Eli Stone s02e03 Episode Script
Unwritten
you're wrong.
Why can't we be two experienced professionals who disagree over a judgment call? Why does it have to be that you're right and I'm wrong? Well,when there's a right and a wrong answer,it isn't a judgment call.
Is everything okay,sir? No,eli.
My position as managing partner of my own firm is at stake, and it appears the attorneys I've chosen to defend me against allegations I'm suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder can't seem to agree on the time of day.
- It's 11:19.
- Give or take a few minutes.
I take it from the argument I've just spent the last ten minutes trying not to pay attention to, you disagree over whether I should take the stand in my own defense.
- It's notven a close call in this situation.
- it's not so much a disagreement over that - as over what--what the right thing to do is here.
- It's about the proof-- enough! both of you make your case in one sentence or less.
Ladies and daughters first.
Go.
The burden of proof is on posner and klein,okay? We don't want to risk opening you up to cross-examination to show that they haven't met their burden.
We do if we don't want to take the greater risk of appearing that we have no other way of demonstrating that you have all your faculties,which,by the way,testifying will do very effectively.
- You used two sentences.
- Yours was a run-on.
I'm going to testify.
I respect your point of view on this,sweetheart,but I agree with eli.
And just for the record,I don't think you're wrong.
I just happen to agree with him.
That's the fourth time he's "happened" to agree with you.
Look,you wanted a bench trial to protect him from a jury.
You want an expedited hearing to protect him from the press.
Now you want to keep him off the stand to protect him from cross-examination.
He needs a litigator,taylor,not an overprotective daughter.
Oh,what about an overeager prot? who blames himself for the mess his mentor's in? He still has the support of the board.
How long do you think that'll last the longer this thing drags out? It's just too bad that no outside firm will get in the middle of this,huh? Yeah,it's too bad.
This is me.
- Good night.
- Good night.
god.
Yes,I'm rather anxious myself.
In moments such as these-- not that I've been fortunate to have any on quite this scale-- I find it best to focus on the client.
The client? Yes,the client,eli-- the individual,or,in this case, individuals who have retained our services on their behalf.
Because of the thing with the,uh,case.
I'm not getting an overwhelming feeling of confidence here.
It's okay,sir.
I'm ready fortrial.
I'm just not sure what that trial is.
eli,you're about to face nine justices who are going to,at a minimum, expect you to appreciate the distinction between them and a state court.
"Them," sir? Sorry,could you be more personal with your personal pronouns? Eli,we're less than an hour from arguing a case before the highest court in the land.
The phrase "get on the ball" comes to mind.
matt? I heard that jordan wants to cut back associate salaries by nearly half.
Not my business,tommy.
Sure it is.
You're the one sleeping with the enemy or at least his daughter.
So is wethersby gonna bankrupt this place and us along with it,or not? No,he's not.
all right,he built this place.
He put that rolex on your wrist and that designer suit on your back.
You don't have any of that without him,so show the man some respect.
Taylor.
Just out of curiosity,did I miss any classic matt dowd zingers just now? Or did you remain completely silent the entire time? Tommy was just venting some very understandable anxieties.
"Sleeping with the enemy"? He's your dad,and they know we're together.
Whatever I said wouldn't have mattered because I'm not seen as objective, and you've got the same problem.
Excuse me? In court.
You're his daughter,taylor,and any argument you make to a judge is going to lose credibility because of that.
You sound like eli.
And if he and I actually agree,that should really tell you something.
You know,this isn't really helpful right now.
You don't need to represent your dad to prove to him you're a great lawyer.
The psychoanalysis isn't helping either.
Taylor I'm gonna stay at my place tonight.
I've got a lot of work to do.
Okay.
Well,maybe this is the one that takes you to the supreme court.
What? Oh,you've got vision fever.
I must have missed that day at medical school.
You had a vision last week.
You read a little bit of dad's journal.
It's all cool and exciting.
You got the prophet bug.
Will you stop making up spiritual ailments,please? I-I have no time for new cases right now,nate.
I got my plate full with posner and klein vs.
Wethersby.
Just come with me to see my new patient,okay? I'll have you in and out of the clinic in,like,less than an hour.
- Clinic? - Yeah,I told you.
I'm volunteering at the park presidio free clinic.
Since when? Well,ever since you saved me from the aneurysm, I guess I figured I should give something back.
All right,so this patient I've been seeing--she's only 6 years old,all right? She lives with her family in a low-income housing unit in the tenderloin--you know, the kind where the paint's been peeling off the walls for the last 30 years? In fact,that's why she needs you.
She's got lead poisoning? Serious health problems.
It's impossible to prove causation in lead paint cases.
And even if you could,the C.
P.
S.
C.
Made lead paint illegal in 1978, which means the statute of limitations has already expired.
- Yeah,but,eli - but thank you,and keep those great suggestions coming.
I gotta get back to the office.
eli? "equal justice under law.
" The equal protection clause was written exactly for a case like this one-- for people struggling agnst powerful interests arrayed against them.
This is the pinnacle of my career,eli-- of any attorney's career.
But for you,I'd be on the other side, representing the likes of the L.
P.
M.
A.
I'd be dishonoring these hallowed halls with a halfhearted argument defending the constitutional right of paint manufacturers to poison innoce children.
This is the lead paint case.
Try not to sound so surprised.
ElI!Eli? Vision? No.
Yeah.
Uh,you could tell? Yeah,you had vision face.
- And now who's making up ailments? - Okay,so what did you see? Was it--I mean,was it about my case? It was about my case,wasn't it?-I knew it.
How could you p you tell me you haven't been reading dad's journal.
- I haven't been reading dad's journal.
- Well,skimming it,then.
You have! Look,he said that you take the lead case.
I mean,he wrote down the clients' names! When I saw the kims' names in here,I nearly had a stroke.
Look,I-I-I dog-eared the page.
- Nate.
- Yeah,o-okay.
- I-I'm sure that you associate the journal with grace,and that doesn't- this is not about her.
This is about me not wanting to live my life according to dad's unabomber prophecy manifesto.
If you only knew these people and what they've been through-- but I don't,nate.
I don't know them.
I know jordan,and I know what he's going through, and I know what happens to him if I don't doverything in my power to help him.
So just go be a doctor.
Presents YTET- °îµÃÃà I didn't read it.
I-I performed a controlled skimming of just one page, which confirmed that the case in the book is the same one that takes me and jordan to the supreme court.
What exactly did the page say? See foseyourlf.
Okay,now look,kim is the name of my would-be future clients.
But what's this--"nurhachi"? Not what--who.
He's a teacher I studied with in china.
Well,I'm guessing that he didn't give you an "A.
" What he gave me were nightmares.
He was a student of zhiguai.
Yao-what? Zhiguai.
It means "accounts of anomalies.
" Black magic stuff-- werewolves,transmigration.
Kind of like the buddhist version of "the x-files.
