Five months later. Things have changed for the firm which is now named McKenzie, Brackman, Kelsey, Markowitz, and Morales, as the partners begin to interview candidates for a new associate at the firm which is under a massive interior renovation. Meanwhile, Stuart Markowitz's cousin, Eli Levinson, arrives in town from New York to defend Sandy Morris, the mentally ill son of some old friends who's accused of murdering a social worker. Eli's former secretary, Denise Iannello, arrives in Los Angeles to re-start her life and asks Eli to give her a job as his secretary again. Kelsey represents another attorney suing her own firm for sexual discrimination. Also, Becker finds the new associate candidate, Jane Halliday, a Christian fundamentalist, irresistible, while Kelsey is wary about Halliday's presence.

New associate Jane Halliday represents a Gulf War veteran in declining health, who charges a VA doctor with negligence in treating his baffling illness. Meanwhile, Rollins is representing a TV shopping network executive being sued by a man for enticing his "shopaholic" wife to spend beyond her means. Eli enters a plea of not guilty for Sandy and hires an attractive private investigator, Jinx, to look into the murder victim's husband a potential suspect while Sandy's parents, Ed and Rae, quarrel with Eli and each other over what's best for Sandy.

The Sandy Morris murder trial begins where Eli acts on his suspicions and calls the murder victim's husband, Jonah, to the stand. Meanwhile, Becker longs to buy a classic $275,000 Bentley Convertible, a dream that could come true pending the outcome of a messy divorce case involving his latest client, Jessie Wilks, and her wealthy CEO husband. Also, Morales' artistic eye puts him in charge of the office renovation and meets with the renovator, Lauren Chase, to discus the costs.

McKenzie offers Eli a partnership in the firm and proposes him for membership in his restricted, all-WASP mens club. Meanwhile, Becker is representing an obnoxious couple suing their travel agent, Marty Schiff, for a disastrous vacation that ended up in Azerbaijan. Mullaney is prosecuting Ronald Chow, a Chinese financier when an illegal immigrant died while in his custody. Also, Morales manages to agree with Lauren Chase on the right budget restrictions and starts a romance with her.

Markowitz is approached by Barry Glassman, an old friend who reveals that he's a fugitive named Jay Ellison wanted for attempting to help a Black Panther member escape from prison in 1968 and asks him to help arrange his surrender. Meanwhile, Morales is representing a pot-smoking couple suing the school system for encouraging their daughter to turn them into the police. A casting agent raises Denise's expectations about an acting career. Also, Benny develops a crush on Denise and begins to ignore Rosalie who wants to move in with him.

Becker urges that the firm employ a security consultant in constructing a "safe room" for the employees, then falls prey to the innovation when he and Denise get locked in it after hours. Meanwhile, Kelsey and Halliday square off against each other while they are representing Karl Bullon, a self-righteous department store employer being sued by an ex-employee for eavesdropping on her who was having an extra-marital affair with a co-worker, where Halliday learns a courtroom lesson while cross-examining a witness. Also, Rollins decides to represent Glassman and seeks out a former Black Panther member as a witness for his and Markowitz's case.

Becker gets into a minor car accident when a illegal Chinese truck driver accidentally crashes into his Bentley which prompts a spate of anti-Asian sentiments, which in turn inspires the minority members of the firm who include Morales and Rollins. Meanwhile, the Glassman case reaches its conclusion as Rollins and Markowitz try to turn the jury against the U.S. government. Eli handles the divorce of the wife of a marriage counseling guru reluctant to give up on the marriage or his wife's money. Also, Jinx helps Eli with his case while showing him the wonders of Los Angeles.

Eli, on a caffeine high diet while studying for his California bar exam, tries to juggle the attentions of Jinx and his New York girlfriend, Audrey (from the series 'Civil Wars'), who shows up for a surprise visit. Meanwhile, McKenzie handles the case of Arthur Emmrich, a vocal teacher being sued by a very vocal and very dissatisfied student. Also, Mullaney prosecutes Rick Turner, a wealthy man accused of raping a prostitute he saw on a daily basis, while Mullaney is drawn to the superior court judge, Carolyn Walker.

