The Good Wife (2009–2016): Season 4, Episode 13 - The Seven Day Rule - full transcript
Diane and Will offer Alicia a chance to become an equity partner, but do they have ulterior motives? Meanwhile, the firm battles an old enemy as they negotiate a valuable pre-nup, and religion becomes an issue in the gubernatorial campaign.
WILL: Why are you shaking your head,
Mr. Gross?
GROSS:
I don't know. The usual reasons.
Disbelief, incredulity,
disappointment.
WILL: Ah. I must be endangering
the future.
No, just being a bit melodramatic.
WILL:
So you never tweak the algorithm?
Chummie, the squirrel,
just acts on his own?
Um, no, I didn't say that.
You said
you couldn't impact the results.
Yes. But the algorithm needs
almost daily attention and revision.
WILL:
I see. And why would you revise it?
GROSS:
For one thing, to avoid spam.
Spammers are constantly trying
to game the search results.
So we adapt the algorithm
to avoid that.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
ALICIA:
Deena Lampard?
ALICIA:
It should only take a minute more.
I recognize you both from the trial.
ALICIA:
You work for Neil Gross' law firm?
Yes. He hates you guys.
May I ask you, why are you here?
Good question.
Why are we here, Dad?
I'd rather wait for the lawyer.
She's a lawyer, just like me.
My dad likes male lawyers.
My daughter likes acting
like I'm not in the room.
DEENA: Ha, ha, ha.
- Mr. Lampard, hello.
Ms. Lampard.
I'm David Lee, family law.
I see you've met Alicia and Kalinda.
How may we help you today?
- Here, help yourself.
- Thank you, no.
Well, let's see.
My daughter needs
a second opinion.
Regarding?
Okay. What is it?
PAUL: It's a prenup.
- I see.
And who is your daughter
intending on marrying?
Neil Gross.
- Neil Gross, president of ChumHum.
- Yes.
- The ninth richest man in America.
PAUL: Yes.
KALINDA: Who gave you
your first opinion, Deena?
You said you wanted a second.
- Longcraine and Church.
DAVID: Heh, heh, heh.
Mr. Gross' law firm?
Yes, and my firm.
They thought I should sign it.
Yes, of course they did.
PAUL: We're middle-class people,
Mr. Lee. We don't have much money.
And Deena is paying off
her student loans.
Dad, it's not about that.
I know. But I want you protected.
DAVID:
Well, that's why we're here.
To protect you.
It's a travesty.
If they divorce, she gets nothing,
and she has to immolate herself
on an altar of ChumHum's choosing.
DIANE:
There's no contingency here.
No, but she's marrying
the ninth richest man in the country.
We do right by her,
we get the business.
Gross will never bring his business
here. He's made that clear.
No, her business.
We write this up correctly,
and we'll get some kind
of Bill and Melinda Gates charity
- in her name. She'll bring it here.
- Is that what she wants?
She's 28.
She doesn't know what she wants.
She's in love.
Well, not to put too fine a point
on this,
but time's up in bankruptcy court,
and we're only halfway
to the 60 million we need.
If we wanna argue for an extension,
we need to show the court
some progress.
Well, the fianc?e
of the ninth richest man is progress.
I'm doing my job. You two do yours.
Alicia, do you mind?
Could you close the door?
Why don't you go ahead and sit.
If this is about the extension work,
- it's ready.
DIANE: No, no, no. We're fine.
Sorry to be so melodramatic,
but, um...
- Do you want to?
- No. Go ahead.
Jonas Stern, about a lifetime ago,
sat me down in a room,
not unlike this one,
and offered me a cigar.
I said no, of course.
But then he said the following...
- Unfortunately, I can't do his voice.
- Thank God.
Heh, heh. Anyway, he said:
"After I tell you
what I'm about to tell you,
I want you to go home,
take your phone off the hook,
and sit for a moment,
and feel proud of yourself.
And then I want you to go out
and get drunk.
Or do something you would never do.
Buy a sports car. Go sailing.
Go to the track."
I did go to the track, by the way.
I went windsurfing. Unsuccessfully.
[LAUGHING]
Anyway, this moment is your moment,
Alicia.
We want you to join us
as an equity partner.
Oh, my God.
Yes. What you've done here
is extraordinary.
You're...
- You're kidding.
- No.
We want you to join the ranks
of our highest echelon.
L...
I don't know what to say.
WILL: Say you're happy.
- I'm happy.
[LAUGHS]
I'm... I'm relieved. Heh, heh.
You don't know what a roller coaster
this has been.
- And for the firm as well.
- I thought this would take years.
WILL: It's a credit to you, Alicia.
You've been amazing.
DIANE:
Anyway, think about it.
No need to rush into it.
Take until the end of the week
- and then say yes or no.
- Does anyone ever say no?
I don't know. I can't remember the
last time we sat an associate down.
Well, I'm not gonna say no.
Heh, heh, heh. Well, give yourself
until the end of the week.
And good luck
with this Mrs. Gross case.
It sounds promising.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Ouch.
CARY:
Alicia, are you heading to bankruptcy?
ALICIA:
What? I don't think so.
CARY: Is everything all right?
- Yes.
DIANE: We have cut our debt in half,
Your Honor.
In five months,
we have gone from owing 60 million
to owing now only 30.
Twenty-nine point five.
That is the difficulty here,
Your Honor.
We have a trustee who thinks of us
as a decimal point.
JUDGE:
Okay, thank you.
Mr. Gardner, Ms. Lockhart,
you are looking
for another five-month extension?
Not another five-month extension.
A single five-month extension.
- But, yes.
- Mr. Hayden,
tell me why I shouldn't extend
this fairly arbitrary deadline.
Well, I didn't think of it as arbitrary.
And I would like the creditor
to advance his own argument.
Mr. Canning.
Your Honor, hello.
I'm Louis Canning.
I would like to thank you
for taking the time
to listen to me today.
I've been in other courtrooms
where the voice of the handicapped
is often shunted aside and ignored.
But not here.
- That's the great thing about America.
[WHISPERS] Dear God.
These movements that you see
are called tardive dyskinesia.
[IN NORMAL VOICE]
Your Honor, excuse me. Relevance.
JUDGE:
Ms. Lockhart, please.
I think we can tolerate this purely
as an explanation.
CANNING:
Thank you, Your Honor.
I would argue against this extension
for one simple reason.
The money that I collect
from Lockhart Gardner
will go directly
to neurological research
into syndromes like my own.
So every day payment is delayed
is another day that a child wakes up
without a future.
Your Honor, Mr. Canning
should be rejoicing in our resurgence.
If we're liquidated today, he will only
receive 50 cents on the dollar.
In five months,
he'll get his full 100 percent.
That's only if the debt
is repaid in full.
Yes, which is why we intend
to present evidence
showing our obligations can be fulfilled
in five months' time.
I agree.
Please have your arguments ready
by tomorrow.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Uh-oh.
Look who's working together.
I just wanna ask God for one thing.
Be true.
Let our minds be clear.
And as we discuss
these candidates...
JORDAN: There.
- What there? There's nothing there.
Everyone's head is bowed
except for Maddie's.
Come on, this is not the South.
It doesn't have to be the South
for it to resonate.
Voters don't like radicals.
They don't like rudeness.
That is rudeness.
- And it plays downstate.
- Eli, is Peter here?
Oh, no.
We had to send him downstate
at the last minute.
- What do you need?
- Mrs. Florrick. Hello.
Hello. Could you have him call me
when he gets in?
- Sure. Is everything all right?
- Yes.
Alicia.
Could I ask you a quick question?
When you were friends with Maddie,
did you ever talk about religion?
- Did we ever talk about religion?
ELl: Belief in God.
What'd she say?
Is she an agnostic?
Oh, I don't know if I feel comfortable
with this.
Oh, she's used stuff you told her
in confidence against Peter.
Yes, but...
She's an atheist.
- She told you that?
- It's not that weird, Eli.
Oh, I know. I'm not saying anything.
But she told you she was an atheist?
Yes. Why?
No reason.
I'll tell Peter you came by.
Ah, there you are. I was wondering
where you'd wandered off to.
I just went on a lunch break
and bought a few things.
How nice for you.
Deena signed on.
Gross and his lawyers are coming over
tomorrow to start negotiating.
- Good.
- And another thing,
I heard Will and Diane sat you down
and had the talk.
Congratulations. Good news.
Thank you. It was unexpected.
Yes. Well, now, here's the thing.
They might not have talked to you
about the capital contribution.
It's required of all equity partners,
$600,000.
And I know that sounds
like a lot of money,
but we have reasonable terms.
Usually 50 percent up front
and another 50
deliverable upon bonuses.
I'm sorry, what?
The capital contribution.
It's your investment in the firm.
Every equity partner
has to throw into the pot.
That means you're invested in the firm,
the firm's invested in you.
Sorry.
Six hundred thousand dollars?
Heh, heh. Yes, I know,
it sounds like a lot of money.
My God, when I was a fourth year,
it sounded
like all the money in the world.
But you only need to put up half.
The other, with interest,
is usually payable
within three bonus cycles.
Maybe more.
Depending on how we're doing.
So any questions?
Six hundred thousand?
Yes. Membership has its privileges.