" And what's his name doing in the book? I-I studied acupuncture under him.
He taught me a technique.
He called it "the dark truth.
" "The dark truth"? It's old medicine-- supposed to bring mental clarity through pain.
You're making this up.
Well,only insofar as I'm just educated-guessing.
But it doesn't make a difference,because I'm not ing this on you.
It's too dangerous.
Well,I already clearly have the written consent of a parent.
Come on.
This is about jordan.
I need to know,frank.
And now for something completely different.
Take a deep breath.
do it.
someone call security.
Who let this man in here? I'm just kidding,man.
Good to see ya.
How long has it been-- uh,like six months? Saw you this morning.
Uh yeah.
Did the "wethersby" fall off? Is this little trip down memory lane part of you coming to grips with getting your ass spanked on jordan's hearing six months ago? Six months? Okay.
I don't suppose you paid extra for the warranty on your brain surgery.
It sounds like you might need a little tune-up.
What happened in the hearing? Oh,about what you'd expect to happen when a lawyer is crazier thanhe alleged crazy guy he's defending, as this little reunion shows.
- It was my fault.
- Hey,don't be so hard on yourself.
that's my job.
eli,take it easy.
You're back.
What did you see?Eli? can you repeat that? I have to withdraw from your case.
- Excuse me?- I know this comes as a surprise,but-- I seem to recall a rather impassioned argument about how this hearing was the most important moment in my professional life, and there was no one better suited to steer me through it than you.
I know,sir,but I think I was wrong.
You should go with taylor,and just taylor,on this one.
I would just drag you down,believe me.
You're absolutely right,eli.
If you were planning on exhibiting this kind of capricious judgment on my behalf, I wouldn't be well-served by you representing me.
- Taylor - do what you need to do.
We're fine.
I'm fine.
I can do this.
Don't worry.
S-something I did? More like something you didn't do.
I can't believe you,of all people,bailing on jordan.
It's like you chose a side.
I didn't choose anything.
I got one of my 9-1-1 calls from god.
Then you star-69 him and say you'll take care of it after you take care of jordan.
It doesn't work that way.
Trust me,you want me off the jordan case.
You really do.
What's this? Lead paint product liability.
It's david versus goliath stuff--your favorite.
- Just read it.
- Well,I don't have to read it.
There's nothing in this file that could make me want to abandon our mentor.
firstly,he's not your mentor.
Secondly,I didn't abandon him.
Taylor's handling it,and believe me,she's happier that I no longer am.
And thirdly,I'm doing this with or without your help.
And we both know that you're biologically incapable of turning down a poor, sick kid case like this one.
I hate you.
That's a lot of discovery for a simple breach of contract case.
I know.
I'm an artist.
Uh,can you give us a minute,buddy? Absolutely.
I'm here for keith,actually.
- Him? - Me? I need to replace eli on posner and klein vs.
Wethersby.
Well,I'm kind of busy helping matt draft discovery requests in koehler.
I'm sure matt won't mind,especially considering how important my father's case is to him.
Jordan needs a capable and objective lawyer on his team.
Leesie started having seizures when she was 3.
We hug her till she stops shaking.
It's the only thing we can do.
And when she started school this year,her teacher told us she was slower than the other kids.
We're not spiteful people,mr.
Stone,and we've never sued anyone.
But leesie's doctor's bills-- they're more than I make in a year,and I'm already working two jobs.
Did you ever actually see leesie ingest paint chips? No,but when she was a toddler,everything she could get her little hands on went into her mouth.
I saw her picking at the paint.
If we could afford a better place,maybe leesie would be okay.
do you know,uh,when your apartment was built? Um,1950s,I think.
No one has ever won a lead paint liability case before.
That's part of the reason why.
I-I don't understand.
Well,if your apartment was constructed in the 1950s, that means it's got at least two decades worth of lead paint in it.
It's highly unlikely that that paint is from a single manufacturer.
So even if we stood a chance of bringing a successful lawsuit, we wouldn't know which one to sue.
so what do we do? We sue them all.
if you don't mind,I'd like it to be just me and leesie at the plaintiff's table.
You're demoting me to the gallery? - Very mature,eli.
- It's not like that.
It's just,gibbons is gonna have an army in there.
I want it to be as few people as possible at our table.
Sympathy is our best and only play here.
Okay.
frankly,I'd always been in awe of jordan wethersby.
The man was single-minded.
It was rare finding a man whose tenacity exceeded my own.
You can imagine my surprise when I get a phone call out of the literal blue, telling me he could "no longer in good conscience" represent my company.
Did he explain why? He registered some moral indignation regarding the wages we pay at our sri lanka factory.
It was like I didn't even know the man anymore.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
Nothing further,your honor.
So for over 30 years,jordan wethersby was an amoral gun for hire, - and his sudden conscience makes him unrecognizable - objection.
Withdrawn.
What is the mills foundation? It's a public interest nonprofit I started with the,uh, - proceeds from my company's I.
P.
O.
- Whose idea was it? It was your father's-- jordan'S.
I take it he made that suggestion during that same phone call last week? Oh,no,nothat was that was nearly 30 years ago.
When mr.
Wethersby was suffering from pre-traumatic stress disorder.
Are we out of witnesses? Just one more for the plaintiffs,your honor-- ellen wethersby.
It's a stunt,your honor.
Actually,I withdraw that.
To be a stunt,it'd have to be in service of a legitimate case.
This is a legitimate case.
Hundreds of people have filed lead paint liability suits.
Just out of curiosity,how many of those cases were filed within the statute of limitations? We'll be able to prove it here.
Through discovery,we will obtain evidence that will prove lead paint-- in other words,u don't have any evidence,but you're hoping you'll find some maybe.
Your honor,at this time,I'd like to supplement our motion to dismiss with a motion for rule 11 sanctions.
Your honor,sanctions? Wholly appropriate when a plaintiff brings a case as frivolous as this.
Our complaint alleges causation.
That should be sufficient at this stage.
Not for me,mr.
Stone.
But I'm not heartless.
Nor do I fail to notice the You've got 24 hours to convince me why she's got a case.
I renew my objection,your honor.
Marital communications privilege prevents my client's wife from revealing private confidences.
And ms.
Klein has already been warned against asking her to do so.
Can you describe your husband's behavior following his accident? Objection.
Mrs.
Wethersby is not a psychogist.
I am not asking her to diagnose his behavior-- merely describe it.
Overruled.
he's different,isn't he? He's different since the bank.
He can't seem to fall asleep.
When he does,he can't stay that way.
He's spending more time at the office.
When he does come home,he just works.
Thank you for your candor.
The lack of sleep,the constant work-- are you describing someone traumatized by an accident or reinvigorated by it? I don't know.
You're in therapy,aren't you? Objection.
Relevance? Just give me one more question.
Yes,I'm in therapy.
So obviously you believe in its benefits.
But you didn't suggest that your husband see someone? No.
