to

me anything.

Now, sir, do you dispute the veracity of
how you enticed this innocent girl to

your home for the purpose of satisfying
your base sexual desires?

How dare you? I am an artist. Do you
know nothing of a performance, the art,

work? Of the great Christo or the Korean
Sun Paik Lee who rolled his naked body

across broken glass in a lyric orgy of
self -mutilation?

I know about masturbators, sir. How dare
you again?

How dare you?

You are a despoiler of young womanhood.
Not only do I award her damages in the

amount of $200, but I fully intend to
refer this matter to the district

for prosecution.

Next case. The art is in the moment.

I'm not answerable to your authority,
and I defy you.

You what? You think art is some
rectangular thing you hang over your

sofa?

That's it.

You're in contempt. You are the
contemptible one.

That's why you're getting all this.

Bye.

Wellman versus Chernoff. The perquisites
that partnership implies, I thought I

might turn this little beauty over to
one of our two new associates.

A trial?

Definitely. Then I want it. Then I want
it.

Listen to the facts first.

Our client, Bruce Wellman, 34, is
driving his classic Aston Martin, the

his life. The only thing he really
wanted me to try and save during his

ugly divorce.

It's raining hard. He skids off onto the
soft shoulder of an isolated road up in

Latigo Canyon.

The car sits balanced precariously on a
cliff, while Bruce sits in the car, too

scared to move.

Finally, a miracle. Someone drives by.

And even more miraculously, actually
stops to help. A 23 -year -old short

cook named George Chernoff. Well, Bruce
tells him to go down to the Pacific

Coast Highway and call the CHP for help.

But by now, it's raining pretty hard,
and George thinks it's a little too

dangerous to leave Bruce perched there
on the cliff. So, George opens the door.

And holding his breath cautiously.

ever so cautiously pulls him to safety.

They both breathe a huge sigh of relief,
only unfortunately, with Bruce out,

the car rolls down the cliff.

Our client is suing the guy that saved
his life? Right.

For murdering his car. What about
insurance?

Well, Bruce says they won't value
classic cars. Besides, the real bottom

he wants revenge.

Excuse me, but with all due respect, why
have we taken this case?

Bruce Wellman is the son of Ross
Wellman, one of our biggest corporate

Kleinberg.

Your call.

Heads.

Tails.

Jonathan, you're either free to take
this turkey, or you can fob it off onto

Miss Kleinberg.

On to more serious matters.

Franklin versus Washington Pure Water
Company. Miss Kelsey, could you

it? I mean, that's what we drink here.
There's nothing actually wrong with the

stuff, is there? Absolutely nothing.
After months of discovery, all the

plaintiff can come up with is some half
-baked theory that since their own

personal well had certain chemicals in
it... Those chemicals must have somehow

gotten there from Washington Pure
Water's plant, which happened to be next

to them. And since their visiting
daughter drank water from the well

pregnancy and gave birth to a deaf and
blind infant, it must be Washington Pure

Water's fault.

What's the jury like here?

Impartial as I can hope for when dealing
with something as emotional as a birth

defect. Well, from personal experience,
lots of luck. Should we be recommending

a quick settlement?

I'd advise against offering them
anything, not even nuisance value.

In the long run, all that does is breed
more nuisance suits. My way of thinking,

that's bad for our whole profession.

Oh, while I have the floor, may I remind
you all of the fundraiser this evening

for the Los Angeles Lawyers
Constitutional Rights Association.

Now, I realize you all have many pulls
on your time and your money, and I don't

want to exert any undue influence, but
this cause, it's dear to me.

And a show of support.

That would be appreciated.

Ambassador Hotel, 7 o 'clock.

We're adjourned.

What do you got there?

Just working on something.

Just as I suspected.

Dreaded typist shoulder.

Feel good?

Mm -hmm.

You know something, Arnie? You are
almost irresistible.

Almost? Don't you think that may just be
the saddest word in the English

language?

If we weren't working together.

What does that got to do with anything?

Well, see, I'm just the teeniest bit
worried that you might not respect me in

the morning. Oh, come on.

Let's say, just for the sake of
argument, let's say that I let you have

with me.

And then, as men have been known to do,
you grow tired of me, so... Now what? I

mean, I'm kind of a drag to have around
every day, right?

You know, I bet you could even argue
that anyone who was such a pushover for

might compromise the firm with a client.

