Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law. And Leland, you're meeting with Rosalind Shays over

Velnick's lease with Tammen?

Tonight. Lastly, a reminder.

Next week is scheduled to be my last as senior partner, unless, Leland, you'd

like me to continue?

No. I'm ready to return.

I don't resent you, Leland. If anything, maybe I resent myself.

We're staying with a man who doesn't love you.

I really don't want to talk about it.

Rosalind!

Get up. Are you crazy? Get out of here! Shh!

What the hell's the matter with you? Your wife and 20 of your closest friends

are in the reception area waiting to give you a surprise party. That's what's

the matter with me. He just came out of a failed marriage that he himself

wrecked. He has no concept of fidelity.

He's devoid of any ability to trust. And he wouldn't share a stick of gum, much

less his feelings.

They're afraid a trial will expose their $20 million hysterectomy factory.

So what are you saying? We should turn down the offer?

That hospital is guilty of mutilation.

We represent the rec laws, and counseling them to reject that offer was

grossly irresponsible, it was malpractice.

I'm letting this one get under my skin a little bit too much. Sorry.

Because I'm pregnant?

Yeah.

Because you're pregnant.

I just thought that we both agreed to...

To just sit on this for a while. Honey, I've been sitting on this for ten days.

I know what I want, Grace.

I just think that we should talk about it, that's all.

Okay.

Let's talk.

Okay.

I really want to have the baby.

I mean, I can't even think about abortion.

I want to have my son.

What makes you think it's a boy?

I just have a feeling, that's all.

Look, I know this sounds really stupid, but the pregnancy right after Charlie's

death, I really want us to have the child.

Okay.

What happens if we do have the baby? Meaning what?

Meaning you, me, you and me. Yeah, well, I assumed

that, uh, I assumed that we'd be together.

As assumptions go, that's a pretty big one.

Victor, our relationship is very new. I mean, we... Grace, we're going to be

parents. We owe it to the child to be living in... Yes?

You've never even told me you love me. But now you suddenly want to make this

lifetime commitment.

Maybe we will be together.

Even get married.

I'm not saying that can't happen.

It could.

I'm just saying.

It won't be simply because

I'm pregnant.

Okay, moving on.

Ordover versus Ordover, Arnold.

A simple division of property.

No -brainer.

One meeting tops.

Yes? Well, let's try to show up for it.

I know you've missed three appointments in the last week, and I... Hey, big

brother, give it a rest, will you? I won't give it a rest. The last one you

skipped was my client. It's unprofessional, and I... I did not skip

late, and I apologized.

Do you want to give me detention, Douglas?

All right, Arnold.

Moving on.

Fairchild et al. versus Katsu Electronic.

Mine. Wrongful termination. A Japanese company bought out our client's business

and fired everybody.

On what grounds? Racist grounds.

We're going for compensatories and punitives.

I see.

Next up, In Re San Diego Sand Sharks. Yeah, that's mine. Group of investors

looking to buy into an expansion franchise in the National Hockey League.

them to Minnesota.

And jump on that with CJ. It sounds promising.

You'll love it. Lastly, Leland, you have an announcement.

Yes, I do.

Since the firm has been operating so efficiently and profitably over the past

two months, I've decided to extend Douglas' term as pro tem senior partner.

For how long?

Indefinitely.

Excuse me. You can't just do that.

Oh, yes, I can.

Since it's still a temporary term, I'm authorized.

Besides, we've been doing so well, Ann, it would be foolish... You're doing it

again, Leland.

You're making decisions that affect all of us without consulting us first. This

decision benefits everyone. Last week you said you were retaking control.

Now you're doing... I'm sorry, but I am confident that this is the best thing

for the firm. Do we get a vote?

It is temporary.

Move along, Douglas.

That's it.

We're done.

How long is Douglas going to be senior partner?

Why is this such a problem?

Because it is.

He's done a good job, I'll admit that. He's a nice interim manager, but none of

us wants the firm's future entrusted to him. Revenues are up, Michael.

We're all making more money. Because he's made a few quick fixes, but he

have the vision to manage the long -term growth of the place. I totally

disagree. Leland, if you want to be senior partner, then be senior partner.

But you can't take the position and just loan it out. I will do whatever I think

is necessary to promote the welfare of this... You're grooming him.

This is your way of passing the baton to Douglas, and it scares me. Why?

What are you afraid of?