But first, you need to be a member.
Heh, heh.
Any other questions?
L...
- No.
- Good.
Again, congratulations.
WILL:
Kalinda, just give us a month.
- That's all.
- No.
- Thanks, though.
- We're cash poor at the moment.
If this bankruptcy extension
goes our way, we won't be.
That's good. But in the meantime,
I was promised a promotion
and a 5 percent increase.
- You really think this is gonna work?
WILL: Excuse me?
Look, nothing your firm
does in that room
is gonna convince me
to hire you.
Mr. Gross, maybe you didn't notice,
I'm in a meeting.
You are not gonna get my business.
And if you do anything
- to come between me and Deena...
- I'm in litigation, not family law.
I didn't solicit your wife's business
nor am I involved in her negotiation.
So get the hell out of my office.
You got your raise.
Keep track of that.
Happy to.
DAVID:
Here's the groom.
Can we start now?
Is everybody happy?
Ecstatic.
Are you okay with this?
We just need
to go through the motions.
Yeah, it all makes sense.
I just... I want you to be comfortable,
baby.
Deena,
why don't you have a seat here?
- No, no, no, baby, sit here.
- I'm okay here.
DAVID: We just have
a few amendments to make
to the fine work
done by your firm, Rochelle.
We would suggest
redrafting pages two through...
Let's see, 68.
- We're fine with the cover sheet.
- We wanted to redraft anyway.
We feel like Mr. Gross
is being far too lenient financially.
Our first concern is jurisdiction.
Texas.
Mr. Gross has a ranch
outside of Austin.
And ChumHum's
technical support facility is there.
CARY:
But Mr. Gross isn't.
He hasn't been there
since a two-hour stopover at DFW
en route to Paris, March 2009.
- That's not dispositive.
DAVID: But this is.
The couple will be domiciled
in Mountain View, California,
which is the location
of ChumHum's headquarters.
California law is friendlier
to the more dependent spouse.
- Texas is not so friendly.
- Actually, Mrs. Florrick,
why don't you tell her the real reason
you want California law.
It's the seven-day rule.
GROSS:
What's the seven-day rule?
Both parties must have
the final agreement in hand
- for seven days before signing.
ROCHELLE: Or it's unenforceable.
The prenup is voided.
- Our wedding is in nine days.
ROCHELLE: Exactly.
So we have 48 hours
to hammer this out.
DAVID:
Then let's make a deal.
Forty-eight hours. God made
plants and animals in 48 hours.
They are trying to hold a gun
to our head, Deena.
There's a gun to both of our heads,
equal pressure on both parties.
Yes, but which party suffers
if the prenup is altered?
Both suffer, given that Gross and Deena
want a mutually satisfactory agreement.
[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]
ROCHELLE: We don't have the time
to hammer it out.
CARY: We're here to represent our...
DAVID: This is absolutely ridiculous.
They are gonna be living
in California...
Mr. Connolly. Yes.
Six hundred thousand. I know.
The question
is can I borrow against my mortgage?
A cosigner?
Who's the cosigner?
Oh.
No, I forgot.
Mr. Florrick.
- Look!
ROCHELLE: Stop yelling.
Look, this is academic.
- We are never going to get a divorce.
- Of course not.
Oh, we share your optimism,
but this contract
is about worst-case scenarios.
- If Texas law governs...
DEENA: It's okay.
Texas law is fine.
Let's just move on.
ROCHELLE: Perfect. Shall we move on
to spousal support and maintenance?
Yes, but it's almost noon.
Why don't we pick up after lunch.
That concession was damaging.
We can't afford
any more giveaways.
David, she's a woman in love.
It's gonna be hard to motivate her.
- Do you need dirt?
DAVID: Yes.
That's the challenge about prenups.
You need to throw enough dirt
on the spouse to get something,
but not too much to kill the wedding.
I'll be delicate.
NORDQUIST:
Lyman Nordquist.
I am the CEO
of LOC Pharmaceuticals.
Is that loud enough?
It is. Thank you for speaking up.
So you funded Mr. Canning's trust,
Encinal Equity,
the one that purchased
all of our firm's debt.
- Is that correct?
- It is.
Now, help me out here. Why would
a billion-dollar conglomerate
wanna control the debt
of a Chicago law firm?
I renew my objection to this witness,
Your Honor.
A creditor's motive is not relevant,
only his debt is.
Mr. Canning is the one
who brought up motive, Your Honor,
by suggesting this debt
was for afflicted children.
JUDGE:
Are you all right, Mr. Canning?
I am now, sir. Yes.
Mr. Gardner, you're arguing
that the creditor has a biased motive
for resisting your extension?
- Yes, clearly.
- Then unfortunately, Mr. Canning,
- I have to overrule you.
- So, Mr. Nordquist,
why fund the purchase of our debt?
Mr. Nordquist,
I must compel you to answer.
[SIGHS]
Lockhart Gardner brings
costly nuisance suits against us.
Ah. So this isn't about
handicapped children?
There is nothing either illegal
or unethical in our actions.
Mr. Canning would never support
an extension of our debt deadline,
- even if it was one week.
- Objection. Beyond the scope.
That's all right. I think it's clear
why Mr. Canning doesn't want
our extension.
- What was that?
- What was...?
Mr. Nordquist?
He's the money who wants
what we both want.
We? When did we become a "we"?
You're right.
I'm being presumptuous.
Lockhart Gardner is a good firm
with good people
who are being mismanaged.
Now, if you agree with that,
then we are a "we."
- I'm not here to destroy it.
- I know.
You're here to make sure
the firm's creditor, myself, gets paid.
And to put a good firm on firmer
footing. That's what I want too.
You intend to be a lawyer, Mr. Hayden,
is that right?
- Yes. Why?
- Have you passed the bar?
I take it next week.
Illinois.
That's a tough exam.
Struggled with that one myself.
What do you intend to do afterward?
Practice the law. Why?
We should talk.
You're kidding?
Congratulations.
ALICIA:
Thank you.
I'm stunned. I wasn't expecting it.
I was, just not so soon.
This is one for the history books.
Fourth year.
How much is the catch?
- The capital contribution is 600,000.
- Wow.
Yeah. But I can borrow
against the mortgage.
I just need you to cosign.
Why cosign? I'll loan it to you.
You...
No, Peter. I haven't even decided
if I'm gonna do it.
Why wouldn't you?
Well, the firm, its situation.
I think I wanna see where things fall.
Okay, well, that's smart.
But when you decide,
I'm fronting you the money.
It's a business decision, Alicia.
It's like taking on stock,
nothing else.
Thank you.
That means a lot to me.
JORDAN:
Hey, Alicia.
Hi.
- I'm Jordan.
- I know.
- You walk fast.
- I'm in a hurry.
Just need a minute
with the God question.
The God question?
Question of belief.
What do you believe?
Your father was politely Anglican,
and your mother was politely nothing.
Am I being too personal?
You're being something.
We're making an issue
of Maddie Hayward's religious beliefs,
which means she's gonna make
an issue of yours.
And how is she gonna do that?
The Leadership Forum tomorrow.
We have a surrogate who'll hit her
with the atheism thing,
so you may be asked too.
So if you don't mind,
what do you believe?
[ALICIA & JORDAN CHUCKLING]
Okay.
We'll talk later.
Go ahead, Cary,
you're the one who discovered it.
Actually, Kalinda did.
Actually, I don't care.
Someone tell them.
CARY:
The shares of ChumHum
that Neil Gross offered you
in the prenup,
- they'll be worthless if you divorce.
- Why? What do you mean?
The prenup
has no non-dilution clause.
DAVID: Meaning that if the shares
aren't fixed
at a percentage
of the company's value,
Neil can keep issuing more stocks,
and more stocks, and poof,
- millions become pennies.
- I don't care.
- Deena, I think you should listen.
- No, Dad.
Neil and I had lunch.
We're ready to put this stuff
behind us.
- In my professional opinion...
DEENA: I have made my decision.
I won't let money guide me.
Please shut it down, Mr. Lee.
Thank you.
We're not shutting anything down.
She just needs a good dose of reality.
She said she won't let money
guide her.
Yeah.
So don't go after money.
Okay.
Good.
We'll make sure Gross and his lawyers
give her a good dose of reality.
Gross and his lawyers?
Live and learn, young prot?g?.
Live and learn.
Ms. Lockhart,
the $30 million you raised,
does that include the firm's take
on the 16 cases you settled?
- Yes.
- In the previous ten years,
what percentage of litigation did you
settle rather than bring to verdict?
Objection. Only the firm's conduct
- since bankruptcy is relevant here.
- Overruled. Ms. Lockhart?
- I wouldn't know offhand.
- I would. Less than 30 percent.
Yet since the firm declared bankruptcy,
you've settled 100 percent of its cases.
- Objection. Attorney is testifying.
CANNING: I'm testifying.
You're reducing the debt
on the backs of the clients.
WILL: Your Honor, Mr. Canni...
JUDGE: Enough, all of you!
WILL:
Zero. Zero!
- If he wants a war, he's got one.
- Diane...
No. We're not gonna let a mercenary
like Canning
get away with smearing our reputation
like that.
The thing
is we may have exposure here.