Leslie, don't you think you're giving me
too little credit here?

So you raise the issue reluctantly, of
course, at a partner's meeting, and the

next thing you know, bang, I'm out of
here.

You can't really believe that I would do
something like that.

I don't know.

Call me crazy, call me paranoid.

Call me an old schoolmate of last year's
clerk.

You might remember her, Lisa Weston.

Miss Franklin, did you drink the water
from the trailer park's well during your

entire pregnancy?

Yes, I did. Unaware it was contaminated
with toxic chemicals from defendant's

plant. Objection. Leading and assuming
fact's not in evidence.

Sustained. Sorry.

Did you know the water was contaminated
with toxic chemicals from defendant's

plant? I object.

Sustained. That's a cheap trick. There
was no evidence where those chemicals

came from, and he knows it.

Objection. Counselor. If he's going to
make little speeches, so am I. No,

not. Both of you, stop it.

Miss Franklin, could you describe for
the court the medical condition of your

daughter? The defense stipulates that
Marsha Franklin was born blind in one

and completely deaf and that this
condition is permanent. Her client

the earth with deadly toxic waste. And
she doesn't have the decency to let the

mother of this poor child tell her
story. Both of you are out of order.

Please, stop it.

Mrs. Franklin.

My daughter, she can't see.

And she can't hear.

And all of... All of you are jumping up
and down about all this stuff I don't

even understand.

Mrs. Franklin, please.

I must ask that you sit down.

It's my baby.

Count on you, Callis.

Once again.

Here we are.

Leland McKenzie show.

Don't you ever get fed up playing second
banana to that man?

They might as well take your name off
the letterhead.

What am I talking about? Your name. Your
father's name.

My father was never a judge.

Neither was Leland.

But dressing up in a polyester smock for
that ridiculous small claims court

doesn't make you a judge.

Sheila, stop.

You're 44 years old, Douglas. When are
you ever going to accomplish something

with your life?

So the realtor finally takes me to this
place.

At $300 ,000, they belittle out of your
price range, she says.

And then we walk in, and it's
incredible.

Fireplace in the bedroom, panoramic
views of the city.

But we all know the first rule of
negotiation.

Play it cool, right?

So how cool am I?

I'm crazy about it. I mean, I just blurt
it out.

I'd kill a client if he did anything
that stupid.

No, I know what you mean.

For somebody else, I can be totally
eloquent.

For myself, I'm a total dud.

So you gonna buy it?

On my salary, it's a stretch.

You know, I'm not really sure that this
is any of my business, Jonathan.

But I'm going to ask anyway. How much
are they paying you?

I'm not real comfortable with this,
Abby.

I could easily find out.

$72 ,500.

What?

It was kind of a unique situation.

Thank you.

Two white wines, please. Yes, sir.

Well, well, Miss Kelsey.

Mr. Hatcher.

Your people are guilty, you know.

I might not be able to prove it, but
Washington Pure Water Company is

that well. Hey, pal, this is the party.
Yeah, eat, drink, and be merry while the

earth is being infected with deadly
poison.

Who cares about a few more deformed
babies? I really don't think this is the

appropriate time. Well, look, hey.

I'm entitled to my opinion. Oh, yes.
Yes, and as host of this affair, I'm

entitled to ask you to leave.

Now, shall we have a good time or
exercise our respective rights?

Now that we've done our bit for charity,
how about a graceful exit?

Mickey?

I thought that was you.

Ma 'am.

Oh, God, it's good to see you.

It's been forever.

You look great.

You too. What are you doing here?

I live here now.

I'm practicing law again.

If you can call Business Affairs and
Movie Studio Law.

And... Excuse me, I'm Lynn Palmer.

Grace, my love.

How do you do? I heard you got married.
Got a couple of kids.

Yeah. Got divorced again, too.

Sorry. It's all right. Excuse me.
Happens.

Well, I better be going.

Mickey, you know what?

I'm going to call you for lunch.

I'd really like to catch up.

Bye -bye.

Who was that?

My ex -wife.

Let's go.

What's the rush?

We are about to have a very big fight,
and I think it would be better if it

didn't take place in the middle of this
room.

It is such a betrayal. How could you not
tell me?

Grace, it was over 12 years ago. It has
nothing to do with us.

Michael, you're lying to me. That has a
lot to do with us. I didn't lie to you.

You never asked me. Dammit!