Because if the firm goes to him...

It'll never be mine.

That's what I'm afraid of.

Michael, you've never expressed the slightest interest in taking over.

I am expressing it now, Leland. I think I am ready to run this place. And if you

don't want the job, then I want the chance. I'm not giving up the job,

If and when I do, yes, I think Douglas deserves his chance first.

Come on.

You don't have to leave.

I'm the one who has to get back to work.

Arnie, it was an event as usual, but I do have a life.

You are one of the most amazing women I've ever known, Christina.

Smart, funny, indescribably beautiful.

And I have all my own teeth.

Next Monday, same time?

Yeah, I'm tired of afternoons. I want a few evenings, a few nights, maybe even a

couple of lazy Sunday mornings.

I want to be a part of your life, Chris.

Look, Arnie, don't get weird on me, all right?

We both knew we were getting here.

We may be lovers, but this isn't love.

It's sport.

Sport? Yes.

I want you to look at me.

I want you to really look at me.

Not just... The smile or the eyes, but look at me.

What do you see?

A matinee?

Hey, come on, Arnie. You're fun to be with. But if this is getting too

complicated... Oh, no, no, no, no, no. No, big deal.

I mean, you can't win a guy for trying, right?

Same time, next Monday.

Can't wait.

You're the best.

MicroLink was sold to Katsu Electronics in 1989.

Six months later, I was fired. Why?

Because I'm not Japanese.

Objection. That's an opinion, not a fact.

Oh, it's a fact.

So what was the reason Katsu Electronics gave for firing you? They said my

performance was unsatisfactory. Was it?

Absolutely not.

I worked my way up from sales rep to president. I built this company into

something that they wanted to buy.

And you wanted them to buy it, didn't you? Yes, because I knew that Japanese

production and distribution capabilities would enable us to go global. That had

always been our dream for Microlink, to become an international company.

So what changed when Katsu took over?

As soon as they came in, we were cut out of the loop.

Decisions were made, meetings were held, we were never even told.

What did you do? I went to Mr. Nakajima. He was the head of the Japanese team,

and I expressed our concerns.

And how were they received?

He shut me down.

He said that Americans didn't understand their style of management.

When I argued that we hadn't even been allowed to work, he terminated me. How

much of the original management is left at Microlink? None. Within a year of the

buyout, Katsu fired every American executive and replaced him with

That's when the three of us decided to file suit.

And none of you can find any other work? We shouldn't have to. The three of us

sacrificed everything for this company.

My God, in those early years, we all worked every weekend. We never took a

vacation. This place was our future. It was our lives, for God's sake. And then

they just discarded us like that.

I have nothing further.

You said you were in favor of the Katsu buyout. Isn't that right?

Yes, because I... Because you wanted to go global.

And Katsu has made that dream a reality, haven't they? We were lied to. They

said they would keep us in place.

Isn't it true, Mr. Fairchild, that Microlink is doing far better now than

you were running it? I wouldn't say far better.

Maybe the sales are up 63%, profits up 31%. That doesn't mean that they can

us out. At the time of the buyout, you promised to learn Japanese, didn't you?

They didn't give me time.

Six months.

Did you take a single lesson? I intended to. You intended to? Yes.

How do you say, hello, how are you, in Japanese?

Objection. He doesn't speak the language. Asked and answered. You didn't

to say even that as a courtesy?

Get on from language, Mr. Spitzer. You made no attempt to learn anything about

Japanese management.

You say you were segregated, Mr. Fairchild. Did you welcome them?

We tried, but... Isn't it true you called a meeting the very first week?

and told all the American executives to watch their backs. Didn't you say that?

Well, obviously I was right.

Yeah, obviously you were right.

I have nothing further.

I feel a little uncomfortable about this meeting.

I think we all do.

When this is about safeguarding the firm, we have to be concerned about

going on.

Right. Starting with money.

Leland takes 28 % of the partnership draw. That's compared to 12 % and 10 %

the rest of us, respectively.

That's way lopsided. And then there's C .J.

What's C .J. got to do with this? She's bringing in most of the new business,

not Leland. And her deal gives her 40 % off the top. That means we're working

for more and more clients where the profit margin maxes out at 60%. The way

things are going, C .J. is going to be the highest -grossing attorney in the

firm. I love Leland McKenzie. I think we all do. But he's not bringing in new

clients, he's not practicing law much, and he has vested our future with

Douglas. I don't believe I'm saying this, but I think the time has come for

shift in leadership.

