Alan Shore, assistito da Denny Crane e Brad Chase, difende l'affascinante Kelly Nolan, accusata di aver avvelenato il ricco e anziano marito e già condannata dai media, che la dipingono come una spietata "vedova nera". Subentrato al precedente difensore a pochi giorni dal processo, Alan cerca di ottenere prima un rinvio, poi un trasferimento di sede, ma entrambe le istanze vengono respinte dal giudice, che anzi lo condanna per oltraggio alla corte per i suoi atteggiamenti provocatori.

Denise Bauer, assistita dai giovani Garrett Wells e Sara Holt, rappresenta l'imprenditore Walter Edmunds, querelato da un dipendente ebreo per aver tentato di imporre la religione cristiana sul luogo di lavoro, attraverso canti religiosi e letture della Bibbia. Mentre Denise appare distratta dal proprio divorzio in corso, Garrett riesce ad esporre in modo brillante, attraverso un montaggio video di discorsi di presidenti e personalità dello spettacolo, il concetto che mai come ora gli Stati Uniti siano una nazione cristiana.

Shirley Schmidt e Tara Wilson difendono un affermato chirurgo, il Dottor Carter, accusato di molestie sessuali dalla violoncellista muta Mary Bradley. La presunta vittima è rappresentata dall'inglese Malcolm Holmes, mentore ed ex amante di Tara. Malgrado un'originale strategia processuale, Malcolm perde il confronto con Tara, ma conquista la possibilità di uscire a cena con lei.

The Kelly Nolan trial continues, but Alan, Denny and Brad run fear the worst when Kelly's cold demeanor begins to turn off the jury. Meanwhile, Garrett and Sara are enlisted to help Denise in her divorce settlement and Malcolm convinces Tara to represent Johnny Damon, Edwin Starr's nephew, whose performance of War strikes a nerve at a nightclub.

Denny takes Alan to Nimmo Bay, British Columbia, Canada, to help him get over his breakup with Tara. Catherine confesses to Bernard's murder. Sara and Garrett take extreme measures to help Denise challenge her husband's alimony demands in their divorce proceedings.

Denny's strong conservative values are put to the test when the firm represents a Democratic congressman who refused to keep a promise to his supporters. Alan tries to forget about Tara as he prepares to defend Catherine who is on trial for murder. Meanwhile, Sara is given a bizarre ultimatum.

Denise finds herself in a difficult position when an auto-injury case she neglected for three years comes up for trial and she is unprepared. While Garrett researches, he meets Cassie, a young paralegal whose strange sexual tendencies hide a painful past. Meanwhile Denny learns he must apologize to Lori or face a sexual harrassment suit, and Alan takes Sara out for dinner and a "show."

The firm takes on two milestone cases. First, Shirley and Denise represent Christian and Wiccan parents who are outraged by a public school's Halloween celebrations, but the case takes a turn for the worse when the clients begin arguing amongst themselves. Meanwhile, Denny and Alan's friendship is tested when Alan helps Cassie sue the US military for the loss of her brother.

Denny is called to defend a man who raped and killed a 13-year-old girl, but decides he'd rather go to jail than spend his days defending murderers. Meanwhile, Alan must face his fear of clowns and Shirley dumps a bizarre bestiality case on Denise.

Denise finds herself wanting to sue her own client when Boston's most celebrated plastic surgeon is under fire for unorthodox techniques. Shirley takes on a difficult case involving an Alzheimer's patient which touches her personally. Meanwhile, Alan and Denny fight their own demons as Alan asks his new secretary to protect him from night terrors and Denny undergoes an MRI.

When the FBI's hands are tied with red tape, Brad helps Denise go undercover as a rogue agent in order to find a missing boy who is close to her heart. But when legal and ethical roadblocks appear, they must make some difficult decisions.

Meanwhile, Denny's nonchalance regarding the use of firearms becomes a real concern for the other senior partners when he shoots a homeless man in the head with a paintball gun.

After kidnapping a witness and physically assaulting a priest, Brad is put on trial and enlists the help of Denny and Shirley to bail him out.

Meanwhile, Alan's hands are full with his secretary's financial troubles when her credit card company charges ridiculous interest rates putting her $50,000 in debt.

Paul recruits Denise to help him defend a cancer patient who used his wealth to guarantee he would not get a placebo during a drug study.

Meanwhile, Alan goes too far in trying to convince the senior partners to promote "Hands" to partner, and Denny finds himself falling in love with a woman he meets at a charity event.