Clearly,you're not that worrd about him.
Have you expressed your concern fr youhusband to anyone other than him? Yes.
- I told taylor I was concerned.
- Objection! Is there a stepdaughter privilege I'm unaware of? Overruled.
When you expressed your concern to ms.
Wethersby,what did she say in response? Taylor said she was worried,too.
She was afraid he'd become self-destructive since the accident.
I'm sorry.
- Obviously,they - it's fine,taylor.
There's no law against a daughter being concerned for her father.
That having been said,your client is very concerned.
I know,but I'll fix it.
By calling me to the witness stand.
I'm returning to the office to prepare my testimony.
Late night? My defense team's a bit understaffed.
I know I left you in the lurch,but I had a ason.
The lead paint case I'm working on it goes to the supreme court.
We take it there.
- We're still working together - I'm sure you believe your divine calling, but it's not particularly helpful to me at the moment,eli.
It was helpful to you when you were buried under the credit dauphin bank.
I don't understand.
It'S how I found you.
I was guided.
"Guided"? Just like I was guided away from your case to the one I'm working on now.
If I stay with you,we lose.
Enough,eli.
- If I could just describe to you what I saw - I said enough about your damn visions! I'm losing my firm,everything I've worked for.
I stand accused of not being in my right mind,which is ironic given you've been my inspiration, and now I'm beginning to doubt your sanity.
I never told you to go to war with posner and klein.
You didn't seem to have a problem with me doing it last year.
What about trying to fire half our clients? We discussed changing the firm! Not tearing it apart! Sir,you're thone that wanted to do this,and now you're blaming me.
I'm not blaming you,eli! But I am disappointed that you would indulge your personal fantasies at the moment.
I'm defending myself against something very real.
I promise I'm doing this for you.
Yes.
Well those words have never been more comforting.
Eli,did you know this marble was cut from a quarry in alicante,spain? I can only hope our competition is equally as daunted by the space.
I don't think that gibbons and his army of lawyers daunt much.
Gibbons?Eli, the L.
P.
M.
A.
Swapped him out after the trouncing you gave him at trial.
Their new attorneys are somewhat more formidable.
How did we do it? How did we trounce gibbons? Excuse me? I'm sorry,sir.
I don't have much time.
Maggie,it's eli.
I-I found out how we win.
Your honor,the plaintiffs would like to withdraw their product liability claim if you think doing that's gonna immunize you from sanctions-- and amend our complaint to include a claim under the public nuisance doctrine.
You're even crazier than I thought.
- This is - I get to yell at him first,mr.
Gibbons.
Factories have been compelled to install scrubbers on smokestacks.
Why shouldn't paint manufacturers be held accountable for putting poison on the wall of every home nationwide? That's the most slanderous characterization I've ever heard.
Wait,you're gonna love this part.
Public nuisance claims do not require plaintiffs to prove causation, and the statute of limitations doesn't apply.
Your honor,the rhode island supreme court has soundly rejected this nuisance theory-- do I look like rhode island to you,mr.
Gibbons? Color me intrigued,mr.
Stone.
- Your honor - the defendant's motion to dismiss is taken under advisement.
Motion for sanctions denied.
I appreciate that,that I've been acting out of character.
In point of fact,I hope I have.
I'm determined to make changes to my life,my practice and my firm.
You proposed firing the firm's most profitable clients.
I proposed culling the firm's most socially irresponsible clients.
But W.
P.
K.
Has represented them for upwards of 30 years.
Implicit in your question is the belief that the only explanation is that I've lost my mind somehow.
So what's the other explanation? That I've had what alcoholics term "a moment of clarity," a realization that the way I'd heretofore been living my life has been detrimental to myself and others.
Thank you.
All our time in a courtroom together,never thought we'd be on opposite sides of the aisle.
Ask your questions,martin.
Let's begin with your sudden decision to change our firm.
It wasn't sudden.
No,you just walked in fresh from your accident and announced that you were going to fire half our clients.
The accident was immaterial.
This was the consequence of spending decades of my life aiding and abetting a host of immoral acts to-- listen to yourself.
"Aiding and abetting.
" Jordan-- spare me the false concern,martin.
It's as transparent as your emotion,which is nothing more than a naked attempt to unseat me as head of our firm.
You're aware,aren't you,that--that paranoia is a symptom of P.
T.
S.
D.
Mm,so this entire hearing is a delusion of mine.
How comforting.
So your accident had no impact whatsoever on your decision to restructure our firm? No,I was on my way to do just that when the accident occurred.
Is it fair to say that you were inspired,in part,by one of our associates-- eli stone? Yes,that's true.
And interesting when you consider that mr.
Stone is counsel to the almighty.
This is a transcript from eli stone's testimony of three weeks ago.
Will you please read the highlighted portion? - Objection.
- Overruled.
I want to hear this.
"I can pack this courtroom with people whose lives "I've changed because of the other visions I've had, sent to me by some higher power,perhaps divine.
" And now before you object,this goes to the respondent's judgment.
Eli stone believes that he's following instructions from god.
He's one of your acolytes,which--which begs the question then-- do you believe that you plan for the firm is the will of god? Move for a recess,your honor.
- There's a question before the witness.
- We want a recess,judge.
- Jordan,are you being led by god - enough,mr.
Posner.
We'll resume tomorrow.
I'm authorized to settle this for $500,000.
you don't win the lottery without paying for a ticket.
Astute.
This settlement would be sealed with no admission of liability and an ironclad confidentiality agreement.
And you never file suit against any of the L.
P.
M.
A.
Companies ever again.
You don't even have a harsh word to say to any of them.
I'll need to talk this over with my clients.
The offer won't get any better.
It's a bribe.
A $500,000 bribe.
Which chris and joanna aren't going to take.
We're not? We could pay off all our debt and then some with this money.
They're paying to keep you quiet and to keep us from helping other families.
I'm sorry,mr.
Stone.
This is too much for us to turn down.
But you do.
I mean you just-- I know that you're not the kind of people to turn your backs on--on other people.
We'll think about it,but I don't think we'll be changing our minds.
They're gonna turn it down,go to trial.
Don't worry.
I am worried,because I don't think they should turn it down.
They're drowning in medical bills,and it'salpractice for you to tell them to reject the life raft.
From the look on that guy's face,I thought you'd be popping champagne corks in here.
This shouldn't be happening this way.
This is the best result we could hope for,and you know it.
Well,what about everyone else?What about all the other little leesies? - What about them? - We don't represent them.
Then what the hell was all this about? - I need the journal.
- What journal? Dad wrote all his prophecies down in a journal.
Your dad could see the future,too? Can you? No.
Well,just once.
You know what? The kims hired us to practice law,not sorcery.
Forget for a second about the future and live in the now.
You don't need visions or a book or whatever to tell you what the right thing to do here is.
Just do it.
"War does not determine who is right" only who is left.
- Mccullough.
- Bertrand russell,actually.