To whom?

To me.

Stuart, I know you might want it, but I think that litigation is our calling

card, and it makes more sense to have a trial lawyer at the helm.

And I'm ready for it.

I'm ready for it, too.

With all due respect, Stuart, if we are going to dethrone Leland, and I'm not so

sure that we should, Michael is the one who should replace him. I think we

should at least go to him first.

I already tried that. He wouldn't budge. He thinks Douglas has earned the

position. Plus, which we all went to him two months ago to confront him about

his unilateral decision -making, and look how he responds.

More of the same. So we just vote him out? That's just it. We can't.

Only the executive committee can schedule a vote before the calendar year

and Douglas and Leland make up two -thirds. So what are you suggesting,

overthrow? No.

We make a proposal en banc.

If we are united, I think Leland will bow to the majority.

Do you realize what we're doing?

We're just making a proposal.

We're not forcing him into anything, and we're not looking to shed any blood.

What if he refuses?

Then we have to honor his position.

This is his firm.

He created it. We can't lose sight of that.

We just have to hope that he listens to us.

You were Microlink's vice president of marketing.

Is that correct, Ms. Lockhart?

Yes. When did you lose your job?

A week after they fired Bruce Fairchild. They couldn't wait to get rid of me.

Why do you say that?

They treated me like I didn't exist.

I'd make marketing proposals and I'd be ignored.

I was told we, meaning Americans, didn't have enough.

refinement to run an ad campaign what did they want you to do instead i have

idea the only positive reaction i ever got from mr nakajima was when i offered

him a cup of tea did mr nakajima ever suggest how you should behave not in so

many words but the message was clear i shouldn't be so aggressive i shouldn't

contradict male executives i should give serious thought to marriage and

children before i got too old The defendants claim they fired you only on

basis of merit. That's a lie.

I have a BA from Princeton, an MBA from Wharton, and ten years of experience in

the industry. While I was at Microlink, sales more than doubled. I was fired

because I'm American.

And because I'm a woman.

And you know it.

Thank you.

How long were you at Microlink, Miss Lockhart?

A little over three years. And how many other jobs had you held since graduating

from business school?

Objection. Relevant. Goes to work history, Your Honor. I'm trying to

pattern in Miss Lockhart's professional career.

Hello, Lord. Six jobs at six different companies in ten years.

Not exactly a longevity record, is it? Every time I made a move, it was a move

up. I have no doubt.

You were blatantly ambitious.

You leapfrogged from company to company more concerned with your own advancement

than with loyalty.

Ask them about loyalty.

Ask them about throwing competent people out on the street. No, I'll decide

which questions I'll ask them.

When you made all these career moves, was it to serve the companies or your

personal career?

I cared about the company.

I planned to stay at Microlink forever.

I cared very much, and I had no... You were sending out your resume two months

before Katsu let you go. Because I could read the handwriting on the wall, and

I... Did you go to Mr.

Nakajima? Did you try to make things right, or do anything to save your

relationship with Microlink? There wasn't any point.

There wasn't any point.

So, at the time you got pushed, you were looking to jump anyway.

Right, Ms. Lockhart?

Maybe. I'm sorry, I didn't hear you.

I said maybe.

Maybe.

Thank you.

I have nothing further.

Yeah, just a minute, Arnie.

John, where the hell have you been?

Oh, man.

Sig alert on the 405. Harriet and her lawyer left for God's sake. I'm sorry.

Look, we can do it tomorrow. Damn it, Arnie. I want this divorce over with. I

want to stop thinking about it. Do you hear me? Okay.

How about 11 .45 tomorrow?

I'll call Pat Phillips. Yeah, yeah, just be here.

Or the next time, I won't be.

Excuse me. Great.

Where were you?

I don't have to report to you, Gwen. You also had a 9 .30 court date.

Don't worry, Abby got you a continuance.

Arnie, this is not the first time someone's had to cover for you.

You were supposed to have the Morhaime prenup drawn up last week. I've been

deflecting them for three days. Pat Phillips and the Ordovers sat in this

and waited for you to show up for an hour. I know, I know. I know you've been

covering for me, and I know that I don't deserve it, and I'm sorry.

I've been... I've been distracted lately.

I got a letter from Chloe the other day.

She, um...