Alan finds himself all alone against the firm when he decides to defend Jerry Espenson from charges of attempted murder, torture and terrorist threats.

Denise and Daniel Post get closer as Daniel second chairs a case against parents who are constantly harassing their daughter's teacher.

Meanwhile, Paul is worried about the impact Denny's pending nuptials may have on the firm.

Alan and Denise take on the case of a young girl whose father killed her mother after finding the mother's whereabouts through her HMO's website.

Catherine Piper comes back into Alan's life - by robbing convenience stores.

Beverly Bridge, Denny's fiancée, flexes her muscle around the firm -- meanwhile, Brad attempts to manage the situation for Shirley and Paul.

Daniel goes in for chemotherapy, and attempts to shut out Denise.

After meeting Irma for a date, Alan finds himself defending her when she is charged with a sex crime by protesting topless.

Meanwhile, Denise finds it difficult to remain close to Daniel when he invites her to his own funeral, and Garrett faces his toughest challenge yet when Catherine invades his office.

Alan's friendly demeanor quickly turns into anger when a prestigious private school turns away a child prodigy because she lacks the face muscles to smile.

Meanwhile, Shirley and Denise take on a hospital that refused to administer emergency birth control to a rape victim due to religious beliefs, and Brad is put on special assignment by Denny.

Alan and Denny defend a man charged with murder after he euthanized his wife with Alzheimers.

Meanwhile, long-lost family members return when Shirley's ex-husband asks her to be "best man" at his wedding and Paul tracks down his estranged daughter.

Shirley, Paul and Brad batten down the hatches as Bev files for divorce hours after her marriage to Denny, and demands half of his assets.

Alan helps defend an old friend who was fired for smoking on her private time.

Shirley covertly asks Alan for help when nude photographs of her surface for auction.

Paul sends Brad in undercover when he suspects his daughter is once again using drugs, and Denny is inspired by a case involving self-defense electrocution.

Alan once again goes to bat for Melissa, this time with much less confidence, who is in serious trouble with the IRS.

Meanwhile, Paul and Brad enact a plan to help Rachel get into rehab, and Denise re-enters the world of dating with disastrous results.

Shirley defends a long-time client who doesn't want his Victorian erotica collection lost in his divorce, but she is shocked when Ivan is opposing council.

Alan takes drastic steps to help Catherine's friend who is being taken advantage of in a nursing home.

Meanwhile, Paul cuts back on his time at the firm when Fiona begins to take priority, causing worry among the other partners.

After beginning to speak gibberish in court, Alan turns to Denny for help in curing his new, debilitating condition.

Meanwhile, Paul and Brad defend a video game company when a mother claims the company's addictive game killed her teenage son, and Denise challenges the polygamy law.

Alan decides to help Jerry with his first big attempted-murder case, but has to take drastic action when Jerry's courtroom outbursts jeopardize the case.

Meanwhile, Shirley is shocked to discover that Ivan has yet to inform Missy that they are "divorced," and Brad becomes uncomfortable with a reoccurring word in his new relationship.

When Denny shoots his therapist in self-defense, the senior partners, fed up with his rogue behavior, begin to enact plans to remove him from the firm.

Meanwhile, Alan enlists the help of Chelina in a racially-charged case involving a black man being arrested for being in a white neighborhood, and Brad asks Denise to teach him to be a better kisser.

Denny once again goes head-to-head with his non-son, Donny, when he shows up in his new role as a Lawyers Without Borders representative. But Alan finds it difficult to support Denny's defense when Denny makes light of the case.

Meanwhile, Marlene Stanger, known as "The Squid," is hired at the firm, and immediately attracts Alan and repels Denise.

Shirley once again helps Professor Cabot, whose research into human sexual behavior gets him into trouble when he's caught with a prostitute. Marlene and Denise continue their fight for the spot to become partner by trying to assist.

Meanwhile, Denny takes Alan to LA when he pays a visit to the West Coast branch of Crane, Poole & Schmidt, but his motives become clear once Alan meets Barry Goal. And Brad is shocked to discover his niece is arrested for participating in a drug "pharming" party.

While in LA, Alan takes on the case of TV star Courtney Rae, who is arrested after shooting a photographer who she mistakes for a stalker. But Denny and Barry make life difficult when they won't stop making sexual advances toward their client.

Meanwhile, Denise resorts to underhanded tactics to eliminate Marlene from the picture, but the plan backfires when she is caught by Paul. And Brad enlists Shirley's help in trying to persuade the judge in his niece's trial to lower the sentence.