I-I meant the scotch.
It's very good.
I was saving it for a courtroom victory.
Sadly,this one seems to be at my expense.
Well,it's not over yet,sir.
It's jordan.
After this is over,I suspect no one will be calling me "sir.
Maybe,maybe not,but,um,someone will still be calling you dad.
"You might want to consider going a little easier on her.
Taylor didn't want you to take the stand,and she was right.
I owe her an apology.
My undoing was not her doing.
Well,she did do one thing right,though-- getting eli to jump ship.
You'd have handed them the case with eli sitting at your table.
Taylor didn't get eli toyes,that's what eli said.
I guess we were better off without him.
Know somethin'? It's hard for me to picture the three of you at my age,just startin' out.
It was,in every sense,a lifetime ago.
exhibit A.
" how many glasses of mccullough did you have when you all wrote this?" Not as many as you would have imagined.
Then maybe it is exhibit "A.
" - I need help.
- Doin that nurhachi thing on you again.
I don't want you to.
I just-- I want my father's journal back.
No,eli,you really don'T.
Look,I-I ditched jordan's case so that I could take the one going to the supreme court, and now both are circling the drain.
The book can't help with that,eli.
Trust me.
This book got me into thisesS.
It can get me out.
The book didn't get you into trouble.
It was you messin' with the plan.
Oh,there's a plan?That's great.
Remind me,which part are we up to now? The part where you realize you can't control the uncontrollable.
I can't just sit around and hope that everything works out for the best.
God helps those who help themselves,right? You don't want to know what's in this book,eli.
I wish i didn't know.
If there was anything that bad,nate would have told me.
There are things in here te couldn't understand.
I'm sorry,but wn you took up the prophelemant again, you had to know there'd be some dark times.
Yeah,for me.
I chose to have the aneurysm back.
Jordan didn'T.
Now if there's even a chance that there's something in that book that could help him, I'm gonna take that chance.
You want to help jordan?Just be there for him.
You don't need that book.
My religious beliefs aren't relevant in this case.
Eli stone n't relevant.
The only thing that is relevant is whether I'm suffering from P.
T.
S.
D.
And if so,whether such a condition makes me unfit to chart the course of a firm I've spent the past 30 years building.
have I made a decision to radically alter the way my firm does business? Is eli stone a factor? Only insofar as he has reminded me of a part of myself that I'd lost touch with that the three of us have lost touch with.
Fortunately,I've kept a reminder.
Our mission statement.
"W.
P.
K.
Will be a firm that serves the public good and honors the public trust.
" Ironic n't it,how evocat at is to the proposal I'm now accusedof being crazy for making.
How did we get here? How does one go from the boldness of a youthful dream to accusations of insanity? It starts out small-- a justifiable compromise here or there, till one day you start believing that life is about compromise.
and promised to use the law to change the world.
Somewhere along the line,the law just became a way to make a lot of money, and this napkin became disposable.
I'm trying to honor my true self,my dumber self.
In a way,it is like post-traumatic stress because I don't ever want to go back to the battle that nearly stole that person from me.
Congratulations.
I heard you won your case.
Settled,actually.
My clients got the proverbial offer they couldn't refuse.
You won,right? I heard the judge ruled that none of your screws are loose.
Yes.
Unfortunately,in taking my case to trial,I lost the support of the board, which I suspect was martin and marci's gambit all along.
- So they - they voted me out as managing partner 20 minutes ago.
Uh I'm sorry,sir.
It could've been worse.
I could have lost the case entirely,been branded a psychotic.
Had my license to practice called into question.
Given how they went at me through you,I have no doubt all that would've transpired had you been my attorney during this instead of merely my friend.
Your friend? What better term for someone I care deeply about and admire even more? I just thought that after the other night and.
.
friends fight,eli,and the other night,I couldn't indulge in supreme court prophecies.
today,however,I could use something to look forward to.
Sorry,sir.
It doesn't look like we'll be going to the supreme court after all.
We all have visions,eli.
I had a vision for what this firm would become.
Sometimes we have to readjust our plans.
If we're not meant to go to the supreme court with this case,perhaps another.
This case needs to go to the supreme court.
But maybe what it doesn't need is us.
what are you gonna do now? I'd considered golf as an option,but the accident the other week has left my lower back in spasm.
That leaves me no other option than to continue practicing law.
I intend to create the kind of practice I've been expelled for proposing.
Might I entice you to follow your old boss to a new firm? No.
But I'll follow my friend.
What's the catch? no catch.
So you just want to hand over a brilliantly thought out, fully developed case file against the paint industry? Well,not the whole case.
You still have to find yourself a client.
My point is,this is big,like big tobacco big.
Why me? We're not exactly besties.
Which is why no one will suspect you got the information from me.
This public nuisance theory of yours,it could make it all the way to the state supreme court.
Federal,even.
Are you about to be indicted? Sorry,you're not that lucky,jeff.
No,I just I realized that this has to be someone else's crusade.
I'm sorry it had to come to this.
Somehow you'll manage,I imagine.
You can stay on as of counsel.
In fact,marci and i have discussed it.
We would very much like you to.
Well,that's a very magnanimous consolation prize,martin.
I have some rather specific anatomical suggestions as to what you can do with it.
I trust that when administration sends me my things, you'll remember that many of the paintings here are from my personal collection.
Sorry.
Am I interrupting? we were just leaving.
Stay.
You'll want to hear this.
Your testimony about the cocktail napkin reminded me of something.
One of my very first assignments when I joined W.
P.
K.
Was to review the firm's real estate holdings.
- So? - Uh,15 years ago, when you expanded the firm to this location,martin, you were involved in that bitter divorce,and,marci,you were under investigation for insider trading.
I was exonerated of those false charges.
Yes,happy times.
Because of the clouds hanging over your respective heads, the three of you decided to put this building solely in my father's name.
Now the three of you may have signed that napkin, but only my father's name is on the title to this building.
Well marci,martin,it appears you're trespassing on my property.
But I can be gracious,give the attorneys here time to decide if they want to stay.
A week sounds fair,doesn't it? Don't worry.
I didn't read it.
Although I was tempted to make sure george lucas didn't make any more "star wars" movies.
What stopped you? I don't want to live my life according to what I think some notations in some book might say.
I don't want to try to control the uncontrollable anymore.
That was bold.
"Bold" would have been reading it or asking you what it said.
You're gonna take long strides on the surface of the earth,eli.
And with every step,you're gonna change the world.
That was in the book? Doesn't matter.
That's what I believe.
jeff.
Eli.
Maggie,what are you doing here? What are you doing here? oyez,oyez,oyez! All persons having business before the honorable, the supreme court of the united states,are admonished to draw near and give their attention, for the court is now sitting.
Mr.
Chief justice,and may it please the court, my name is maggie dekker of posner,klein,and associates appearing on behalf of the petitioner-- the lead paint manufacturers' alliance.