She told me that she'd been looking after her mother and... She said I

worry.

I'm sorry.

Yeah.

So have you, um... Have you talked with Corinne lately?

Uh, Corinne and I don't seem to be speaking.

I leave her messages, but, um... I'm a reminder of something she'd rather

forget.

I guess I can understand that.

I'm sorry you were friends and... Gwen, I want you to know that when

we... when we made love that time, it wasn't just my fear of

marriage that made me do it.

Well, I mean, I wasn't using you.

At least I... I hope that I wasn't.

Thank you.

And the truth of the matter is that I... I found you and I...

I still find you to be... the most amazing woman that

I have ever met.

You postulant little puke. What? What did I do? Using your divorce, using

as just another setup for a seduction.

Gwen, I swear I wasn't thinking of that at all. No, uh -uh.

Believe it or not, I don't hate you for any of this.

I feel sorry.

Hi. What's going on?

Oh, not much. Just getting set up for that meeting.

Yeah. God, I hope it's not too awful.

Yeah, well, probably will be.

Did you want something? No, no, I...

Grace, I just wanted to tell you that I do love you.

I do.

I'm sorry.

Victor. What?

I like the sound of that.

What's this about?

The partners, excluding Douglas, have a proposal that we'd like to offer

formally pursuant to Article 11, Section 3 of the partnership agreement.

I wasn't aware that you'd even read the partnership agreement, Michael.

Stuart? Yeah.

Nine weeks ago, the partners of this firm convened to address you, Leland

McKenzie, with our concerns regarding your leadership of this law firm.

You responded to these concerns by appointing Douglas Brackman as pro tem

partner for a six -week period while you attended to expanding our client base.

No such expansion occurred.

Now, after nine weeks, you have unilaterally extended Douglas' senior

tenure to an open -ended term.

Again, without consulting the other partners, you've made a designation

affects all of our interests.

We feel we have no choice now but to call on you and the executive committee

schedule a new vote.

Which vote would serve to either confirm your position... or in turn elect a new

senior partner.

Signed, Michael Cusack, Arnold Becker, Stuart Markowitz, Ann Kelsey, and Grace

Van Owen.

Well, you've obviously all gotten together here. Who do you plan to vote

Michael. Douglas would remain as administrative partner.

Leland, you would go to being of counsel.

You think you can just push me out? This isn't a push, Leland. It's a proposal.

This is your firm. The decision is yours. We'll abide by it.

We just want you to know we're... This is an ambush.

It's not an ambush. We are all on the same side. We all want what's best for

firm. Do any of you think you really know how to run a firm?

It isn't all just trying cases and collecting fees. There's a hell of a lot

involved here than... Again, Leland, we're not pushing you out.

To the contrary, we would be counting on your guidance in making the transition

to the new leadership. You go straight to hell, Michael.

I take that as a no.

Leland, that was a betrayal.

To go to the others behind my back, that was a betrayal, you son of a bitch. I

got two choices here. Either I can walk away from this firm or I can stay here

and fight for it. I chose the latter. You chose to screw me. You chose to step

down. You chose to put Douglas in charge. It's that we're rebelling again.

a rebellion against me.

This is spit in my face to be summoned like that and given an ultimatum. It's

not an ultimatum, for God's sake, Leland. Don't you listen. All you had to

was say no. You said it, so it's done. It's over.

You're not the one being pushed out here.

Mr.

Nakajima, when your firm bought out Microlink, did you want to keep the

American management?

Of course.

But they never understood, or I should say they refused to understand our way

doing business.

Well, they claim they weren't given a chance to really work with you. They

didn't care to work with us. We felt their distrust from the onset of the

buyout. Mr. Fairchild, in six months, refused to run even basic Japanese,

means he could not conference with Tokyo.

Which also made it impossible for him to expand the sales in the Pacific Rim. He

says you froze him out. We needed him.

Whenever we acquire companies in American markets, we depend on American

executives. But from the beginning, they resisted our management style and they

resisted us personally.

The situation finally became unworkable. So you replaced the American executives

with Japanese executives.

All changes were made on merit. And since those changes, productivity and

company value has doubled.

Thank you, sir.

I have nothing further.

How many American companies has the Katsu parent company acquired?

Microlink makes four.

How many presidents in these four companies have been replaced by Japanese

executives?

Four. And how many women in the parent katsu company in Japan work in the elite

management team?