Will, we have never sold out a client,
never once.
I agree. But if he has evidence
contradicting your testimony...
- What evidence?
- The Spence West Nile case.
We wanted 15 million.
We dropped our ask to 12.
- For a very good reason.
- We needed the money.
No. That was a good settlement.
And if he puts someone on the stand
who contradicts us?
Someone who will tell the truth,
even if it hurts?
Who?
KALINDA: Alicia.
- Yes.
You've been subpoenaed.
We give up.
Really? That's a first.
My client is amenable
to Mr. Gross' positions
- on all financial issues.
ROCHELLE: Great.
We should do this more often
with the clients out of the room.
My office will prepare the paperwork
and we'll get it to you.
Actually, there is just one thing.
- I thought it was too easy.
- Ms. Lampard would like the document
to address a number
of personal cohabitation expectations.
Within reason, we'll listen.
What are they?
ALICIA:
Relationship maintenance.
Ms. Lampard requests a date night
each week, preferably on Fridays,
to last no less than four hours
door-to-door.
- Consecutive hours?
ALICIA: Yes.
And also Mr. Gross is required
to spend 600 minutes
away from work each week.
- Inclusive of the date?
- No, in addition.
- That could be problematic.
- We're open to negotiation.
Children.
Ms. Lampard insists that any children
will be brought up Christian.
No. Deal breaker.
Mr. Gross is Jewish.
Oh, come on.
We made movement on the money.
Can't give on religion.
- What else are you after?
- Sexual maintenance.
ROCHELLE: Number of times a week?
DAVID: Yes.
We can horse-trade on that.
DAVID:
Good.
- I thought we were shutting this down.
- We were. We tried.
They asked
for some additional items.
Cary, why don't you.
Mr. Gross wants you to stipulate
that your children
will be raised Jewish.
- What?
- Yes, we were surprised.
DEENA:
We never discussed religion.
- Not once.
- His lawyers also insisted
on a few relationship bullet points.
"Sexual maintenance."
At least twice a week,
though Mr. Gross reserves
the sole discretion for more.
Or less.
- He asked for that?
- His lawyers did.
Look, when you said stand down,
his lawyers pressed their advantage.
That's the problem
with standing down.
CARY:
We can push back, Deena.
Or you can just sign this prenup
and hope for the best.
But I would push back if I were you.
Push back. Push back hard.
- Nicely played, Cary.
- Thank you, sir.
You're gonna make
a hell of an equity partner.
Now, you two get moving
on Gross' asset assessment.
They offered you partnership?
I know. It's funny, right?
Me too.
Yeah? I was wondering if they did.
Congratulations.
I think they were counting my years
before I left,
not just the last seven months.
Yeah, you're probably right.
So...
Congratulations, partner.
Alicia, do you have a moment?
DIANE:
Any idea why you were subpoenaed?
No.
WILL: We were wondering
if it was about the West Nile case.
Canning faced you on that.
Maybe.
Well, the recession has worsened
this past year.
Even clients with good cases
have had cash flow issues.
Meaning the percentage of cases
we've settled has increased.
Which leads to the absurd suggestion
that we pushed our clients to settle
so we could get paid.
We wanna make sure we're all
on the same page with our testimony.
I think so.
Good. Good, that's all.
Oh, and did you go out
and do something special? Celebrate?
Yes, I did.
So where are you on belief in God?
[ALICIA LAUGHS]
What? It's for the campaign.
Yes, I know.
Your friend Jordan already asked me.
He was here?
No. At the campaign bus.
- Oh. What did you say?
- I said it's personal.
- For him, right? But not for us.
- Ha, ha, ha.
Great. I thought so.
Do you have a minute?
So that's almost a belief in God.
How is that almost a belief in God?
I have a husband who believes in God
and a daughter who might...
- And what about Zach?
- I don't know. But I don't.
But the point
is you could believe in God.
But I don't.
Yes, but if Jesus were to show up
in your office right now,
you'd believe in him, wouldn't you?
- No.
- Yes, you would.
If he performed a miracle.
Well, if Jesus walked into my office
right now and performed a miracle,
- then, yes, I would believe in God.
- Good. See? You're a seeker.
[LAUGHS]
Alicia, I know this sounds stupid,
but voters hate atheists.
They think they spend all their time
fighting mangers outside city hall.
They want people
who are open-minded,
and you are open-minded.
Okay.
Is that what you want me to say?
I want you to be Saint Alicia.
It's a selling point for Peter.
And the voters don't wanna think
Saint Alicia is an atheist.
Okay.
So Diane and Will negotiated
in good faith,
Cary is as deserving as I am,
and God might exist.
I'm good.
Yeah. I don't know
what that was about, but yes.
Jordan.
- What do you think of him?
- He's...
- Awkward.
- He is, isn't he? Mm-hm.
- Not a bad thing to mention to Peter.
- Okay.
- Just one scripted line per day, please.
- Right. Okay. I'm out of here.
Oh, my God.
DAVID: Well, if he's not going to do it,
at least memorialize his intent.
ROCHELLE:
He's not memorializing anything.
CARY:
Except outrageous personal demands.
ROCHELLE:
David, this is not an IPO. It's a prenup.
DAVID:
What, do you think I'm an idiot?
PAUL: The point is my daughter
is entitled to protection.
ROCHELLE:
You shouldn't even be in the room.
- Please, do not talk to my client's...
- My God, this is so silly!
Deena, I'm not gonna dilute
your stock options.
And when did you start worrying
about stock options?
- Wait a minute. When did you?
- I'm talking to my fianc?e.
Look, this is contract language, baby.
That's all.
It's about precedent.
If I give you more,
then every future contract
will ask for more.
You mean every future prenup
after you divorce me?
GROSS:
You know what? That's it.
- We're done.
- That's fine, Neil. You never loved me.
All you wanted me to do
was spread my legs twice a week
and breed your children.
Okay. Okay, everybody sit down.
Would you go after her?
The point is you love him.
Don't you love him?
But everything he's done.
The stock options...
You said you don't care
about the money.
I don't. He does, that's the point.
It's not what I care about.
It's what he cares about.
You know what I think, Deena?
I think you should go to him.
- No.
- Yes.
Just call him,
say you wanna have dinner,
no lawyers in the room.
All this was moving too fast.
The more Neil spends time with you,
the less he'll care about the money.
I promise you that.
And we're the ones
who are pushing the money.
You two,
you need to pull each other past it.
[PILL BOTTLE OPENS
AND PILLS JIGGLES]
Hello, Mrs. Florrick.
Hello, Mr. Canning.
We recently faced each other
in a case
involving the West Nile virus,
didn't we?
ALICIA:
We did. Good to see you again.
CANNING:
And you.
Seems we all made it back okay.
My client settled that, didn't he?
He did. Twelve million dollars.
And to your knowledge,
was the decision by your firm
to settle that case
driven at all by its need
to raise capital?
It was driven by our client's desire
to avoid protracted litigation.
- So that would be a no?
- That would be a categorical no.
A categorical no?
That's a really big no.
The biggest.
And has your firm ever settled
any case in the past five months
with the reduction of its debt
as a consideration?
- No.
- Mrs. Florrick,
did you meet
with Mr. Gardner or Ms. Lockhart
in preparation for your testimony?
- Objection.
- I'll allow.
Yes. But only to discuss
my responsibility
to answer your questions truthfully.
Mrs. Florrick,
are you aware of any schemes
perpetrated by your firm
to reduce its debt?
Objection as to vagueness.
I'm quite certain Mrs. Florrick knows
what "scheme" means.
- I'll allow.
- I'm aware of no such scheme.
You were recently offered
a partnership at Lockhart Gardner.
Is that right?
- Yes.
- And how much will that cost you?
- Objection. Relevance.
- Overruled.
- My buy-in to the firm is $600,000.
- You're a fourth-year associate, right?
- Correct.
- That seem odd to you
that a fourth-year associate
should be offered partnership?
- Yes.
- And isn't it odder still
that five associates
of Lockhart Gardner,
all fourth-year associates,
should be offered partnerships?
Oh, I'm sorry. You weren't aware.
Five associates at Lockhart Gardner
were offered partnerships.
Is that your question?
Did I know that?
For a start, sure.
No, I did not know that.
Were you aware
your firm was trying to raise millions
to pay off its debt
by naming five partners?
- Objection. Asked and answered.
JUDGE: Sustained.
There's no scheme, Mr. Canning.
Unless you consider the promotion
of someone
who has billed thousands of hours
and helped win dozens of cases
a scheme.
I have nothing further.
JUDGE:
Mr. Gardner?
Witness may step down.
[VIOLIN PLAYING SOFT MUSIC]
ELl:
Alicia, there you are.
- You look fantastic.
- Thanks.
Are you okay? Is everything...?
Good? Yeah, great.
Just let me know when you want me
to say I believe in God, Eli.
Okay. I don't think that's quite the way
to handle this.
Alicia,
I think we should become friends.
- Why?
- Political wives tend to like me.
I keep them in the loop.
- Do you believe in God?
- Do I believe in God?
I don't know. Why?
That seems to be
the question du jour.
I believe in rainbows
and little kids' smiles.
Does that help?
- Hi, Maddie.
- Alicia. It's been a long time.