Eli is representing Nat Pinkus, an aging comic whose son is trying to have him declared incompetent to take possession of his estate. Meanwhile, Brackman handles a small poetry society suing over the use of their mailing list by a much larger direct-mail organization. Mullaney is surprised when Roxanne and Dave Meyer walk into his office and ask him to give up any custody rights to their baby daughter. Denise takes offense at Halliday's questions about her religious convictions, and McKenzie plays Santa at the annual office Christmas party.

Morales agrees to defend a young man who wants to confess to a convenience store robbery, but who may not be guilty. Meanwhile, Kelsey takes a civil case of defending a man accused of sexual fraud because he implied to a woman that he was an undercover cop. Mullaney and Judge Walker face a defense attorney demanding a mistrial in the Turner case because of their developing relationship. Also, Becker ends up getting duped by a phony come-on by Halliday after he tells her of his divine sight to see the truth.

Markowitz represents Alfred Uhler, a veteran juggler suing his protégé, Ross Petit, for appropriating his routines and cutting him out of the act. When both sides are unwilling to back down, the lawyers come to a well known, retired juggler, named Roscoe Zambini, to determine the case for them. Meanwhile, Halliday represents ballerina Erica Hastings, who is seeking to get out of her exclusive contract with a Alex Vedder, an egotistical, stubborn choreographer who won't use her. Also, Benny feels pressured from Dominic and Denise when Rosalie wants more of a commitment from him.

Eli is co-counsel with Defense Attorney Tanya Geiss for one of two men being prosecuted by A.D.A. Tommy Mullaney for manslaughter after resorting to cannibalism during an ill-fated mountain climbing expedition which their partner died. Meanwhile, Becker encourages his client, mathematician Carl Hicks, to resist his wife's divorce demands and to stand up for himself. Denise finds herself caught in the middle of a father and son feud when both vie for her attention which also threatens one of McKenzie's cases.

Kelsey finds herself in an uncomfortable spotlight when she represents an adoptive mother fighting to retain custody of her child from the natural father who has the support of the Birth Parents Network. Meanwhile, Halliday is representing Madeline Churchill, a librarian with delicate sensibilities, suing a hippie librarian for constantly using profanity in front of her on the job and she gets embarrassed by Becker's come-on jokes. After Rollins learns that he is not up for partnership, he presents McKenzie an ultimatum: make him a partner or he will leave.

Benny's wedding plans are thrown into confusion after Rosalie reveals she's already married. So, Becker tries to get the other retarded man, Tim, to sign annulment papers so Benny can go through with it. Meanwhile, Halliday's overzealous preacher father pays an unexpected visit and meddles in her case involving a high school biology teacher who was fired from his job for teaching creationism. Markowitz questions Kelsey over their fading love, and Eli questions his feelings for Denise.

Brackman is representing three active senior citizens who are participating in tests for a testosterone patch and who are in danger of eviction from their senior citizens community for disruptive behavior. Meanwhile, Rollins goes to federal court to represent a dangerous, incorrigible inmate who petitions the court to close down the maximum-security prison at China Lake where he is incarcerated. The partners take sides in choosing a new associate, where Morales is strongly opposed to the hiring of Patrick Flanagan, a charming personal friend of McKenzie, by informing of his past history of suspected plagiarizing, planting false evidence, and enduing perjury in a past case which Morales' client was unfairly sent to prison. But when the partners decide to hire Flanagan anyway (due to McKenzie's presence)... Morales decides to quit!