In Japan, the culture is... Sir, just answer my question.

Give me a number. As a matter of fact, round it off. How many of the 2 ,000

upper management katsu executives in Japan are women?

Zero. Because in Japan... Something against women, Mr. Nakajima? We respect

the culture is different here.

We have...

women executives in the United States.

In fact, we kept on Miss Lockhart.

She was fired because of performance and because she exhibited no trust or

confidence in us.

True or false, Mr. Nakajima?

You believe Americans to be inferior.

That is false.

I simply believe the executive skills of your client are inferior to their

replacements. Who just happened to be Japanese?

I am from Japan.

Most of my contacts and my sources are Japanese people. So that gives you the

right to just clean house like this because you're from Japan?

What gives me the right to clean house is because I bought the company.

I own it.

Nothing further.

Okay, here it is.

$100 ,000 each, sealed, no admission.

No way. A million five.

Forget it. $100 ,000. Take it, O'Deavers. Don't insult us.

You insult us.

See, now this is typical. Nothing is ever their fault. And nothing is ever

yours. You tried to intimidate us. As soon as you came in, you made us afraid

for our jobs. We tried to teach you, but you were too arrogant to run.

You cannot hide behind your inefficiency.

Lying, arrogant son of a bitch. I don't want to make a deal with this man.

I don't want to even be in the same room with him. You never wanted to be in the

same room as us.

All you wanted was money. You want to get him out of here? Okay.

But you can't say we didn't try.

I'm sorry.

I thought they were serious.

Yeah, so did we. Look, I don't want to cry about this anymore.

I just want to bury them.

I don't know exactly what we've got on our hands, Douglas, but this is bad.

I've been a good senior partner, Leland. Revenue and caseloads are up, overhead

is down. They have no right to reject me like this. They're rejecting both of

us, my friend.

No. If you'd stayed in command, this wouldn't have happened.

Maybe so, but it's too late now.

I've lost their trust.

See, we're the old guard, and they're ready for the new guard.

So what do we do?

Well, Michael may be the only person who could hold this place together right

now, but if he goes, it could all crumble like a stale cracker. You want

surrender? No, no, but I don't want to disintegrate either.

Oh, could we use Rosalind now?

Damn it, Leland. I want to fight them.

Let them all leave if they want to.

But how the hell could we face ourselves if we just suck up to what they're

doing? That's my father on the wall there.

He built this place from the ground with you, and they're trying to snatch it

away? We're not old.

You're 62. I'm 41. That's not old, damn it. I want to fight them. I want to

fight. I'm with you, Douglas.

But we have to be prepared.

I mean, they could all walk.

We could have an office with no lawyers.

Roxanne? Yes?

Have you been eavesdropping?

No.

Yes. Why?

Are you spying for them?

Oh, no.

I'm with you.

And if my opinion counts for anything, I'm glad you're not going to take this.

think they're spoiled, selfish, overgrown brats.

And I hope you wipe the floor with every one of them.

Get a hold of Rod Osborne Placements.

He's the top head hunter in town. We're going to find some new lawyers.

Good.

Am I seeing your partner?

Absolutely. Then I'm going to take action. What I need from you is 100 %

backing. Don't worry.

They think they can just flick us to the side?

They have no idea what they're in for.

Now, as for the cars, we propose Mr.

Ordover retain ownership of the Mercedes, Mrs. Ordover the Thunderbird,

Jetta wagon to be sold as previously agreed, proceeds to be split between the

parties. That's a 57 Thunderbird in pristine condition. I put in hundreds of

hours of work on it. Fine.

You want the Thunderbird, you give me back your half of the timeshare in

Boulder. What? That's outrageous.

Arnie.

Arnie.

Just give her the timeshare, John. What?

The values are roughly comparable. You don't even use the condo that much. Just

give her the stupid timeshare. Let's move on.

Item number 134, limited edition serigraph Thomas Doherty, number 22 and

edition of 200.

This was Mr. Ordover's separate property prior to his marriage, which was

converted to Mrs. Ordover's property when he presented it to her as a gift.

like to see you prove that. Come on, people, we can work this out. Doesn't

mean anything to you? You never even liked the damn picture. You've got to

him. You've got to believe him. You are not getting this, too.

It's just a damn picture!

See? It doesn't bleed!

When you cut it, they don't cry when you drop them. They are things. They are

just property.