Presents YTET- °îµÃÃÃ
Why can't we be two experienced professionals who disagree over a judgment call? Why does it have to be that you're right and I'm wrong? Well,when there's a right and a wrong answer,it isn't a judgment call.
Is everything okay,sir? No,eli.
My position as managing partner of my own firm is at stake, and it appears the attorneys I've chosen to defend me against allegations I'm suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder can't seem to agree on the time of day.
- It's 11:19.
- Give or take a few minutes.
I take it from the argument I've just spent the last ten minutes trying not to pay attention to, you disagree over whether I should take the stand in my own defense.
- It's notven a close call in this situation.
- it's not so much a disagreement over that - as over what--what the right thing to do is here.
- It's about the proof-- enough! both of you make your case in one sentence or less.
Ladies and daughters first.
Go.
The burden of proof is on posner and klein,okay? We don't want to risk opening you up to cross-examination to show that they haven't met their burden.
We do if we don't want to take the greater risk of appearing that we have no other way of demonstrating that you have all your faculties,which,by the way,testifying will do very effectively.
- You used two sentences.
- Yours was a run-on.
I'm going to testify.
I respect your point of view on this,sweetheart,but I agree with eli.
And just for the record,I don't think you're wrong.
I just happen to agree with him.
That's the fourth time he's "happened" to agree with you.
Look,you wanted a bench trial to protect him from a jury.
You want an expedited hearing to protect him from the press.
Now you want to keep him off the stand to protect him from cross-examination.
He needs a litigator,taylor,not an overprotective daughter.
Oh,what about an overeager prot? who blames himself for the mess his mentor's in? He still has the support of the board.
How long do you think that'll last the longer this thing drags out? It's just too bad that no outside firm will get in the middle of this,huh? Yeah,it's too bad.
This is me.
- Good night.
- Good night.
god.
Yes,I'm rather anxious myself.
In moments such as these-- not that I've been fortunate to have any on quite this scale-- I find it best to focus on the client.
The client? Yes,the client,eli-- the individual,or,in this case, individuals who have retained our services on their behalf.
Because of the thing with the,uh,case.
I'm not getting an overwhelming feeling of confidence here.
It's okay,sir.
I'm ready fortrial.
I'm just not sure what that trial is.
eli,you're about to face nine justices who are going to,at a minimum, expect you to appreciate the distinction between them and a state court.
"Them," sir? Sorry,could you be more personal with your personal pronouns? Eli,we're less than an hour from arguing a case before the highest court in the land.
The phrase "get on the ball" comes to mind.
matt? I heard that jordan wants to cut back associate salaries by nearly half.
Not my business,tommy.
Sure it is.
You're the one sleeping with the enemy or at least his daughter.
So is wethersby gonna bankrupt this place and us along with it,or not? No,he's not.
all right,he built this place.
He put that rolex on your wrist and that designer suit on your back.
You don't have any of that without him,so show the man some respect.
Taylor.
Just out of curiosity,did I miss any classic matt dowd zingers just now? Or did you remain completely silent the entire time? Tommy was just venting some very understandable anxieties.
"Sleeping with the enemy"? He's your dad,and they know we're together.
Whatever I said wouldn't have mattered because I'm not seen as objective, and you've got the same problem.
Excuse me? In court.
You're his daughter,taylor,and any argument you make to a judge is going to lose credibility because of that.
You sound like eli.
And if he and I actually agree,that should really tell you something.
You know,this isn't really helpful right now.
You don't need to represent your dad to prove to him you're a great lawyer.
The psychoanalysis isn't helping either.
Taylor I'm gonna stay at my place tonight.
I've got a lot of work to do.
Okay.
Well,maybe this is the one that takes you to the supreme court.
What? Oh,you've got vision fever.
I must have missed that day at medical school.
You had a vision last week.
You read a little bit of dad's journal.
It's all cool and exciting.
You got the prophet bug.
Will you stop making up spiritual ailments,please? I-I have no time for new cases right now,nate.
I got my plate full with posner and klein vs.
Wethersby.
Just come with me to see my new patient,okay? I'll have you in and out of the clinic in,like,less than an hour.
- Clinic? - Yeah,I told you.
I'm volunteering at the park presidio free clinic.
Since when? Well,ever since you saved me from the aneurysm, I guess I figured I should give something back.
All right,so this patient I've been seeing--she's only 6 years old,all right? She lives with her family in a low-income housing unit in the tenderloin--you know, the kind where the paint's been peeling off the walls for the last 30 years? In fact,that's why she needs you.
She's got lead poisoning? Serious health problems.
It's impossible to prove causation in lead paint cases.
And even if you could,the C.
P.
S.
C.
Made lead paint illegal in 1978, which means the statute of limitations has already expired.
- Yeah,but,eli - but thank you,and keep those great suggestions coming.
I gotta get back to the office.
eli? "equal justice under law.
" The equal protection clause was written exactly for a case like this one-- for people struggling agnst powerful interests arrayed against them.
This is the pinnacle of my career,eli-- of any attorney's career.
But for you,I'd be on the other side, representing the likes of the L.
P.
M.
A.
I'd be dishonoring these hallowed halls with a halfhearted argument defending the constitutional right of paint manufacturers to poison innoce children.
This is the lead paint case.
Try not to sound so surprised.
ElI!Eli? Vision? No.
Yeah.
Uh,you could tell? Yeah,you had vision face.
- And now who's making up ailments? - Okay,so what did you see? Was it--I mean,was it about my case? It was about my case,wasn't it?-I knew it.
How could you p you tell me you haven't been reading dad's journal.
- I haven't been reading dad's journal.
- Well,skimming it,then.
You have! Look,he said that you take the lead case.
I mean,he wrote down the clients' names! When I saw the kims' names in here,I nearly had a stroke.
Look,I-I-I dog-eared the page.
- Nate.
- Yeah,o-okay.
- I-I'm sure that you associate the journal with grace,and that doesn't- this is not about her.
This is about me not wanting to live my life according to dad's unabomber prophecy manifesto.
If you only knew these people and what they've been through-- but I don't,nate.
I don't know them.
I know jordan,and I know what he's going through, and I know what happens to him if I don't doverything in my power to help him.
So just go be a doctor.
Presents YTET- °îµÃÃà I didn't read it.
I-I performed a controlled skimming of just one page, which confirmed that the case in the book is the same one that takes me and jordan to the supreme court.
What exactly did the page say? See foseyourlf.
Okay,now look,kim is the name of my would-be future clients.
But what's this--"nurhachi"? Not what--who.
He's a teacher I studied with in china.
Well,I'm guessing that he didn't give you an "A.
" What he gave me were nightmares.
He was a student of zhiguai.
Yao-what? Zhiguai.
It means "accounts of anomalies.
" Black magic stuff-- werewolves,transmigration.
Kind of like the buddhist version of "the x-files.
" And what's his name doing in the book? I-I studied acupuncture under him.