Not the kind of question you should have
to ask. Not when you love someone.

Not when you live with them for a year.

Please, would you drop this now?

This is a subject that happens to be
very hard for me. Hard for you?

God, you are the most selfish,
egocentric... All right!

All right.

You remember I told you before that my
father was dead?

Well, the truth is that he bailed out on
me and my mother when I was ten years

old. He just walked.

No note, no nothing.

If I wanted to, I couldn't even find the
son of a bitch.

He nearly killed my mother.

I don't think she ever got over it.

But I swore to myself that when I got
married, I would never do that to my

no matter what.

Well, isn't that great?

I ended up doing the same thing to Lynn
that my father did to my mother.

So, Grace, how could I explain it to you
when I couldn't even face it myself?

All right.

I didn't mean to lie to you.

Come in.

I just want to thank you for the
beautiful flowers.

Not at all, Miss Vosick. You saved my
life.

Am I terrible if I tell you this?

Ever since I was first assigned to your
courtroom, I've had these dreams

about us, even though I know they'll
never come true

because a man as principled and decent
as you

would never betray his wife or his
sexual relationship, even if it meant

were no strings attached and no one ever
had to find out.

Of course.

Who among us doesn't have his own
subterranean pockets of evil?

You. I believe you're committed to being
a good husband and an upstanding judge,

and that commitment allows you to
overcome temptation.

Where I'm weak...

You're strong.

Where I might give in to just drop
everything and let myself be ravaged

here on this desktop, that's not what
you're about.

So thank you for not suggesting we slip
out to a motel at lunchtime,

for not locking the door and ripping my
clothes off.

Thank you for your strength.

We truck in pure mountain spring water
from Washington State.

Then at our own plant, we filter that
water through clay to remove any

impurities. Would it have been possible
for the dumping of these clay filters to

in any way have caused damage to the
plaintiff's well?

It would be a scientific impossibility.

Objection. This man is not an expert,
Your Honor. He's the CEO of Washington

Pure Water, and he has no foundation
whatsoever to render scientific

He has information relating to the issue
of safety, Your Honor. Your Honor, that

has nothing to do with what... Their
complaint asks for punitive damages

predicated on the allegation that he
knew of the hazard.

His state of mind, therefore, is
directly in issue. I'm going to overrule

objection. Mr. Young.

You're aware of the charge that nickel
is leaching from your fields into the

trailer park well water? We perform
quarterly tests on our fields, and we

routinely find nickel to be present in
our own groundwater at two parts per

billion. Two parts. That means that if
any of it at all were to find its way to

that well, which is extremely unlikely
since it's a half mile away...

it would have to be substantially under
two parts.

And is it your opinion that two parts
per billion is not a health risk? It's

just my opinion. The Environmental
Protection Agency says that anything

.4 parts per billion is safe.

I'm really sorry for what happened to
that little girl, but there's absolutely

no way that my company had anything to
do with it.

Thank you.

No further questions.

Come in.

Victor. Hi. I've got to talk to you.

Sure.

Do you know how much they're paying John
Rollins?

Uh -uh.

$72 ,500 a year.

You're kidding.

Do I look like I'm kidding?

Victor, he's a year out of law school.

$72 ,500?

Now, I was thinking, maybe if we make
our case together, you know, united

because, I mean, if he is making $72
,500...

We should each be making at least that.

No offense, Abby, but I think I'm more
comfortable talking to Leland alone.

Oh.

You don't sound thrilled.

You just told me I'm not in your league.

Oh, come on, Abby, that isn't it. No,
Victor, it's okay.

Forget it.

I hope you get your raise.

Hey, aren't you supposed to be in court
on that vehicular manslaughter?

Vehicular manslaughter? You know, the
guy who killed the car.

Vehicular manslaughter. You know, the
guy who killed the car.

How'd the deposition go?

Long. Exceedingly long.

Any calls?

Yeah. Ruth Selig called. I told her we'd
send those documents over by messenger.

And, uh, Ross Hartman phoned. He wants
to see you on a new matter.

A Lynn Palmer.

She wouldn't say what it was regarding.

And Dave Leeson. Did Lynn Palmer leave
her number?

Mm -hmm. You want me to get her for you?

No, that's all right. All right. What
about Ross Hartman? You know, try Lynn

Palmer for me, okay?

Sure.

Mr. Hatcher, to what do I owe the
pleasure?