No matter how expensive it is, no matter how much you love it, they will never

love you back.

Is this what it all comes down to? Just a division of property?

Itemizing silverware and furniture?

Arnie, calm down. Take it easy.

Is that all there is to it?

Is that all we ever get out of it?

Arnie?

Arnie, come outside with me.

I'm just kind of sitting here in my foxhole.

Place has gone crazy, Jonathan.

Partners walking around with bayonets sticking to each other. Arnie's flipped

out.

I just figured I'd sit in here and duck the scuds.

You think the firm's going to break apart?

I don't know.

It's awful noisy out there.

I think I'm going to talk to Leland.

No.

You should just let the elephants fight it out.

Us little people can just stay out of it.

You seem pretty sanguine about all this.

Yeah.

Well, it's just a place of work, you know? I mean, more important things to

worry about than work, right?

Yeah.

Like what?

How's your case going?

Man, lousy.

Yeah, well, it started off okay, but they've made a pretty good business

defense. I don't even think the jury even sees Katsu as racist now, just good

Japanese businessmen.

Well, they are Japanese.

Meaning what?

Meaning maybe the way to winning isn't their racism, maybe it's ours.

I can't stupid that as a tactic. Well, they hired you to win a lawsuit,

Jonathan.

Gotta try to win it.

Having a nice day so far?

Yeah. What's this?

Oh, this is security.

Never know when you might need it. By the way, you're fired.

What? By meeting secretly with your little group and orchestrating that

proposal, you've breached your fiduciary duty to both Leland and me.

Accordingly, I, as senior partner, am authorized to summarily discharge you

pursuant to Article 4, Section 2.

You can't do that. I can, and I have. You have the right to an automatic

before the entire firm partnership.

Set appeal to be scheduled by the senior partner not later than 30 days after

the discharge.

I hereby schedule your appeal for April 28, 1991.

Until then, you're fired. Get out.

I'm not going anywhere.

Then I'll have you arrested as a trespasser. It's up to you, Michael. You

walk out or these men drag you out and take you to the police.

Congratulations, Douglas. You just guaranteed the end of this firm.

You make your moves.

I make mine.

See you in a month.

Get him out of here.

This is unbelievable.

Come on, let's go.

Roxanne, have his parking permit revoked. I don't even want him in the

Everybody in there? All except Arnold, who we can't seem to track down. But

can't wait. Okay, let's go.

What the hell have you done, Douglas? What I've done is to take appropriate

action against a threat to this firm. There is nothing appropriate about what

you did. Michael Cusack is a valued member of this partnership, and you

him without consulting us. And having him removed by security?

That's a disgrace, Douglas. It's an insult. Everybody here. I had my

and I... There is no legitimate reason for treating anyone like that, much less

a partner. Want to hear me out, or do you all want to just scream? I don't

to hear anything.

I would.

You want to be ashamed of yourself, Leland. Why don't you let us talk for a

change, Grace?

Go ahead, Douglas.

Michael Cusack was undoubtedly planning to leave this firm. He most likely would

have cultivated his clients to go with him. And as a precautionary safeguard, I

fired a preemptive strike.

By cutting his access off to clients and files, we stand a much better chance of

holding on to those clients.

You don't treat people like that. No, the better way, I suppose, is to

meet and plan a backstabbing coup.

That is not what we did.

The hell you didn't. All right.

Michael's termination is scheduled for an appeal before the partnership in one

month, at which time you can override my decision in accordance with the

partnership agreement. Until then, his caseload will be reassigned, and he will

have no access to this office. You threw a person out of his job.

Hey!

The decision's been made.

And if any of you don't like it, I suggest you quit.

This is my firm.

This will always be my firm.

And don't you forget that for a second.

You people started this fight.

And if I have to, I'll finish it. Come along, Douglas.

The Japanese are taking over this country.

They own 25 % of the banks here in California and almost 15 % of all U .S.

banks. They control 20 % of the U .S. car market and 45 % of the commercial

estate in downtown Los Angeles.

They're colonizing us, ladies and gentlemen.

See, this may be more subtle than Pearl Harbor, but the threat is much worse.

Today, California and New York.

Tomorrow, Montana and Maine.

And make no mistake, every time they take over an American company, they'll

replacing the American management with Japanese. Because not only do they

consider themselves to be superior, they believe in racial purity.