Yep.
You have any new friends?
Just so you know, Alicia,
I didn't break off our friendship.
And if you could let go of this
victim-hood pose that you're hang...
You know what you can do
with your...?
Hey, there you are.
MADDIE: Hello, Peter. How are you?
- Good.
MADDIE:
Looking like one debate, I see.
Looks like it.
- Everything okay here?
- Oh, just grand, darling.
You know, I would love
to get you in the bathroom.
WOMAN:
Mr. State's Attorney, hello.
Any reservations about sharing
the spotlight with Ms. Hayward
at another campaign event?
None at all. And by the way,
this is not a campaign event.
I'm here to honor the 20th anniversary
of the Leadership Forum.
- It's a campaign event.
PETER: Heh, heh.
WOMAN:
Ms. Hayward, how do you respond
to the controversy over your actions
at last week's benediction?
My actions?
You mean the video on the web of me
not bowing?
Yes, during prayer.
There's been some chatter
about your insensitivity.
Well,
I apologize if it seemed insensitive.
I was just trying to avoid
being hypocritical.
I am an atheist.
WOMAN: Really? Don't you worry
about how that will play in a state
where only 15 percent
call themselves nonreligious?
MADDIE: I worry about everything,
but I am who I am.
And I don't think you should run away
from that.
Let's just let the voters decide.
WOMAN: And what about you,
Mr. State's Attorney?
I respect Maddie's point of view.
WOMAN:
But you don't share it?
Well, it's different.
I was in prison.
Belief means a great deal there.
In fact, sometimes
it was the only thing we had.
- And your wife?
- Oh, well, l...
I think my wife can speak
for herself.
I'm an atheist.
Nothing in ChumHum's
201110-K either.
Check the footnotes.
Accountants,
they hide problems in their footnotes.
Footnotes.
I heard that you
were offered partnership.
Yeah.
Me, Alicia and three others.
Congratulations.
What?
They need the money.
They're just handing out partnerships
like Popsicles.
Popsicles?
I don't know, it's late.
So are you gonna take it?
The Popsicle?
If I can get the draw together, sure.
Oh, you just feel sorry for yourself
because you were offered something.
- Hey.
- What?
Check out the 2010 expenditures.
The footnote under miscellaneous,
there.
You see the off-balance sheet
joint venture for $112,000?
Yeah.
It's in the 200910-K too.
Well, there's your dirt.
I'll tell David Lee.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
Mr. Hayden?
- Cary.
- May I help you?
No. Uh...
I don't know.
No, l...
No.
Are you sure?
I don't like mess.
- I like precision.
- I know.
This is mess.
And I'm not sure how to handle it.
- What is mess?
- This.
This business with Louis Canning.
Oh, well.
Hey, you have the bar exam this week,
don't you?
Yes, I do.
Good luck. Heh, heh, heh.
Thank you.
But I don't know,
I've come to not like the law.
It's not very precise.
It can be. It just depends
on the way you practice it.
[SIGHS]
You're right. It can be.
Mr. Hayden.
I'm sorry, about before.
Testifying the way I did against you
in that bankruptcy mediation. I just...
Why? It was the truth.
I've been subpoenaed in court.
DAVID: I appreciate that we're all back
at the table. Mazel tov.
But I'm not sure what the point is
if he's not willing to negotiate.
Maybe you could ease up
on some of your demands.
[DAVID CHUCKLES]
Deena, Mr. Lampard, would you mind
stepping out a moment?
- Why?
- Believe me, sir,
- it's in your daughter's best interest.
DEENA: I don't mind.
- Don't get lonely.
- I won't.
Okay, what have you got?
I was reviewing ChumHum's
SEC filings,
and there's a recurring
joint venture expense
hidden in a footnote for $112,000.
I take exception
to the adjective "hidden."
And a valuation challenge
for a hundred grand? David, seriously.
The joint venture
is a Rhode Island LLC
called J.C. Partners.
And its one beneficiary
is Jacob Carlisle.
That's the 4-year-old son
of Dara Carlisle,
the woman that Mr. Gross
had a one-night stand with
in Greensboro in 2008
at a shareholders' meeting.
So, what's the threat?
Cough up the money
- or you'll tell your client?
- We thought we'd discuss it.
Extortion?
Not even you would sink that low.
Sure I would.
I'm gonna call
the state's attorney's office.
- You're gonna forfeit your license.
- Rochelle, just stop.
ROCHELLE:
Neil, no. That's...
Give them what they want.
DAVID:
Isn't it sweet?
Young love.
So, Mr. Hayden, you probably
had the best available view
of all the shenanigans
at Lockhart Gardner.
- Objection, as to "shenanigans."
- I'll rephrase.
You had the best view of all
the "goings-on" at Lockhart Gardner?
Well, I was the trustee.
Were you aware of their decision to
offer partnerships to five associates?
Yes.
And were you in agreement
with that business decision?
Mr. Hayden?
I was not.
Financial commitments to partners
are one of the causes
of the firm's bankruptcy.
Minting new partners
is not a solution.
- They were doing it to raise money.
- Objection.
JUDGE: Sustained.
CANNING: Let me try it this way.
If each of those new partners met
their capital contribution obligation,
how much money would
Lockhart Gardner raise?
Three million dollars.
So if allocated towards repayment
of the debt,
that would give the illusion
of financial progress, right?
HAYDEN: Yes.
- So the large number of offers
can only be explained as a pyramid
scheme, right? No, no, strike that.
In this context,
how would you characterize
the offer of employment
in exchange for money?
Your description, while crude, is apt.
It's a type of pyramid scheme.
And isn't a job being dangled
in this quid pro quo sort of way
extraordinary?
No, I'm afraid not.
It's not? Why is it not?
Well, just the other day,
you offered me employment
in exchange...
- All right, let's move on.
- Objection. Let the witness answer.
- Answer is irrelevant.
- The answer was incomplete.
When it's complete,
the judge can decide if it's relevant.
Ms. Lockhart,
please let me do my job.
Go ahead and complete your answer,
Mr. Hayden.
I was saying just the other day, you
offered me employment, Mr. Canning,
in exchange for continued help
in these proceedings.
Move to strike as nonresponsive.
Overruled.
I think it was perfectly responsive.
Under oath, sir, did I ever make
an offer of employment to you
contingent upon your assistance
in this hearing?
No. But the clear import was...
No further questions.
What exactly did Mr. Canning
offer you?
He intimated there would be a job
for me at his law firm
when these proceedings were over.
And just prior to that intimation,
did he ask you for assistance
in this matter?
Yes.
He requested detailed information
about cases.
Thank you, Mr. Hayden.
You're welcome.
WILL: A five-month extension.
That gives us breathing room.
And Mrs. Gross is thinking
about assigning us
- her entire Midwest book of business.
- The tide is turning. Heh, heh, heh.
The vultures from real estate
are Hoovering up all the shrimp.
- Mr. Gardner, Ms. Lockhart.
- Mr. Hayden.
We don't know what to say,
except thank you.
Though I confess,
I don't understand your motivation.
Well, I don't agree
with how you run your business,
but you paid me the compliment
of not assuming I was for sale.
- Good luck with the bar next week.
- Thank you.
Heh, heh, heh.
It has been interesting here.
I don't know if I'll miss it,
but I'll...
No, I won't miss it.
CANNING: And they ate and drank
and made merry.
All save poor little Cinderella,
who toiled amidst the revelry.
Mr. Canning, I thought you'd be off
somewhere licking your wounds.
[CHUCKLES]
I'm a quick healer.
No, I just came by
to sign the extension.
Mr. Canning,
you're not here to sign any extension.
You know the best thing
about Monopoly is?
The "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
I used to love hoarding that card
because you never knew when you...
Mr. Canning, please,
I hate these stories.
Whatever it is you need to say,
just say it.
I don't need the story.
This is your
"Get Out of Jail Free" card.
DIANE:
What did he want?
Mr. Canning? It was a personal matter.
Nothing important.
Well,
I'm here on a professional one.
Your absence from the festivities
is sending quite a message
to the partnership.
What message would that be?
That you're not vested
in our little enterprise.
[CHUCKLES]
You're pouting.
- It's unbecoming.
- No. I'm working.
You know why I was made partner?
Jonas Stern was sued
for sexual harassment,
and he needed to show
that he had a female partner.
That's all.
When the door that you have been
knocking at finally swings open,
you don't ask why.
You run through.
That is the simple fact.
No one is here
to make it comfortable for you.
No one is here
to appreciate your moping.
So this is my advice to you.
Take a minute for yourself,
put on your best gracious voice,
find a way to wear a smile,
and then come
into the conference room
ready to thank the equity partners
for giving you this opportunity.
Because what is given
can quickly be taken away.
[CHATTERING]
Thank you, Will. Thank you, David,
for giving me this great opportunity
to become a partner.
I won't disappoint you.
We know you won't.
You're welcome.
Just you remember one thing,
it's all about client maintenance.
Thank you, Diane,
for thinking of me for this position.
I won't disappoint you.
Good. Well, you haven't in the past,
and we know you won't in the future.
I just wanna say thank you so much
for this opportunity.
- You're welcome.
- I will not disappoint you.
Thank you.