This was given to me this afternoon by
an engineer who used to work for your

clients.

How do I know this isn't made up? His
declaration is attached.

And you're free to try and shake him
when I call him to the witness stand.

Now, I'm going to assume the reason you
didn't produce this document is because

you didn't know about it.

I didn't.

Good. And for $3 million, nobody else
asked you either.

That's a lot of money, Mr. Hatcher. Now,
compared to the cost to Washington Pure

Water, this information becomes public.

Do you mind?

Our confidential internal research
presents strong new evidence that levels

nickel and cadmium as low as one part
per billion.

may cause birth defects and or cancer,
and further, at the presence of both

these chemicals together, increases the
carcinogenic effects of each, possibly

to fatal proportions.

Three million bucks, Miss Kelsey.

Oh, we read that little note for
everybody.

Leland? I just heard some news that
doesn't sit real well with me.

Are you paying John Rollins $72 ,500 a
year?

Where did you hear that? I heard it.

Is it true?

You're asking me to reveal another
associate's compensation. I can't do

However, I can tell you that whatever
we're paying John, his was a unique

negotiation which shouldn't affect you
or anyone else. What is that supposed to

mean? He was a very attractive
candidate.

A number of firms were in the bidding.

To be competitive, we felt we had to be
able to match their offers.

In other words, a black from Harvard is
worth $72 ,500 and a Chicano from

Glendale with four years in a PD's
office is only worth $60?

I'd hate to leave, but if I'm going to
stay on, I've got to have a raise.

Associate review will be coming up in
two months' time. You've been doing fine

work.

I'm sure the partners will give your
situation every consideration.

I need an answer now. Victor!

You're painting yourself into a corner
it may not be so easy to get out of. I

not trying to be a prima donna, Leland.

But if I've got to go around here
feeling shortchanged and resentful,

that's no good for anybody, is it?

What, uh... would it take to make you
happy?

72 -6.

Is that an ultimatum?

Yeah.

I think it is.

Hey,

wait a minute. What are you doing? You
can't just... Ms. Kelsey.

I'm sorry. She just walked in.

That's okay.

Whatever it is, though, can it wait till
tomorrow?

Late dinner.

How do you do it?

You know this stuff is fatal, and you
just go on doing it.

The levels are within environmental
standards.

Nothing. If the EPA had access to this
research, they'd shut you down in a

second.

Where'd you get this? An engineer who
used to work here gave it to the

plaintiff's council.

He gave it to me, along with a demand
for $3 million.

Offer two.

What?

Settle a case.

And you'll just go on dumping chemicals?

It would cost us $15 million to clean up
that dump site. You're making a

business decision that it's cheaper to
kill and maim people than to clean up

that dump?

You can't be so naive to think that
companies don't place costs on human

The automobile manufacturers could make
a perfectly safe car if they wanted to,

only it would cost more than a house and
nobody would buy it.

Oil spills could be prevented entirely,
but gasoline would cost three bucks a

gallon, and who would stand for that?

This is different. This is people. It's
the exact same equation.

And in our case, we're balancing $15
million cleanup costs against the

lawsuits of the 300 people who live in
the park.

Factor into it that most are elderly and
will die before the chemicals will

affect them.

Factor into it that without this memo,
it'll be a very difficult claim to

Factor into it that these random
lawsuits can probably be disposed of at

,000, $300 ,000 a pop.

The reality is...

There's only one business option here.

We go on doing what we're doing, and you
settle the case.

Thank you, Counselor.

And have

you driven in Latigo Canyon often, Mr.
Wellman? Oh, yes. I used to take the

Aston Martin up there as often as I
could. Give her a little exercise, you

You have all the canyons. Latigo was her
favorite. Now, did anything unusual

happen on this particular occasion?

Well, yes.

There was a deer in the middle of the
road.

So, naturally, you swerved over to the
shoulder to avoid hitting it.

Damn straight.

You hit one of those things, it'll
totally destroy the front alignment of

car. Anyway, I avoid hitting the animal.
But I wind up practically hanging over

the cliff.

And to add insult to injury, I'm too far
out in the boonies for my car phone to

work. So I just sit there.

And eventually that man.

Chernov came along.

I told him to go get the CHV.

Oh, no.

Gotta be a big macho hero and do it
himself.

So he jerked me out of the car,
practically dislocating my shoulder,

the car door while he's at it.

