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.

McKenzie takes a dim view of future lawyers after his guest lecture at a law school which is filled by questions from the students dominated by self-interest. McKenzie's secretary, Iris, takes a dim view of her future with the firm and of the new law clerk, Jeffrey Sullivan, whom McKenzie hires. Meanwhile, Irving Lewis follows Becker's advice concerning his divorce, then blames him when his young wife won't return to him. Victor goes to bat for a young girl facing charges after she shot her brother who tried to rape her. Kuzak meets with Grace's fiancé while continuing to try to win her affections, and Markowitz wows Kelsey with his private life. Abby tries to continue working despite not knowing the whereabouts of her son.

Kuzak represents Stacey Gill, a TV news anchorwoman who lost her on-air job following a broadcast of graphic reports concerning her breast cancer surgery. Meanwhile, Brackman is taken to court when a group of people that live in an inner city housing project accuse him of being a slumlord and their lawyer is Andrew Taylor, the former McKenzie Brackman associate. Jeffrey Sullivan causes concern for Victor when he suspects Jeffrey of dealing drugs within the office. Becker tries to work out a payment plan for his services to Hillary Mishkin.

Sid Hershberg tries to make a comeback, but he can't take the pressure and kills himself in front of Kuzak while he is trying to get the attempted murder charges against Nina Emmons dropped. Becker gets caught making out with a client's former wife. Meanwhile, Kelsey faces a mountain of garbage (literally) as she tries to win a contract dispute over an inventor's tea-bag technology. Brackman quarrels with everyone over the annual holiday festivities and McKenzie gives his secretary, Iris, a law book for her future career of studying law. Abby's ex-husband lets their son, Eric, stay with her for the Christmas holidays, and Victor returns to the firm.

While McKenzie is dealing with Judge Morris Hood facing bribery charges, he's asked by another senior partner from a national firm in New York, named Marshal Taft & Associates, to merge their two organizations which raises many expectations. Meanwhile, Roxanne and the other secretaries resent the intrusion of two efficiency experts from Marshal Taft. Also, Abby has her first solo court appearance and gets burned for her poor preparation.

Kelsey takes Markowitz on a camping trip in the hills which turns disastrous. Meanwhile, Kuzak tries to help Ron Messer, a fisherman who lost his boat when the IRS confiscated it in a tax dispute. Becker falls hard for a young model, named Lucinda, but later discovers that she's only using him to make her current boyfriend jealous. Grace's addiction to pills and hard liquor catches up with her. Also, Brackman involves Victor and Abby in his continuing dispute with his neighbor over the death of his dog, and Iris worries when an unusually moody McKenzie hesitates to see a doctor.

Victor and Abby defend a woman accused of murdering her baby. Kuzak's fisherman client, Ron Messer, wins his case against the IRS, but loses his boat anyway to bank foreclosure. Meanwhile, Kelsey and Markowitz wind up in Las Vegas while celebrating their six-month anniversary together, complete with an Elvis impersonator at a wedding chapel. Becker's client makes some astounding accusations against her husband, a kiddie-show TV host, concerning the family pig. Also, Grace leaves Kuzak for a while to sort out her feelings. McKenzie finally clears the air with Iris about a minor medical condition of his.