I'm very much looking forward to it.
- Congratulations.
- What a wonderful, wonderful thing.
Thank you. Thank you so much.
Mr. Gross?
GROSS:
I don't know. The usual reasons.
Disbelief, incredulity,
disappointment.
WILL: Ah. I must be endangering
the future.
No, just being a bit melodramatic.
WILL:
So you never tweak the algorithm?
Chummie, the squirrel,
just acts on his own?
Um, no, I didn't say that.
You said
you couldn't impact the results.
Yes. But the algorithm needs
almost daily attention and revision.
WILL:
I see. And why would you revise it?
GROSS:
For one thing, to avoid spam.
Spammers are constantly trying
to game the search results.
So we adapt the algorithm
to avoid that.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
ALICIA:
Deena Lampard?
ALICIA:
It should only take a minute more.
I recognize you both from the trial.
ALICIA:
You work for Neil Gross' law firm?
Yes. He hates you guys.
May I ask you, why are you here?
Good question.
Why are we here, Dad?
I'd rather wait for the lawyer.
She's a lawyer, just like me.
My dad likes male lawyers.
My daughter likes acting
like I'm not in the room.
DEENA: Ha, ha, ha.
- Mr. Lampard, hello.
Ms. Lampard.
I'm David Lee, family law.
I see you've met Alicia and Kalinda.
How may we help you today?
- Here, help yourself.
- Thank you, no.
Well, let's see.
My daughter needs
a second opinion.
Regarding?
Okay. What is it?
PAUL: It's a prenup.
- I see.
And who is your daughter
intending on marrying?
Neil Gross.
- Neil Gross, president of ChumHum.
- Yes.
- The ninth richest man in America.
PAUL: Yes.
KALINDA: Who gave you
your first opinion, Deena?
You said you wanted a second.
- Longcraine and Church.
DAVID: Heh, heh, heh.
Mr. Gross' law firm?
Yes, and my firm.
They thought I should sign it.
Yes, of course they did.
PAUL: We're middle-class people,
Mr. Lee. We don't have much money.
And Deena is paying off
her student loans.
Dad, it's not about that.
I know. But I want you protected.
DAVID:
Well, that's why we're here.
To protect you.
It's a travesty.
If they divorce, she gets nothing,
and she has to immolate herself
on an altar of ChumHum's choosing.
DIANE:
There's no contingency here.
No, but she's marrying
the ninth richest man in the country.
We do right by her,
we get the business.
Gross will never bring his business
here. He's made that clear.
No, her business.
We write this up correctly,
and we'll get some kind
of Bill and Melinda Gates charity
- in her name. She'll bring it here.
- Is that what she wants?
She's 28.
She doesn't know what she wants.
She's in love.
Well, not to put too fine a point
on this,
but time's up in bankruptcy court,
and we're only halfway
to the 60 million we need.
If we wanna argue for an extension,
we need to show the court
some progress.
Well, the fianc?e
of the ninth richest man is progress.
I'm doing my job. You two do yours.
Alicia, do you mind?
Could you close the door?
Why don't you go ahead and sit.
If this is about the extension work,
- it's ready.
DIANE: No, no, no. We're fine.
Sorry to be so melodramatic,
but, um...
- Do you want to?
- No. Go ahead.
Jonas Stern, about a lifetime ago,
sat me down in a room,
not unlike this one,
and offered me a cigar.
I said no, of course.
But then he said the following...
- Unfortunately, I can't do his voice.
- Thank God.
Heh, heh. Anyway, he said:
"After I tell you
what I'm about to tell you,
I want you to go home,
take your phone off the hook,
and sit for a moment,
and feel proud of yourself.
And then I want you to go out
and get drunk.
Or do something you would never do.
Buy a sports car. Go sailing.
Go to the track."
I did go to the track, by the way.
I went windsurfing. Unsuccessfully.
[LAUGHING]
Anyway, this moment is your moment,
Alicia.
We want you to join us
as an equity partner.
Oh, my God.
Yes. What you've done here
is extraordinary.
You're...
- You're kidding.
- No.
We want you to join the ranks
of our highest echelon.
L...
I don't know what to say.
WILL: Say you're happy.
- I'm happy.
[LAUGHS]
I'm... I'm relieved. Heh, heh.
You don't know what a roller coaster
this has been.
- And for the firm as well.
- I thought this would take years.
WILL: It's a credit to you, Alicia.
You've been amazing.
DIANE:
Anyway, think about it.
No need to rush into it.
Take until the end of the week
- and then say yes or no.
- Does anyone ever say no?
I don't know. I can't remember the
last time we sat an associate down.
Well, I'm not gonna say no.
Heh, heh, heh. Well, give yourself
until the end of the week.
And good luck
with this Mrs. Gross case.
It sounds promising.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Ouch.
CARY:
Alicia, are you heading to bankruptcy?
ALICIA:
What? I don't think so.
CARY: Is everything all right?
- Yes.
DIANE: We have cut our debt in half,
Your Honor.
In five months,
we have gone from owing 60 million
to owing now only 30.
Twenty-nine point five.
That is the difficulty here,
Your Honor.
We have a trustee who thinks of us
as a decimal point.
JUDGE:
Okay, thank you.
Mr. Gardner, Ms. Lockhart,
you are looking
for another five-month extension?
Not another five-month extension.
A single five-month extension.
- But, yes.
- Mr. Hayden,
tell me why I shouldn't extend
this fairly arbitrary deadline.
Well, I didn't think of it as arbitrary.
And I would like the creditor
to advance his own argument.
Mr. Canning.
Your Honor, hello.
I'm Louis Canning.
I would like to thank you
for taking the time
to listen to me today.
I've been in other courtrooms
where the voice of the handicapped
is often shunted aside and ignored.
But not here.
- That's the great thing about America.
[WHISPERS] Dear God.
These movements that you see
are called tardive dyskinesia.
[IN NORMAL VOICE]
Your Honor, excuse me. Relevance.
JUDGE:
Ms. Lockhart, please.
I think we can tolerate this purely
as an explanation.
CANNING:
Thank you, Your Honor.
I would argue against this extension
for one simple reason.
The money that I collect
from Lockhart Gardner
will go directly
to neurological research
into syndromes like my own.
So every day payment is delayed
is another day that a child wakes up
without a future.
Your Honor, Mr. Canning
should be rejoicing in our resurgence.
If we're liquidated today, he will only
receive 50 cents on the dollar.
In five months,
he'll get his full 100 percent.
That's only if the debt
is repaid in full.
Yes, which is why we intend
to present evidence
showing our obligations can be fulfilled
in five months' time.
I agree.
Please have your arguments ready
by tomorrow.
[GAVEL BANGS]
Uh-oh.
Look who's working together.
I just wanna ask God for one thing.
Be true.
Let our minds be clear.
And as we discuss
these candidates...
JORDAN: There.
- What there? There's nothing there.
Everyone's head is bowed
except for Maddie's.
Come on, this is not the South.
It doesn't have to be the South
for it to resonate.
Voters don't like radicals.
They don't like rudeness.
That is rudeness.
- And it plays downstate.
- Eli, is Peter here?
Oh, no.
We had to send him downstate
at the last minute.
- What do you need?
- Mrs. Florrick. Hello.
Hello. Could you have him call me
when he gets in?
- Sure. Is everything all right?
- Yes.
Alicia.
Could I ask you a quick question?
When you were friends with Maddie,
did you ever talk about religion?
- Did we ever talk about religion?
ELl: Belief in God.
What'd she say?
Is she an agnostic?
Oh, I don't know if I feel comfortable
with this.
Oh, she's used stuff you told her
in confidence against Peter.
Yes, but...
She's an atheist.
- She told you that?
- It's not that weird, Eli.
Oh, I know. I'm not saying anything.
But she told you she was an atheist?
Yes. Why?
No reason.
I'll tell Peter you came by.
Ah, there you are. I was wondering
where you'd wandered off to.
I just went on a lunch break
and bought a few things.
How nice for you.
Deena signed on.
Gross and his lawyers are coming over
tomorrow to start negotiating.
- Good.
- And another thing,
I heard Will and Diane sat you down
and had the talk.
Congratulations. Good news.
Thank you. It was unexpected.
Yes. Well, now, here's the thing.
They might not have talked to you
about the capital contribution.
It's required of all equity partners,
$600,000.
And I know that sounds
like a lot of money,
but we have reasonable terms.
Usually 50 percent up front
and another 50
deliverable upon bonuses.
I'm sorry, what?
The capital contribution.
It's your investment in the firm.
Every equity partner
has to throw into the pot.
That means you're invested in the firm,
the firm's invested in you.
Sorry.
Six hundred thousand dollars?
Heh, heh. Yes, I know,
it sounds like a lot of money.
My God, when I was a fourth year,
it sounded
like all the money in the world.
But you only need to put up half.
The other, with interest,
is usually payable
within three bonus cycles.
Maybe more.
Depending on how we're doing.
So any questions?
Six hundred thousand?
Yes. Membership has its privileges.
But first, you need to be a member.
Heh, heh.
Any other questions?
L...
- No.
- Good.
Again, congratulations.
WILL:
Kalinda, just give us a month.
- That's all.
- No.
- Thanks, though.