And that's when the car started rolling.

My beautiful Aston.

Nothing I can do but just stand there.

You have any idea what that's like? Just
standing and watching as...

Something you love takes her final
plunge into the abyss, where she bursts

flames and burns to death, slowly,
agonizingly, right before your eyes?

Hey, I'm sorry, man.

I'm really, really sorry.

Sorry I'm late.

That's all right.

I'm glad you agreed to see me.

So, tell me everything.

Tell me about your kids.

My kids?

Well, uh...

Billy's 10.

He loves music.

Carrie's 7. She wants to be a doctor.

They're both terrific.

Michael, you really want to talk about
my kids.

Well, it's been a day.

Lynn, I gotta tell you, this is not easy
for me.

As a matter of fact, I feel awkward as
hell.

Why? Why?

I'm the jerk who walked out on you,
remember?

And it's taken me a long time to come to
terms with that.

And sitting here now, looking at you,
I... I feel...

Well, this is not really complicated. I
feel guilty.

We were just kids, Mickey, for God's
sake.

What's the difference who walked out
first? I was no bargain, you remember?

I guess we were just too young.

Both had a lot of growing to do.

Mickey, if you really haven't yet,
you've got to forgive yourself.

I did.

That's it?

That's it.

I thought you wanted to see me so you
could sort of yell at me a little, vent

your spleen, tell me how rotten I was.

If it'll make you feel any better, when
you get back to the office, I'll give

you a call. I can be extremely abusive.

Why?

I don't know what to say.

Yes,

Roberto.

Mickey, you just have to try the Chinese
chicken salad. And if you don't like

it...

Oh, you're not a lunch.

Chinese chicken salad?

Two. Fine.

That concludes the discussion on the
rent increase.

Now, if we can move on from here, and as
I'm doing court, we have something

pressing, which is how to deal with this
latest uprising among the associates.

What uprising? As I warned Leland what
happened, Victor Cifuentes has gotten

wind of the discrepancy between Jonathan
Rollins' salary and his.

Oh, boy. Victor has presented us with an
ultimatum.

A $13 ,600 raise or he will quit.

Well, I don't blame him. I would have
felt the same way.

And furthermore, I think he's worth it.
I agree with Mike. I mean, I like

Victor. I think we all do. But personal
feelings aside, I don't think we can

afford to lose him. Then let me ask you
to consider this.

While you're giving Mr. Cifuentes the
keys to the larder, how do you plan to

hold the line against Miss Perkins and
Miss Kleinberg when they find out?

Are we going to give every one of them
$73 ,000 salaries?

Money which ultimately comes out of the
pockets of the partners in this firm.

You know, Douglas is right.

This is going to snowball.

Exactly. And Kleinberg shows promise.

I'd hate to lose her. What about Abby?

Truthfully, I think this is one we could
afford to lose.

Oh, come on, Douglas.

Abby's a good kid.

If we allow ourselves to get any more
attached to her, we're only asking for

trouble down the line.

I certainly can't envision her as
partnership material, and it does her a

disservice to keep her here if there's
no future. All right, all right.

We will deal with Miss Perkins if and
when the situation arises. In the

meantime, what about Victor?

Give it to him.

In favor?

Aye.

Aye. Aye.

Opposed?

Nay.

Motion carries.

You tell him the good news.

I'm late for court.

Ann?

Yeah.

I hate to impose on our friendship, but
this is something I really need to know.

Did Victor get his raise?

Abby, you know that's confidential
information.

I love this place.

Anybody will tell you who they're
sleeping with, but God forbid how much

someone is making.

Yes. Victor got his raise.

Isn't that just great?

I've been here over a year, and John
Rollins comes in and leapfrogs right

me. And now Victor goes... Damn it, I'm
going to go in there and tell Mackenzie

that I want 20 ,000 more or I'm out of
here.

Don't threaten to leave unless you mean
it.

What are you telling me?

Just that I'm not sure this is the right
time.

Ann, I have been here longer than either
of them.

Tenure has nothing to do with it.

The reality is, if you want more money,
you have to work harder. Work harder?

I get here at 8 .30 in the morning. I
don't get home till 7 o 'clock at night.

What am I supposed to do, put my son up
for adoption?

It's more than logging hours, Abby. It's
about taking the initiative, not just

waiting for somebody to drop an
assignment in your lap.