He taught me a technique.
He called it "the dark truth.
" "The dark truth"? It's old medicine-- supposed to bring mental clarity through pain.
You're making this up.
Well,only insofar as I'm just educated-guessing.
But it doesn't make a difference,because I'm not ing this on you.
It's too dangerous.
Well,I already clearly have the written consent of a parent.
Come on.
This is about jordan.
I need to know,frank.
And now for something completely different.
Take a deep breath.
do it.
someone call security.
Who let this man in here? I'm just kidding,man.
Good to see ya.
How long has it been-- uh,like six months? Saw you this morning.
Uh yeah.
Did the "wethersby" fall off? Is this little trip down memory lane part of you coming to grips with getting your ass spanked on jordan's hearing six months ago? Six months? Okay.
I don't suppose you paid extra for the warranty on your brain surgery.
It sounds like you might need a little tune-up.
What happened in the hearing? Oh,about what you'd expect to happen when a lawyer is crazier thanhe alleged crazy guy he's defending, as this little reunion shows.
- It was my fault.
- Hey,don't be so hard on yourself.
that's my job.
eli,take it easy.
You're back.
What did you see?Eli? can you repeat that? I have to withdraw from your case.
- Excuse me?- I know this comes as a surprise,but-- I seem to recall a rather impassioned argument about how this hearing was the most important moment in my professional life, and there was no one better suited to steer me through it than you.
I know,sir,but I think I was wrong.
You should go with taylor,and just taylor,on this one.
I would just drag you down,believe me.
You're absolutely right,eli.
If you were planning on exhibiting this kind of capricious judgment on my behalf, I wouldn't be well-served by you representing me.
- Taylor - do what you need to do.
We're fine.
I'm fine.
I can do this.
Don't worry.
S-something I did? More like something you didn't do.
I can't believe you,of all people,bailing on jordan.
It's like you chose a side.
I didn't choose anything.
I got one of my 9-1-1 calls from god.
Then you star-69 him and say you'll take care of it after you take care of jordan.
It doesn't work that way.
Trust me,you want me off the jordan case.
You really do.
What's this? Lead paint product liability.
It's david versus goliath stuff--your favorite.
- Just read it.
- Well,I don't have to read it.
There's nothing in this file that could make me want to abandon our mentor.
firstly,he's not your mentor.
Secondly,I didn't abandon him.
Taylor's handling it,and believe me,she's happier that I no longer am.
And thirdly,I'm doing this with or without your help.
And we both know that you're biologically incapable of turning down a poor, sick kid case like this one.
I hate you.
That's a lot of discovery for a simple breach of contract case.
I know.
I'm an artist.
Uh,can you give us a minute,buddy? Absolutely.
I'm here for keith,actually.
- Him? - Me? I need to replace eli on posner and klein vs.
Wethersby.
Well,I'm kind of busy helping matt draft discovery requests in koehler.
I'm sure matt won't mind,especially considering how important my father's case is to him.
Jordan needs a capable and objective lawyer on his team.
Leesie started having seizures when she was 3.
We hug her till she stops shaking.
It's the only thing we can do.
And when she started school this year,her teacher told us she was slower than the other kids.
We're not spiteful people,mr.
Stone,and we've never sued anyone.
But leesie's doctor's bills-- they're more than I make in a year,and I'm already working two jobs.
Did you ever actually see leesie ingest paint chips? No,but when she was a toddler,everything she could get her little hands on went into her mouth.
I saw her picking at the paint.
If we could afford a better place,maybe leesie would be okay.
do you know,uh,when your apartment was built? Um,1950s,I think.
No one has ever won a lead paint liability case before.
That's part of the reason why.
I-I don't understand.
Well,if your apartment was constructed in the 1950s, that means it's got at least two decades worth of lead paint in it.
It's highly unlikely that that paint is from a single manufacturer.
So even if we stood a chance of bringing a successful lawsuit, we wouldn't know which one to sue.
so what do we do? We sue them all.
if you don't mind,I'd like it to be just me and leesie at the plaintiff's table.
You're demoting me to the gallery? - Very mature,eli.
- It's not like that.
It's just,gibbons is gonna have an army in there.
I want it to be as few people as possible at our table.
Sympathy is our best and only play here.
Okay.
frankly,I'd always been in awe of jordan wethersby.
The man was single-minded.
It was rare finding a man whose tenacity exceeded my own.
You can imagine my surprise when I get a phone call out of the literal blue, telling me he could "no longer in good conscience" represent my company.
Did he explain why? He registered some moral indignation regarding the wages we pay at our sri lanka factory.
It was like I didn't even know the man anymore.
- Objection.
- Sustained.
Nothing further,your honor.
So for over 30 years,jordan wethersby was an amoral gun for hire, - and his sudden conscience makes him unrecognizable - objection.
Withdrawn.
What is the mills foundation? It's a public interest nonprofit I started with the,uh, - proceeds from my company's I.
P.
O.
- Whose idea was it? It was your father's-- jordan'S.
I take it he made that suggestion during that same phone call last week? Oh,no,nothat was that was nearly 30 years ago.
When mr.
Wethersby was suffering from pre-traumatic stress disorder.
Are we out of witnesses? Just one more for the plaintiffs,your honor-- ellen wethersby.
It's a stunt,your honor.
Actually,I withdraw that.
To be a stunt,it'd have to be in service of a legitimate case.
This is a legitimate case.
Hundreds of people have filed lead paint liability suits.
Just out of curiosity,how many of those cases were filed within the statute of limitations? We'll be able to prove it here.
Through discovery,we will obtain evidence that will prove lead paint-- in other words,u don't have any evidence,but you're hoping you'll find some maybe.
Your honor,at this time,I'd like to supplement our motion to dismiss with a motion for rule 11 sanctions.
Your honor,sanctions? Wholly appropriate when a plaintiff brings a case as frivolous as this.
Our complaint alleges causation.
That should be sufficient at this stage.
Not for me,mr.
Stone.
But I'm not heartless.
Nor do I fail to notice the You've got 24 hours to convince me why she's got a case.
I renew my objection,your honor.
Marital communications privilege prevents my client's wife from revealing private confidences.
And ms.
Klein has already been warned against asking her to do so.
Can you describe your husband's behavior following his accident? Objection.
Mrs.
Wethersby is not a psychogist.
I am not asking her to diagnose his behavior-- merely describe it.
Overruled.
he's different,isn't he? He's different since the bank.
He can't seem to fall asleep.
When he does,he can't stay that way.
He's spending more time at the office.
When he does come home,he just works.
Thank you for your candor.
The lack of sleep,the constant work-- are you describing someone traumatized by an accident or reinvigorated by it? I don't know.
You're in therapy,aren't you? Objection.
Relevance? Just give me one more question.
Yes,I'm in therapy.
So obviously you believe in its benefits.
But you didn't suggest that your husband see someone? No.
Clearly,you're not that worrd about him.