- We're cash poor at the moment.
If this bankruptcy extension
goes our way, we won't be.
That's good. But in the meantime,
I was promised a promotion
and a 5 percent increase.
- You really think this is gonna work?
WILL: Excuse me?
Look, nothing your firm
does in that room
is gonna convince me
to hire you.
Mr. Gross, maybe you didn't notice,
I'm in a meeting.
You are not gonna get my business.
And if you do anything
- to come between me and Deena...
- I'm in litigation, not family law.
I didn't solicit your wife's business
nor am I involved in her negotiation.
So get the hell out of my office.
You got your raise.
Keep track of that.
Happy to.
DAVID:
Here's the groom.
Can we start now?
Is everybody happy?
Ecstatic.
Are you okay with this?
We just need
to go through the motions.
Yeah, it all makes sense.
I just... I want you to be comfortable,
baby.
Deena,
why don't you have a seat here?
- No, no, no, baby, sit here.
- I'm okay here.
DAVID: We just have
a few amendments to make
to the fine work
done by your firm, Rochelle.
We would suggest
redrafting pages two through...
Let's see, 68.
- We're fine with the cover sheet.
- We wanted to redraft anyway.
We feel like Mr. Gross
is being far too lenient financially.
Our first concern is jurisdiction.
Texas.
Mr. Gross has a ranch
outside of Austin.
And ChumHum's
technical support facility is there.
CARY:
But Mr. Gross isn't.
He hasn't been there
since a two-hour stopover at DFW
en route to Paris, March 2009.
- That's not dispositive.
DAVID: But this is.
The couple will be domiciled
in Mountain View, California,
which is the location
of ChumHum's headquarters.
California law is friendlier
to the more dependent spouse.
- Texas is not so friendly.
- Actually, Mrs. Florrick,
why don't you tell her the real reason
you want California law.
It's the seven-day rule.
GROSS:
What's the seven-day rule?
Both parties must have
the final agreement in hand
- for seven days before signing.
ROCHELLE: Or it's unenforceable.
The prenup is voided.
- Our wedding is in nine days.
ROCHELLE: Exactly.
So we have 48 hours
to hammer this out.
DAVID:
Then let's make a deal.
Forty-eight hours. God made
plants and animals in 48 hours.
They are trying to hold a gun
to our head, Deena.
There's a gun to both of our heads,
equal pressure on both parties.
Yes, but which party suffers
if the prenup is altered?
Both suffer, given that Gross and Deena
want a mutually satisfactory agreement.
[CELL PHONE VIBRATING]
ROCHELLE: We don't have the time
to hammer it out.
CARY: We're here to represent our...
DAVID: This is absolutely ridiculous.
They are gonna be living
in California...
Mr. Connolly. Yes.
Six hundred thousand. I know.
The question
is can I borrow against my mortgage?
A cosigner?
Who's the cosigner?
Oh.
No, I forgot.
Mr. Florrick.
- Look!
ROCHELLE: Stop yelling.
Look, this is academic.
- We are never going to get a divorce.
- Of course not.
Oh, we share your optimism,
but this contract
is about worst-case scenarios.
- If Texas law governs...
DEENA: It's okay.
Texas law is fine.
Let's just move on.
ROCHELLE: Perfect. Shall we move on
to spousal support and maintenance?
Yes, but it's almost noon.
Why don't we pick up after lunch.
That concession was damaging.
We can't afford
any more giveaways.
David, she's a woman in love.
It's gonna be hard to motivate her.
- Do you need dirt?
DAVID: Yes.
That's the challenge about prenups.
You need to throw enough dirt
on the spouse to get something,
but not too much to kill the wedding.
I'll be delicate.
NORDQUIST:
Lyman Nordquist.
I am the CEO
of LOC Pharmaceuticals.
Is that loud enough?
It is. Thank you for speaking up.
So you funded Mr. Canning's trust,
Encinal Equity,
the one that purchased
all of our firm's debt.
- Is that correct?
- It is.
Now, help me out here. Why would
a billion-dollar conglomerate
wanna control the debt
of a Chicago law firm?
I renew my objection to this witness,
Your Honor.
A creditor's motive is not relevant,
only his debt is.
Mr. Canning is the one
who brought up motive, Your Honor,
by suggesting this debt
was for afflicted children.
JUDGE:
Are you all right, Mr. Canning?
I am now, sir. Yes.
Mr. Gardner, you're arguing
that the creditor has a biased motive
for resisting your extension?
- Yes, clearly.
- Then unfortunately, Mr. Canning,
- I have to overrule you.
- So, Mr. Nordquist,
why fund the purchase of our debt?
Mr. Nordquist,
I must compel you to answer.
[SIGHS]
Lockhart Gardner brings
costly nuisance suits against us.
Ah. So this isn't about
handicapped children?
There is nothing either illegal
or unethical in our actions.
Mr. Canning would never support
an extension of our debt deadline,
- even if it was one week.
- Objection. Beyond the scope.
That's all right. I think it's clear
why Mr. Canning doesn't want
our extension.
- What was that?
- What was...?
Mr. Nordquist?
He's the money who wants
what we both want.
We? When did we become a "we"?
You're right.
I'm being presumptuous.
Lockhart Gardner is a good firm
with good people
who are being mismanaged.
Now, if you agree with that,
then we are a "we."
- I'm not here to destroy it.
- I know.
You're here to make sure
the firm's creditor, myself, gets paid.
And to put a good firm on firmer
footing. That's what I want too.
You intend to be a lawyer, Mr. Hayden,
is that right?
- Yes. Why?
- Have you passed the bar?
I take it next week.
Illinois.
That's a tough exam.
Struggled with that one myself.
What do you intend to do afterward?
Practice the law. Why?
We should talk.
You're kidding?
Congratulations.
ALICIA:
Thank you.
I'm stunned. I wasn't expecting it.
I was, just not so soon.
This is one for the history books.
Fourth year.
How much is the catch?
- The capital contribution is 600,000.
- Wow.
Yeah. But I can borrow
against the mortgage.
I just need you to cosign.
Why cosign? I'll loan it to you.
You...
No, Peter. I haven't even decided
if I'm gonna do it.
Why wouldn't you?
Well, the firm, its situation.
I think I wanna see where things fall.
Okay, well, that's smart.
But when you decide,
I'm fronting you the money.
It's a business decision, Alicia.
It's like taking on stock,
nothing else.
Thank you.
That means a lot to me.
JORDAN:
Hey, Alicia.
Hi.
- I'm Jordan.
- I know.
- You walk fast.
- I'm in a hurry.
Just need a minute
with the God question.
The God question?
Question of belief.
What do you believe?
Your father was politely Anglican,
and your mother was politely nothing.
Am I being too personal?
You're being something.
We're making an issue
of Maddie Hayward's religious beliefs,
which means she's gonna make
an issue of yours.
And how is she gonna do that?
The Leadership Forum tomorrow.
We have a surrogate who'll hit her
with the atheism thing,
so you may be asked too.
So if you don't mind,
what do you believe?
[ALICIA & JORDAN CHUCKLING]
Okay.
We'll talk later.
Go ahead, Cary,
you're the one who discovered it.
Actually, Kalinda did.
Actually, I don't care.
Someone tell them.
CARY:
The shares of ChumHum
that Neil Gross offered you
in the prenup,
- they'll be worthless if you divorce.
- Why? What do you mean?
The prenup
has no non-dilution clause.
DAVID: Meaning that if the shares
aren't fixed
at a percentage
of the company's value,
Neil can keep issuing more stocks,
and more stocks, and poof,
- millions become pennies.
- I don't care.
- Deena, I think you should listen.
- No, Dad.
Neil and I had lunch.
We're ready to put this stuff
behind us.
- In my professional opinion...
DEENA: I have made my decision.
I won't let money guide me.
Please shut it down, Mr. Lee.
Thank you.
We're not shutting anything down.
She just needs a good dose of reality.
She said she won't let money
guide her.
Yeah.
So don't go after money.
Okay.
Good.
We'll make sure Gross and his lawyers
give her a good dose of reality.
Gross and his lawyers?
Live and learn, young prot?g?.
Live and learn.
Ms. Lockhart,
the $30 million you raised,
does that include the firm's take
on the 16 cases you settled?
- Yes.
- In the previous ten years,
what percentage of litigation did you
settle rather than bring to verdict?
Objection. Only the firm's conduct
- since bankruptcy is relevant here.
- Overruled. Ms. Lockhart?
- I wouldn't know offhand.
- I would. Less than 30 percent.
Yet since the firm declared bankruptcy,
you've settled 100 percent of its cases.
- Objection. Attorney is testifying.
CANNING: I'm testifying.
You're reducing the debt
on the backs of the clients.
WILL: Your Honor, Mr. Canni...
JUDGE: Enough, all of you!
WILL:
Zero. Zero!
- If he wants a war, he's got one.
- Diane...
No. We're not gonna let a mercenary
like Canning
get away with smearing our reputation
like that.
The thing
is we may have exposure here.
Will, we have never sold out a client,
never once.
I agree. But if he has evidence
contradicting your testimony...
- What evidence?
- The Spence West Nile case.
We wanted 15 million.
We dropped our ask to 12.