Is that what you think?

Or do you really think that because I'm
a woman, you can exploit me financially?

Oh, come on.

This has nothing to do with sexism.

Look at me. I'm a partner. Right. The
only one. And you know what I think? I

think you like it that way. The queen
bee keeping all the other females in

place. That is a crock, and you know it.
Yeah.

Thanks for all your advice, Anne.

Lathley, practically just tell me you
quit. I feel totally responsible.

What are you talking about?

Well, sticking with that idiot Bruce
Wallman, but nobody could warn that

You can't let one loss end your entire
career.

I didn't lose, Arnie. I won.

You won?

Yes. Opposing counsel was a complete
yuck, so all I had to do was object

time he opened his mouth and he became
totally unglued.

You know, I don't think the jury ever
got it that his client actually saved my

client's life.

And then one of the jurors kept staring
at me during the trial, so I began

staring back. I figured at least I'll
get one vote.

Then, during closing arguments, I began
fingering the top button on my plow.

I guess what I'm saying, Arnie, is that
once that trial began, I would have done

anything, anything to win the case for a
client that I hated and a cause I found

totally repugnant.

Sounds like you got the makings of a
great attorney.

That's exactly what I'm afraid of.

Besides, now I can finish my novel.

Your novel?

Yep. It's what I've always really wanted
to do. Law school was for my father.

But I guess I'm a grown -up now. I owe
it to me to take my best shot. Excuse

Well, what's it about?

The law, money, sex, office politics.

Do you think it's commercial?

It better be. I'm not real big on
starving and garrets. Have any agents or

publishers seen it yet?

It's not really finished yet. Just a
rough first draft.

What about movie rights? You discussing
with anyone?

Movie rights? No. Well, you know I got a
lot of film and publishing contacts.

Let me take a look at it. If it's any
good, maybe I can help.

What kind of percentage are you going to
want?

I don't know.

Standard 10 %?

Okay.

Okay, I've got an extra Xerox here. Just
remember, it's kind of rough.

That's okay.

Rough has never been a problem for me.

Mr.

Hatcher?

It's all there for signature, including
the agreement that a certain memo will

not be disclosed.

By the way, the engineer informs me that
he's reached a similar deal with your

client.

So if you could get your client to
execute this, we'll take the check and

our way.

You realize that by doing it this way,
people will go on drinking that well

water.

Some of them may die.

I know, but we don't represent those
people.

Don't you mean Barney?

Barney Decker? Did you read the whole
thing?

Yeah, it's about us, Mackenzie Brackman.
No, it's not. It's just a generic law

firm. Besides, what did you expect,
Eskimos?

You hardly even bothered to change my
name.

Barney was my sheepdog's name who died,
and I used to live in Decker Canyon.

It's just a coincidence.

Well, some coincidence.

About a blonde, 36 -year -old divorce
attorney who wears Italian suits, drives

Porsche, has sex with anything with a
pulse.

Lastly, when this thing gets published,
I am going to be the joke of this town.

Published? You really think you can get
this published?

Actually, it has very strong commercial
possibilities.

But no Deckers, Neckers, Heckers. The
name is no big deal. How much do you

you can get for it, realistically?

Absolutely change the name. It's done.

How much?

Anywhere from low to mid six figures.

With any kind of luck plus ancillary.
Oh, God.

You are irresistible.

You're not just collecting material for
another book, are you?

You can't really think I'd do something
like that.

Besides, now that I'm not working in the
firm anymore... Watch the makeup on the

shirt.

If you've got a hanger, I prefer wood.

Closets in the bedroom.

The condoms are in the nightstand.

I'll meet you there in a minute.

Decker, watch the eye makeup on the
collar.

Have you got a hanger? I prefer wood.

The settlement agreement ready for
signature.

I also understand you bought off the
engineer to keep him quiet.

Very nice.

Just tell me where to sign it and we'll
drop a check.

What's this?

That's another little agreement between
you and me.

What the hell is this?

Just what it looks like.

You agree to clean up that dump in
consideration for which I don't give

memo to the Los Angeles Times.

I'll sue your firm blind.

You won't be able to... I formally
resigned from the firm. I'm doing this

own. The only one you can sue is me.
Now, listen, lady. And if you do sue me,

this will all come out for sure.

Washington Pure Water Company will be
finished.