Have you expressed your concern fr youhusband to anyone other than him? Yes.
- I told taylor I was concerned.
- Objection! Is there a stepdaughter privilege I'm unaware of? Overruled.
When you expressed your concern to ms.
Wethersby,what did she say in response? Taylor said she was worried,too.
She was afraid he'd become self-destructive since the accident.
I'm sorry.
- Obviously,they - it's fine,taylor.
There's no law against a daughter being concerned for her father.
That having been said,your client is very concerned.
I know,but I'll fix it.
By calling me to the witness stand.
I'm returning to the office to prepare my testimony.
Late night? My defense team's a bit understaffed.
I know I left you in the lurch,but I had a ason.
The lead paint case I'm working on it goes to the supreme court.
We take it there.
- We're still working together - I'm sure you believe your divine calling, but it's not particularly helpful to me at the moment,eli.
It was helpful to you when you were buried under the credit dauphin bank.
I don't understand.
It'S how I found you.
I was guided.
"Guided"? Just like I was guided away from your case to the one I'm working on now.
If I stay with you,we lose.
Enough,eli.
- If I could just describe to you what I saw - I said enough about your damn visions! I'm losing my firm,everything I've worked for.
I stand accused of not being in my right mind,which is ironic given you've been my inspiration, and now I'm beginning to doubt your sanity.
I never told you to go to war with posner and klein.
You didn't seem to have a problem with me doing it last year.
What about trying to fire half our clients? We discussed changing the firm! Not tearing it apart! Sir,you're thone that wanted to do this,and now you're blaming me.
I'm not blaming you,eli! But I am disappointed that you would indulge your personal fantasies at the moment.
I'm defending myself against something very real.
I promise I'm doing this for you.
Yes.
Well those words have never been more comforting.
Eli,did you know this marble was cut from a quarry in alicante,spain? I can only hope our competition is equally as daunted by the space.
I don't think that gibbons and his army of lawyers daunt much.
Gibbons?Eli, the L.
P.
M.
A.
Swapped him out after the trouncing you gave him at trial.
Their new attorneys are somewhat more formidable.
How did we do it? How did we trounce gibbons? Excuse me? I'm sorry,sir.
I don't have much time.
Maggie,it's eli.
I-I found out how we win.
Your honor,the plaintiffs would like to withdraw their product liability claim if you think doing that's gonna immunize you from sanctions-- and amend our complaint to include a claim under the public nuisance doctrine.
You're even crazier than I thought.
- This is - I get to yell at him first,mr.
Gibbons.
Factories have been compelled to install scrubbers on smokestacks.
Why shouldn't paint manufacturers be held accountable for putting poison on the wall of every home nationwide? That's the most slanderous characterization I've ever heard.
Wait,you're gonna love this part.
Public nuisance claims do not require plaintiffs to prove causation, and the statute of limitations doesn't apply.
Your honor,the rhode island supreme court has soundly rejected this nuisance theory-- do I look like rhode island to you,mr.
Gibbons? Color me intrigued,mr.
Stone.
- Your honor - the defendant's motion to dismiss is taken under advisement.
Motion for sanctions denied.
I appreciate that,that I've been acting out of character.
In point of fact,I hope I have.
I'm determined to make changes to my life,my practice and my firm.
You proposed firing the firm's most profitable clients.
I proposed culling the firm's most socially irresponsible clients.
But W.
P.
K.
Has represented them for upwards of 30 years.
Implicit in your question is the belief that the only explanation is that I've lost my mind somehow.
So what's the other explanation? That I've had what alcoholics term "a moment of clarity," a realization that the way I'd heretofore been living my life has been detrimental to myself and others.
Thank you.
All our time in a courtroom together,never thought we'd be on opposite sides of the aisle.
Ask your questions,martin.
Let's begin with your sudden decision to change our firm.
It wasn't sudden.
No,you just walked in fresh from your accident and announced that you were going to fire half our clients.
The accident was immaterial.
This was the consequence of spending decades of my life aiding and abetting a host of immoral acts to-- listen to yourself.
"Aiding and abetting.
" Jordan-- spare me the false concern,martin.
It's as transparent as your emotion,which is nothing more than a naked attempt to unseat me as head of our firm.
You're aware,aren't you,that--that paranoia is a symptom of P.
T.
S.
D.
Mm,so this entire hearing is a delusion of mine.
How comforting.
So your accident had no impact whatsoever on your decision to restructure our firm? No,I was on my way to do just that when the accident occurred.
Is it fair to say that you were inspired,in part,by one of our associates-- eli stone? Yes,that's true.
And interesting when you consider that mr.
Stone is counsel to the almighty.
This is a transcript from eli stone's testimony of three weeks ago.
Will you please read the highlighted portion? - Objection.
- Overruled.
I want to hear this.
"I can pack this courtroom with people whose lives "I've changed because of the other visions I've had, sent to me by some higher power,perhaps divine.
" And now before you object,this goes to the respondent's judgment.
Eli stone believes that he's following instructions from god.
He's one of your acolytes,which--which begs the question then-- do you believe that you plan for the firm is the will of god? Move for a recess,your honor.
- There's a question before the witness.
- We want a recess,judge.
- Jordan,are you being led by god - enough,mr.
Posner.
We'll resume tomorrow.
I'm authorized to settle this for $500,000.
you don't win the lottery without paying for a ticket.
Astute.
This settlement would be sealed with no admission of liability and an ironclad confidentiality agreement.
And you never file suit against any of the L.
P.
M.
A.
Companies ever again.
You don't even have a harsh word to say to any of them.
I'll need to talk this over with my clients.
The offer won't get any better.
It's a bribe.
A $500,000 bribe.
Which chris and joanna aren't going to take.
We're not? We could pay off all our debt and then some with this money.
They're paying to keep you quiet and to keep us from helping other families.
I'm sorry,mr.
Stone.
This is too much for us to turn down.
But you do.
I mean you just-- I know that you're not the kind of people to turn your backs on--on other people.
We'll think about it,but I don't think we'll be changing our minds.
They're gonna turn it down,go to trial.
Don't worry.
I am worried,because I don't think they should turn it down.
They're drowning in medical bills,and it'salpractice for you to tell them to reject the life raft.
From the look on that guy's face,I thought you'd be popping champagne corks in here.
This shouldn't be happening this way.
This is the best result we could hope for,and you know it.
Well,what about everyone else?What about all the other little leesies? - What about them? - We don't represent them.
Then what the hell was all this about? - I need the journal.
- What journal? Dad wrote all his prophecies down in a journal.
Your dad could see the future,too? Can you? No.
Well,just once.
You know what? The kims hired us to practice law,not sorcery.
Forget for a second about the future and live in the now.
You don't need visions or a book or whatever to tell you what the right thing to do here is.
Just do it.
"War does not determine who is right" only who is left.
- Mccullough.
- Bertrand russell,actually.
I-I meant the scotch.