- For a very good reason.
- We needed the money.
No. That was a good settlement.
And if he puts someone on the stand
who contradicts us?
Someone who will tell the truth,
even if it hurts?
Who?
KALINDA: Alicia.
- Yes.
You've been subpoenaed.
We give up.
Really? That's a first.
My client is amenable
to Mr. Gross' positions
- on all financial issues.
ROCHELLE: Great.
We should do this more often
with the clients out of the room.
My office will prepare the paperwork
and we'll get it to you.
Actually, there is just one thing.
- I thought it was too easy.
- Ms. Lampard would like the document
to address a number
of personal cohabitation expectations.
Within reason, we'll listen.
What are they?
ALICIA:
Relationship maintenance.
Ms. Lampard requests a date night
each week, preferably on Fridays,
to last no less than four hours
door-to-door.
- Consecutive hours?
ALICIA: Yes.
And also Mr. Gross is required
to spend 600 minutes
away from work each week.
- Inclusive of the date?
- No, in addition.
- That could be problematic.
- We're open to negotiation.
Children.
Ms. Lampard insists that any children
will be brought up Christian.
No. Deal breaker.
Mr. Gross is Jewish.
Oh, come on.
We made movement on the money.
Can't give on religion.
- What else are you after?
- Sexual maintenance.
ROCHELLE: Number of times a week?
DAVID: Yes.
We can horse-trade on that.
DAVID:
Good.
- I thought we were shutting this down.
- We were. We tried.
They asked
for some additional items.
Cary, why don't you.
Mr. Gross wants you to stipulate
that your children
will be raised Jewish.
- What?
- Yes, we were surprised.
DEENA:
We never discussed religion.
- Not once.
- His lawyers also insisted
on a few relationship bullet points.
"Sexual maintenance."
At least twice a week,
though Mr. Gross reserves
the sole discretion for more.
Or less.
- He asked for that?
- His lawyers did.
Look, when you said stand down,
his lawyers pressed their advantage.
That's the problem
with standing down.
CARY:
We can push back, Deena.
Or you can just sign this prenup
and hope for the best.
But I would push back if I were you.
Push back. Push back hard.
- Nicely played, Cary.
- Thank you, sir.
You're gonna make
a hell of an equity partner.
Now, you two get moving
on Gross' asset assessment.
They offered you partnership?
I know. It's funny, right?
Me too.
Yeah? I was wondering if they did.
Congratulations.
I think they were counting my years
before I left,
not just the last seven months.
Yeah, you're probably right.
So...
Congratulations, partner.
Alicia, do you have a moment?
DIANE:
Any idea why you were subpoenaed?
No.
WILL: We were wondering
if it was about the West Nile case.
Canning faced you on that.
Maybe.
Well, the recession has worsened
this past year.
Even clients with good cases
have had cash flow issues.
Meaning the percentage of cases
we've settled has increased.
Which leads to the absurd suggestion
that we pushed our clients to settle
so we could get paid.
We wanna make sure we're all
on the same page with our testimony.
I think so.
Good. Good, that's all.
Oh, and did you go out
and do something special? Celebrate?
Yes, I did.
So where are you on belief in God?
[ALICIA LAUGHS]
What? It's for the campaign.
Yes, I know.
Your friend Jordan already asked me.
He was here?
No. At the campaign bus.
- Oh. What did you say?
- I said it's personal.
- For him, right? But not for us.
- Ha, ha, ha.
Great. I thought so.
Do you have a minute?
So that's almost a belief in God.
How is that almost a belief in God?
I have a husband who believes in God
and a daughter who might...
- And what about Zach?
- I don't know. But I don't.
But the point
is you could believe in God.
But I don't.
Yes, but if Jesus were to show up
in your office right now,
you'd believe in him, wouldn't you?
- No.
- Yes, you would.
If he performed a miracle.
Well, if Jesus walked into my office
right now and performed a miracle,
- then, yes, I would believe in God.
- Good. See? You're a seeker.
[LAUGHS]
Alicia, I know this sounds stupid,
but voters hate atheists.
They think they spend all their time
fighting mangers outside city hall.
They want people
who are open-minded,
and you are open-minded.
Okay.
Is that what you want me to say?
I want you to be Saint Alicia.
It's a selling point for Peter.
And the voters don't wanna think
Saint Alicia is an atheist.
Okay.
So Diane and Will negotiated
in good faith,
Cary is as deserving as I am,
and God might exist.
I'm good.
Yeah. I don't know
what that was about, but yes.
Jordan.
- What do you think of him?
- He's...
- Awkward.
- He is, isn't he? Mm-hm.
- Not a bad thing to mention to Peter.
- Okay.
- Just one scripted line per day, please.
- Right. Okay. I'm out of here.
Oh, my God.
DAVID: Well, if he's not going to do it,
at least memorialize his intent.
ROCHELLE:
He's not memorializing anything.
CARY:
Except outrageous personal demands.
ROCHELLE:
David, this is not an IPO. It's a prenup.
DAVID:
What, do you think I'm an idiot?
PAUL: The point is my daughter
is entitled to protection.
ROCHELLE:
You shouldn't even be in the room.
- Please, do not talk to my client's...
- My God, this is so silly!
Deena, I'm not gonna dilute
your stock options.
And when did you start worrying
about stock options?
- Wait a minute. When did you?
- I'm talking to my fianc?e.
Look, this is contract language, baby.
That's all.
It's about precedent.
If I give you more,
then every future contract
will ask for more.
You mean every future prenup
after you divorce me?
GROSS:
You know what? That's it.
- We're done.
- That's fine, Neil. You never loved me.
All you wanted me to do
was spread my legs twice a week
and breed your children.
Okay. Okay, everybody sit down.
Would you go after her?
The point is you love him.
Don't you love him?
But everything he's done.
The stock options...
You said you don't care
about the money.
I don't. He does, that's the point.
It's not what I care about.
It's what he cares about.
You know what I think, Deena?
I think you should go to him.
- No.
- Yes.
Just call him,
say you wanna have dinner,
no lawyers in the room.
All this was moving too fast.
The more Neil spends time with you,
the less he'll care about the money.
I promise you that.
And we're the ones
who are pushing the money.
You two,
you need to pull each other past it.
[PILL BOTTLE OPENS
AND PILLS JIGGLES]
Hello, Mrs. Florrick.
Hello, Mr. Canning.
We recently faced each other
in a case
involving the West Nile virus,
didn't we?
ALICIA:
We did. Good to see you again.
CANNING:
And you.
Seems we all made it back okay.
My client settled that, didn't he?
He did. Twelve million dollars.
And to your knowledge,
was the decision by your firm
to settle that case
driven at all by its need
to raise capital?
It was driven by our client's desire
to avoid protracted litigation.
- So that would be a no?
- That would be a categorical no.
A categorical no?
That's a really big no.
The biggest.
And has your firm ever settled
any case in the past five months
with the reduction of its debt
as a consideration?
- No.
- Mrs. Florrick,
did you meet
with Mr. Gardner or Ms. Lockhart
in preparation for your testimony?
- Objection.
- I'll allow.
Yes. But only to discuss
my responsibility
to answer your questions truthfully.
Mrs. Florrick,
are you aware of any schemes
perpetrated by your firm
to reduce its debt?
Objection as to vagueness.
I'm quite certain Mrs. Florrick knows
what "scheme" means.
- I'll allow.
- I'm aware of no such scheme.
You were recently offered
a partnership at Lockhart Gardner.
Is that right?
- Yes.
- And how much will that cost you?
- Objection. Relevance.
- Overruled.
- My buy-in to the firm is $600,000.
- You're a fourth-year associate, right?
- Correct.
- That seem odd to you
that a fourth-year associate
should be offered partnership?
- Yes.
- And isn't it odder still
that five associates
of Lockhart Gardner,
all fourth-year associates,
should be offered partnerships?
Oh, I'm sorry. You weren't aware.
Five associates at Lockhart Gardner
were offered partnerships.
Is that your question?
Did I know that?
For a start, sure.
No, I did not know that.
Were you aware
your firm was trying to raise millions
to pay off its debt
by naming five partners?
- Objection. Asked and answered.
JUDGE: Sustained.
There's no scheme, Mr. Canning.
Unless you consider the promotion
of someone
who has billed thousands of hours
and helped win dozens of cases
a scheme.
I have nothing further.
JUDGE:
Mr. Gardner?
Witness may step down.
[VIOLIN PLAYING SOFT MUSIC]
ELl:
Alicia, there you are.
- You look fantastic.
- Thanks.
Are you okay? Is everything...?
Good? Yeah, great.
Just let me know when you want me
to say I believe in God, Eli.
Okay. I don't think that's quite the way
to handle this.
Alicia,
I think we should become friends.
- Why?
- Political wives tend to like me.
I keep them in the loop.
- Do you believe in God?
- Do I believe in God?
I don't know. Why?
That seems to be
the question du jour.
I believe in rainbows
and little kids' smiles.
Does that help?
- Hi, Maddie.
- Alicia. It's been a long time.
Yep.
You have any new friends?
Just so you know, Alicia,
I didn't break off our friendship.
And if you could let go of this
victim-hood pose that you're hang...
You know what you can do
with your...?