See, they didn't even let Westerners within the bounds of Japan until 150

ago. Before that, Japan was considered too pure, too sacred to be polluted by

foreigners. Today, they're still worried about diluting the superiority of their

race. The difference is, instead of staying home in Japan, they're branching

out.

And here they come.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have to stop them.

Because if we just give them the opportunity to march over us, they will.

They will.

Bruce Fairchild.

Paige Lockhart and Donald Schwartz were not incompetent, but Katsu Electronics

fired them anyway, and we all know why.

What you need to do here today is show them that here in our country, and it's

still our country, that is not our way of doing business.

Oh, yes.

The little red ants are marching over here to colonize us.

Isn't it just awful?

Pearl Harbor?

That kind of Japan bashing is disgraceful.

The fact is, Japan bashing is a convenient way for us to avoid

Is it their fault their kids spend 60 days more a year in school than ours do?

that their blue -collar workers can do algebra while some of ours can't even

read.

We like to blame the Japanese for our problems, but the truth is we've made

ourselves right here at home.

We've forgotten all the good old American values like excellence and hard

and the Japanese remember them.

Katsu's used them to bring micro -link into the global market.

Bruce Fairchild, Paige Lockhart, and Donald Schwartz couldn't do that. When

Katsu fired them and replaced them with more gifted executives, the company

became bigger, more profitable.

It flourished.

Merit, ladies and gentlemen.

That's what we call this.

That used to be the American way.

You can prove it still is.

chance. Jeff, don't.

Please.

It's hard enough.

As angry as I am at what he's done, I can't abandon Ken now. Not while I'm

drunk.

I like it.

It's got that lived -in feel.

Haven't had a chance to unpack yet.

Uh -huh.

I really did to myself this time, didn't I, Rox?

Everybody loses their temper.

It's no big deal.

I don't mean the office. I mean my life.

Yeah.

You really did it this time, Arnie.

I really loved her. You know that.

I loved her.

Aunt Chloe.

I know.

So why'd you do it, Arnie?

I felt a hold.

I... I feel afraid.

Nobody's ever going to really love me if they know the real me.

And you just have to keep making them prove it.

Sometimes I hear the boardwalk, the beach, and I see these little old men

walking up and down, and I know that they're just marking time because they

no place to go and nobody to be with.

want to die alone, Roxanne, and I know that I'm going to.

You need help, Arnie.

Please, let me get you help.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor. I'll say you. In the matter of Fairchild et al. versus

Katsu Electronics, we find in favor of... the plaintiff, and order the

defendants to pay compensatory damages in the amount of $160 ,000 to Mr.

Fairchild, $80 ,000 to Ms. Lockhart and Mr. Schwartz. We further order the

defendant to pay punitive damages in the amount of $3 .2 million to be split

equally between the plaintiffs.

Members of the jury, your service is ended. This matter is adjourned.

Mr. Rollins, approach.

That was probably the most racist closing argument I have ever heard in 19

on the bench. I just hope to God you realize that this verdict does not

legitimize the crap you've been saying.

It only means there's a market for it.

Is that all?

Yeah.

That's all.

You don't think it'd be easier just to come back? I mean...

The partners are going to override this. You know they are. I'm not sure I even

want to go back.

The truth is, Victor, the time is right for me to move on.

The Ricky Davis trial has given me a tremendous profile.

It's time for new challenges, and I want you to come with me.

I don't know about that.

Mike, Grace and I are... She's pregnant.

Really?

Wow. Congratulations.

That's great.

Yeah. There's been a whole lot of things racing through my mind because of it.

I gotta tell you, opening up a law practice with you hasn't been one of

Victor, I can deal with you and Grace.

This is business.

You and I have a tremendous record.

Incredible capital experience.

We can build a hell of a practice.

And we'll have fun.

What do you say? Are you interested?

Maybe. Then let's do it.

I need some help with the files, though. You can be my inside man. I want to

take as many clients as possible. I also want to talk to Jonathan, Abby, and

Tommy. I'll bet you anything we can get them to come with us.

What about Grace?

What about her? You'd want her, too? An ex -judge? Hell, yes.

Victor, we can be an elite litigation shop, plus which we will decimate the

litigation department at McKenzie Brackman.

We won't even have to woo clients. They will come running to us.

Like you really want to take down the firm?

Douglas and Leland declared this war. If they're not me, I'm just going to be

the one who wins.