It's very good.
I was saving it for a courtroom victory.
Sadly,this one seems to be at my expense.
Well,it's not over yet,sir.
It's jordan.
After this is over,I suspect no one will be calling me "sir.
Maybe,maybe not,but,um,someone will still be calling you dad.
"You might want to consider going a little easier on her.
Taylor didn't want you to take the stand,and she was right.
I owe her an apology.
My undoing was not her doing.
Well,she did do one thing right,though-- getting eli to jump ship.
You'd have handed them the case with eli sitting at your table.
Taylor didn't get eli toyes,that's what eli said.
I guess we were better off without him.
Know somethin'? It's hard for me to picture the three of you at my age,just startin' out.
It was,in every sense,a lifetime ago.
exhibit A.
" how many glasses of mccullough did you have when you all wrote this?" Not as many as you would have imagined.
Then maybe it is exhibit "A.
" - I need help.
- Doin that nurhachi thing on you again.
I don't want you to.
I just-- I want my father's journal back.
No,eli,you really don'T.
Look,I-I ditched jordan's case so that I could take the one going to the supreme court, and now both are circling the drain.
The book can't help with that,eli.
Trust me.
This book got me into thisesS.
It can get me out.
The book didn't get you into trouble.
It was you messin' with the plan.
Oh,there's a plan?That's great.
Remind me,which part are we up to now? The part where you realize you can't control the uncontrollable.
I can't just sit around and hope that everything works out for the best.
God helps those who help themselves,right? You don't want to know what's in this book,eli.
I wish i didn't know.
If there was anything that bad,nate would have told me.
There are things in here te couldn't understand.
I'm sorry,but wn you took up the prophelemant again, you had to know there'd be some dark times.
Yeah,for me.
I chose to have the aneurysm back.
Jordan didn'T.
Now if there's even a chance that there's something in that book that could help him, I'm gonna take that chance.
You want to help jordan?Just be there for him.
You don't need that book.
My religious beliefs aren't relevant in this case.
Eli stone n't relevant.
The only thing that is relevant is whether I'm suffering from P.
T.
S.
D.
And if so,whether such a condition makes me unfit to chart the course of a firm I've spent the past 30 years building.
have I made a decision to radically alter the way my firm does business? Is eli stone a factor? Only insofar as he has reminded me of a part of myself that I'd lost touch with that the three of us have lost touch with.
Fortunately,I've kept a reminder.
Our mission statement.
"W.
P.
K.
Will be a firm that serves the public good and honors the public trust.
" Ironic n't it,how evocat at is to the proposal I'm now accusedof being crazy for making.
How did we get here? How does one go from the boldness of a youthful dream to accusations of insanity? It starts out small-- a justifiable compromise here or there, till one day you start believing that life is about compromise.
and promised to use the law to change the world.
Somewhere along the line,the law just became a way to make a lot of money, and this napkin became disposable.
I'm trying to honor my true self,my dumber self.
In a way,it is like post-traumatic stress because I don't ever want to go back to the battle that nearly stole that person from me.
Congratulations.
I heard you won your case.
Settled,actually.
My clients got the proverbial offer they couldn't refuse.
You won,right? I heard the judge ruled that none of your screws are loose.
Yes.
Unfortunately,in taking my case to trial,I lost the support of the board, which I suspect was martin and marci's gambit all along.
- So they - they voted me out as managing partner 20 minutes ago.
Uh I'm sorry,sir.
It could've been worse.
I could have lost the case entirely,been branded a psychotic.
Had my license to practice called into question.
Given how they went at me through you,I have no doubt all that would've transpired had you been my attorney during this instead of merely my friend.
Your friend? What better term for someone I care deeply about and admire even more? I just thought that after the other night and.
.
friends fight,eli,and the other night,I couldn't indulge in supreme court prophecies.
today,however,I could use something to look forward to.
Sorry,sir.
It doesn't look like we'll be going to the supreme court after all.
We all have visions,eli.
I had a vision for what this firm would become.
Sometimes we have to readjust our plans.
If we're not meant to go to the supreme court with this case,perhaps another.
This case needs to go to the supreme court.
But maybe what it doesn't need is us.
what are you gonna do now? I'd considered golf as an option,but the accident the other week has left my lower back in spasm.
That leaves me no other option than to continue practicing law.
I intend to create the kind of practice I've been expelled for proposing.
Might I entice you to follow your old boss to a new firm? No.
But I'll follow my friend.
What's the catch? no catch.
So you just want to hand over a brilliantly thought out, fully developed case file against the paint industry? Well,not the whole case.
You still have to find yourself a client.
My point is,this is big,like big tobacco big.
Why me? We're not exactly besties.
Which is why no one will suspect you got the information from me.
This public nuisance theory of yours,it could make it all the way to the state supreme court.
Federal,even.
Are you about to be indicted? Sorry,you're not that lucky,jeff.
No,I just I realized that this has to be someone else's crusade.
I'm sorry it had to come to this.
Somehow you'll manage,I imagine.
You can stay on as of counsel.
In fact,marci and i have discussed it.
We would very much like you to.
Well,that's a very magnanimous consolation prize,martin.
I have some rather specific anatomical suggestions as to what you can do with it.
I trust that when administration sends me my things, you'll remember that many of the paintings here are from my personal collection.
Sorry.
Am I interrupting? we were just leaving.
Stay.
You'll want to hear this.
Your testimony about the cocktail napkin reminded me of something.
One of my very first assignments when I joined W.
P.
K.
Was to review the firm's real estate holdings.
- So? - Uh,15 years ago, when you expanded the firm to this location,martin, you were involved in that bitter divorce,and,marci,you were under investigation for insider trading.
I was exonerated of those false charges.
Yes,happy times.
Because of the clouds hanging over your respective heads, the three of you decided to put this building solely in my father's name.
Now the three of you may have signed that napkin, but only my father's name is on the title to this building.
Well marci,martin,it appears you're trespassing on my property.
But I can be gracious,give the attorneys here time to decide if they want to stay.
A week sounds fair,doesn't it? Don't worry.
I didn't read it.
Although I was tempted to make sure george lucas didn't make any more "star wars" movies.
What stopped you? I don't want to live my life according to what I think some notations in some book might say.
I don't want to try to control the uncontrollable anymore.
That was bold.
"Bold" would have been reading it or asking you what it said.
You're gonna take long strides on the surface of the earth,eli.
And with every step,you're gonna change the world.
That was in the book? Doesn't matter.
That's what I believe.
jeff.
Eli.
Maggie,what are you doing here? What are you doing here? oyez,oyez,oyez! All persons having business before the honorable, the supreme court of the united states,are admonished to draw near and give their attention, for the court is now sitting.
Mr.
Chief justice,and may it please the court, my name is maggie dekker of posner,klein,and associates appearing on behalf of the petitioner-- the lead paint manufacturers' alliance.
Presents YTET- °îµÃÃÃ