Hey, there you are.
MADDIE: Hello, Peter. How are you?
- Good.
MADDIE:
Looking like one debate, I see.
Looks like it.
- Everything okay here?
- Oh, just grand, darling.
You know, I would love
to get you in the bathroom.
WOMAN:
Mr. State's Attorney, hello.
Any reservations about sharing
the spotlight with Ms. Hayward
at another campaign event?
None at all. And by the way,
this is not a campaign event.
I'm here to honor the 20th anniversary
of the Leadership Forum.
- It's a campaign event.
PETER: Heh, heh.
WOMAN:
Ms. Hayward, how do you respond
to the controversy over your actions
at last week's benediction?
My actions?
You mean the video on the web of me
not bowing?
Yes, during prayer.
There's been some chatter
about your insensitivity.
Well,
I apologize if it seemed insensitive.
I was just trying to avoid
being hypocritical.
I am an atheist.
WOMAN: Really? Don't you worry
about how that will play in a state
where only 15 percent
call themselves nonreligious?
MADDIE: I worry about everything,
but I am who I am.
And I don't think you should run away
from that.
Let's just let the voters decide.
WOMAN: And what about you,
Mr. State's Attorney?
I respect Maddie's point of view.
WOMAN:
But you don't share it?
Well, it's different.
I was in prison.
Belief means a great deal there.
In fact, sometimes
it was the only thing we had.
- And your wife?
- Oh, well, l...
I think my wife can speak
for herself.
I'm an atheist.
Nothing in ChumHum's
201110-K either.
Check the footnotes.
Accountants,
they hide problems in their footnotes.
Footnotes.
I heard that you
were offered partnership.
Yeah.
Me, Alicia and three others.
Congratulations.
What?
They need the money.
They're just handing out partnerships
like Popsicles.
Popsicles?
I don't know, it's late.
So are you gonna take it?
The Popsicle?
If I can get the draw together, sure.
Oh, you just feel sorry for yourself
because you were offered something.
- Hey.
- What?
Check out the 2010 expenditures.
The footnote under miscellaneous,
there.
You see the off-balance sheet
joint venture for $112,000?
Yeah.
It's in the 200910-K too.
Well, there's your dirt.
I'll tell David Lee.
[ELEVATOR BELL DINGS]
Mr. Hayden?
- Cary.
- May I help you?
No. Uh...
I don't know.
No, l...
No.
Are you sure?
I don't like mess.
- I like precision.
- I know.
This is mess.
And I'm not sure how to handle it.
- What is mess?
- This.
This business with Louis Canning.
Oh, well.
Hey, you have the bar exam this week,
don't you?
Yes, I do.
Good luck. Heh, heh, heh.
Thank you.
But I don't know,
I've come to not like the law.
It's not very precise.
It can be. It just depends
on the way you practice it.
[SIGHS]
You're right. It can be.
Mr. Hayden.
I'm sorry, about before.
Testifying the way I did against you
in that bankruptcy mediation. I just...
Why? It was the truth.
I've been subpoenaed in court.
DAVID: I appreciate that we're all back
at the table. Mazel tov.
But I'm not sure what the point is
if he's not willing to negotiate.
Maybe you could ease up
on some of your demands.
[DAVID CHUCKLES]
Deena, Mr. Lampard, would you mind
stepping out a moment?
- Why?
- Believe me, sir,
- it's in your daughter's best interest.
DEENA: I don't mind.
- Don't get lonely.
- I won't.
Okay, what have you got?
I was reviewing ChumHum's
SEC filings,
and there's a recurring
joint venture expense
hidden in a footnote for $112,000.
I take exception
to the adjective "hidden."
And a valuation challenge
for a hundred grand? David, seriously.
The joint venture
is a Rhode Island LLC
called J.C. Partners.
And its one beneficiary
is Jacob Carlisle.
That's the 4-year-old son
of Dara Carlisle,
the woman that Mr. Gross
had a one-night stand with
in Greensboro in 2008
at a shareholders' meeting.
So, what's the threat?
Cough up the money
- or you'll tell your client?
- We thought we'd discuss it.
Extortion?
Not even you would sink that low.
Sure I would.
I'm gonna call
the state's attorney's office.
- You're gonna forfeit your license.
- Rochelle, just stop.
ROCHELLE:
Neil, no. That's...
Give them what they want.
DAVID:
Isn't it sweet?
Young love.
So, Mr. Hayden, you probably
had the best available view
of all the shenanigans
at Lockhart Gardner.
- Objection, as to "shenanigans."
- I'll rephrase.
You had the best view of all
the "goings-on" at Lockhart Gardner?
Well, I was the trustee.
Were you aware of their decision to
offer partnerships to five associates?
Yes.
And were you in agreement
with that business decision?
Mr. Hayden?
I was not.
Financial commitments to partners
are one of the causes
of the firm's bankruptcy.
Minting new partners
is not a solution.
- They were doing it to raise money.
- Objection.
JUDGE: Sustained.
CANNING: Let me try it this way.
If each of those new partners met
their capital contribution obligation,
how much money would
Lockhart Gardner raise?
Three million dollars.
So if allocated towards repayment
of the debt,
that would give the illusion
of financial progress, right?
HAYDEN: Yes.
- So the large number of offers
can only be explained as a pyramid
scheme, right? No, no, strike that.
In this context,
how would you characterize
the offer of employment
in exchange for money?
Your description, while crude, is apt.
It's a type of pyramid scheme.
And isn't a job being dangled
in this quid pro quo sort of way
extraordinary?
No, I'm afraid not.
It's not? Why is it not?
Well, just the other day,
you offered me employment
in exchange...
- All right, let's move on.
- Objection. Let the witness answer.
- Answer is irrelevant.
- The answer was incomplete.
When it's complete,
the judge can decide if it's relevant.
Ms. Lockhart,
please let me do my job.
Go ahead and complete your answer,
Mr. Hayden.
I was saying just the other day, you
offered me employment, Mr. Canning,
in exchange for continued help
in these proceedings.
Move to strike as nonresponsive.
Overruled.
I think it was perfectly responsive.
Under oath, sir, did I ever make
an offer of employment to you
contingent upon your assistance
in this hearing?
No. But the clear import was...
No further questions.
What exactly did Mr. Canning
offer you?
He intimated there would be a job
for me at his law firm
when these proceedings were over.
And just prior to that intimation,
did he ask you for assistance
in this matter?
Yes.
He requested detailed information
about cases.
Thank you, Mr. Hayden.
You're welcome.
WILL: A five-month extension.
That gives us breathing room.
And Mrs. Gross is thinking
about assigning us
- her entire Midwest book of business.
- The tide is turning. Heh, heh, heh.
The vultures from real estate
are Hoovering up all the shrimp.
- Mr. Gardner, Ms. Lockhart.
- Mr. Hayden.
We don't know what to say,
except thank you.
Though I confess,
I don't understand your motivation.
Well, I don't agree
with how you run your business,
but you paid me the compliment
of not assuming I was for sale.
- Good luck with the bar next week.
- Thank you.
Heh, heh, heh.
It has been interesting here.
I don't know if I'll miss it,
but I'll...
No, I won't miss it.
CANNING: And they ate and drank
and made merry.
All save poor little Cinderella,
who toiled amidst the revelry.
Mr. Canning, I thought you'd be off
somewhere licking your wounds.
[CHUCKLES]
I'm a quick healer.
No, I just came by
to sign the extension.
Mr. Canning,
you're not here to sign any extension.
You know the best thing
about Monopoly is?
The "Get Out of Jail Free" card.
I used to love hoarding that card
because you never knew when you...
Mr. Canning, please,
I hate these stories.
Whatever it is you need to say,
just say it.
I don't need the story.
This is your
"Get Out of Jail Free" card.
DIANE:
What did he want?
Mr. Canning? It was a personal matter.
Nothing important.
Well,
I'm here on a professional one.
Your absence from the festivities
is sending quite a message
to the partnership.
What message would that be?
That you're not vested
in our little enterprise.
[CHUCKLES]
You're pouting.
- It's unbecoming.
- No. I'm working.
You know why I was made partner?
Jonas Stern was sued
for sexual harassment,
and he needed to show
that he had a female partner.
That's all.
When the door that you have been
knocking at finally swings open,
you don't ask why.
You run through.
That is the simple fact.
No one is here
to make it comfortable for you.
No one is here
to appreciate your moping.
So this is my advice to you.
Take a minute for yourself,
put on your best gracious voice,
find a way to wear a smile,
and then come
into the conference room
ready to thank the equity partners
for giving you this opportunity.
Because what is given
can quickly be taken away.
[CHATTERING]
Thank you, Will. Thank you, David,
for giving me this great opportunity
to become a partner.
I won't disappoint you.
We know you won't.
You're welcome.
Just you remember one thing,
it's all about client maintenance.
Thank you, Diane,
for thinking of me for this position.
I won't disappoint you.
Good. Well, you haven't in the past,
and we know you won't in the future.
I just wanna say thank you so much
for this opportunity.
- You're welcome.
- I will not disappoint you.
Thank you.
I'm very much looking forward to it.
- Congratulations.
- What a wonderful, wonderful thing.
Thank you. Thank you so much.