Pilot episode for the TV series introduces the lawyers and employees of McKenzie, Brackman, Chaney and Kuzak, a Los Angeles law firm, in dealing with their courtroom cases and personal matters out of the courthouse. While the entire office deals with the unexpected death of one of the founding senior partners, Norman Chaney, junior partner Michael Kuzak reluctantly takes on the defense of a wealthy and spoiled young man, accused with two friends, of raping a woman dying from leukemia. While intern Abby Perkins deals with her abusive alcoholic husband, divorce lawyer Arnie Becker takes advantage of his latest client caught up in her divorce. Public defender Victor Sifuentes is also offered to join the firm, while the ruthless managing partner, Douglas Brackman, deals with a surprising revelation from his new secretary.

Kuzak wants to take his relationship with Grace public, then reporters drag her through the mud during a press conference when her former fiancé tells them that she left him at their wedding with an unknown man (Kuzak) in a gorilla suit. Meanwhile, Kelsey pushes the trustees of a fund intended to benefit the poor and homeless of Beverly Hills into doing something. Victor tries to defend the spoiled Jeffrey Sullivan on drug dealing charges, who is convinced he can buy his way out of the drug rap. Also, Abby's stress over her missing son comes out while she is helping Becker in a divorce case between a couple using their child as a bargaining chip.

Kuzak has difficulty getting over Sid Hershberg's suicide and seems to assume the dead lawyer's identity by taking over Hershberg's cases. Then Kuzak faces a dilemma when his latest client, lacking confidence in the overworked lawyer, arranges an alibi for himself in a vehicular manslaughter case. When Kuzak has an attack of conscious and withdraws from the case, he is thrown in jail for contempt. Meanwhile, Kelsey works to land Cromwell Industries, a key aircraft manufacturer's account. Roxanne comforts Andrew Putnam, a lonely teenage computer hacker and Victor's client, who's hired to fix the firm's telephones.

Brackman (recovering from a broken ankle) asks Becker to represent him after his wife, Sheila, serves him with divorce pagers and she retains Becker's former girlfriend and law associate, Lisa Weston, to represent her. Meanwhile, Markowitz feels very jealous after Kelsey wins the court case for Cromwell Industries and the personal appreciation from Mr. Cromwell himself. Judge Hood, a retiring superior court judge, pressures McKenzie for a job at the firm, and Victor uses statistical evidence as he accuses another judge of bigotry for his Hispanic client. Also, Roxanne reluctantly agrees to go out on a date with the insecure Andrew Putnam.