Eli represents Lynn Barnett, an ad executive being sued for sexual harassment and wrongful termination by a copywriter with whom she had an affair. Meanwhile, Halliday's client, who's suing her contractor for earthquake damage, finds answers in the Bible, but leaves Jane in a quandary by refusing to accept a generous settlement which could help the firm. Denise suffers anxiety attacks as the after shocks from the major earthquake continue. Morales leaves the firm for good, and tries to warn everyone about the true colors of Patrick Flanagan as he arrives to fill his place.

New associate, Patrick Flanagan, throws his weight around the firm, charming everyone with his friendliness and even helps get Brackman and Sheila's son, Alexander, into an exclusive prep school. But he shows his true hidden and unwholesome colors when he crosses Becker while assisting him in a civil case of a woman suing her ex-husband for allegedly molesting their daughter when Flanagan persuades Becker's client not to testify and blackmails the opposing counsel for a large settlement, which incurs the wrath of Mullaney on Becker after the devious Flanagan places the blame on Becker. Meanwhile, Rollins' case puts him between a young model and her over-protective father, who is suing her for beach of contract.

Markowitz reluctantly takes a court case of a libel suit involving an investigative reporter who accused a nuclear physicist of conducting radiation experiments on unwitting subjects in the 1950s. Meanwhile, Kelsey handles a divorce case between a woman and her husband, a Grateful Dead fanatic. Also, Becker gets involved with district attorney Belinda Fox, who is determined to prosecute his client for pandering.

Flanagan takes the case of dentist Joseph Palmer, whose practice was destroyed by false rumors that he has AIDS, suing a rival dentist Frederick Schultz, who allegedly spread the rumors. Flanagan loses the case, but successfully pulls yet another fast one when he privately blackmails Schultz for a $750,000 settlement by threatening to spread false rumors about him... and keeps most of the settlement money for himself. Becker continues his steamy affair with Belinda, but a rumor about her participation in a past sting operation troubles him, as well as her increasing jealousy and unpredictability. Meanwhile, McKenzie takes the case of Ernie Frye who is being sued by Margo Stanton, the owner of an Afghan show dog, who claims her dog was impregnated by Frye's mutt and the eccentric Judge Zimring, the judge in charge of the case, enjoys the events and even brings his two Boston Terriers to watch the proceedings. Also, Becker complains to McKenzie and Brackman about Flanagan's devious and unscrupulous ways. But when McKenzie questions Flanagan about the allegations of his legal tactics, the two-faced, sociopath Flanagan convinces McKenzie that he has not done any wrongdoing of any kind in the past or now.

Becker tries to hush up his client, Frank Askoff's connections to Camilla Greer, a well-known Hollywood madam. Meanwhile, Rollins represents the father of an incorrigible teenager who is suing to be released from a rehab center to which her father had her committed. Eli goes to a broker to buy a luxury car for himself, but ends up getting arrested after learning that it's been stolen. Also, Mullaney learns from Belinda that she suspects Becker of obstruction of justice and threatens him not tell Becker that he's being followed around by private investigators hoping to find something to nail him on.

Becker blames Belinda's personal malice for his becoming a suspect in the murder of Camilla Greer, while the rest of the firm rallies around him to prove the charges are false and Jinx is hired to tail Askoff to find out if he had something to do with the murder. Meanwhile, Mullaney anticipates trouble with Judge Arthur Bryson, the man who used to date Judge Carolyn Walker, as he prosecutes a case under California's "three strikes" law. McKenzie makes an abrupt change of plans when he visits a doctor. Also, Denise becomes annoyed by the eccentric photocopier repairman's constant whistling.

McKenzie throws the firm into a turmoil when he announces his plans to retire as they prepare to throw him a surprise 65th birthday party. Meanwhile, Becker thinks that he's reached rock bottom of his life at the age of 42, and he reaches out to Halliday to comfort him who takes him to a church. Eli represents Isidore Schoen, an elderly clothing manufacturer, being sued by his son in a power struggle over who will guide the family business. Also, Benny and Rosalie face a crisis in their marriage when Dominic urges Benny to help him invest money in a racehorse without Rosalie's consent.