This is blackmail. I'll have you
disbarred. It's unethical. Call it

want, but factor into it that you can't
take me down without exposing this

information to the world.

Factor into it that that memo contains
enough dynamite to blow this company

bankruptcy.

Factor into it that your corporation's
only chance of survival is your signing

that agreement.

Am I speaking your language?

You're bluffing.

Good day, Mr. Young.

Okay, you win.

Was it a bluff, or did you really quit
your firm?

Come on in.

Hi.

Hi.

I heard you got your raise.

It's great. Thanks.

Look, about that.

Are we going to be okay about the other
day? Yeah, it's okay.

No, really, Abby, because I didn't mean
it the way you thought.

I know.

You figured out what you're going to say
to Mackenzie yet?

When you finish up, want to go for a
beer? We can plan a strategy.

Thanks, but I think I'm just going to go
home.

Hey, are you okay?

According to Ann, I don't have any right
to ask for a raise.

I'm not working hard enough, and I'm not
showing enough initiative.

That's what management always says to
keep their workers in line.

Victor, I don't need a pep talk, okay?

It's just I'm working so hard, and what
if they fire me?

I don't know what I'm going to do.

You want to blame this?

I threatened to expose Washington Pure
Water Company.

I told the CEO I'd go public with
certain incriminating information and

him into cleaning up their toxic dump.

Since my actions were in violation of
the lawyer's code of ethics and may be

illegal, I decided to resign from the
firm to insulate you from liability.

I'm at a loss.

There are rules.

which govern the conduct of attorneys.
Rules which you cannot just disregard

every time you decide you don't like a
client.

I made a decision.

Dammit, there was no decision to be
made.

If all lawyers felt free to put
themselves above the law, our legal

be reduced to anarchy.

With all due respect, if you're looking
for a lawyer who can just turn off her

conscience and follow rules with blind
deference, there's the letter.

And if you're looking to be a lawyer who
lets the law take a back seat to her

personal sense of morality,

then maybe I have to accept it.

Leland, we could probably argue this all
night.

And the truth is, in the abstract, I
agree with what you're saying.

But this wasn't the abstract.

This was real people who were going to
die if I let that settlement go through.

I don't know if I was right, and I don't
know if I was wrong.

All I know is I couldn't do it. I just
couldn't do it.

Could you have done it, Leland?

So, Mickey, I promised myself I wasn't
going to be jealous.

I wasn't going to make myself crazy.

But have you seen her?

We had lunch.

Why didn't you tell me?

Because I know how you feel.

And under the circumstances, I thought I
would be asking for your permission.

or asking for your forgiveness, and I
don't like the way that makes me feel.

Very glib, Counselor.

We've got a lot of history together,
Grace.

What do you want?

You want to forbid me from seeing her?
It hurts me, okay?

Is that so hard for you to understand?

How the hell would you like it if I
started calling up old boyfriends, maybe

invited Kevin for dinner? I can't
legislate your feelings, Grace.

If that's what you want to do, then I
just have to trust that you know what

you're doing.

Or don't you trust me?

I love you.

And I'm scared.

You have so many secrets.

So tell me the truth, Mickey.

Are you going to leave me?

Thank you for meeting me.

I couldn't believe it when you called
me.

I was afraid I'd be late.

Kind of hard to find. Can I get you
something, sir?

Scotch and water.

I like what you've done to your hair.

It gives you a feral quality.

Feral? Untamed.

Wild, I guess.

But it's very becoming.

I love how you talk.

I learned so much from you just from
being around you.

And I you.

Me? What's there to learn from me? I'm
so average.

Not at all.

You're so open.

So warm and compassionate.

You mustn't deprecate yourself.

Oh, what am I going to do, Douglas?

Meeting like this?

Feeling the way I feel?

I'm sorry.

It's an awful thing to say, but I think
I hate your wife.

You know her?

No. I'm just jealous.

She's so lucky to have a man as amazing
as you are.

To her, I'm just a cash register.

Wasn't always like that.

I remember when we were first starting
out.

This will sound silly.

I used to make popcorn for us.

And we'd lie in bed.

till all hours, watching old movies on
TV.

Now, she says the salt makes her retain
water.

I have a hot air popper, Douglas, but
I've never even taken it out of the box.

I don't even know if it works.

All you have to do is plug it in.

I could show you.

Would you?

Douglas, would you show me how to pop my
corn?

When? Now. Let's go.