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Passionate defence barrister Martha Costello faces challenging cases and surprising clients, which test her faith in the criminal justice system. Gifted colleague Clive Reader is called to the bar with her. They work hard with pupils, Nick Slade and Niamh Cranitch, but ultimately only one can eventually be taken on as a member of chambers.
Now a QC, Reader celebrates with friends and colleagues but festivities are paused when Cowdrey's son is arrested on suspicion of a policeman's murder, while Costello hits the bottle after an Inspector lies in court to frame her client.
Costello defends footballer Jordan Sinclair, who has attacked fellow player Dean Trent on the pitch in front of thousands – with Reader prosecuting. Just before court, Costello learns that Sinclair has recently fallen afoul of smug manager Ben Madden, who appears to have coached Trent into needling him.
Costello is engaged by euthanasia campaigner and solicitor Aisha Wiseman to defend Sarah Stephens, accused of helping her tetraplegic daughter to die. Reader is prosecuting and brings in Sarah's ex-husband and their teensge son as witnesses. Whilst two expert witnesses appear to endorse this and Sarah's defensive attitude towards her family make her less than cooperative, Costello realises that she may be covering for somebody else.
Costello is approached by solicitor Dani Kakwani, whose nephew Rashid is wanted for extradition by US authorities for his supposed role in a bomb outrage at an Arizona university. The American embassy is keen to offer a deal in order to hurry the process but Costello believes their information is false and that he was not where they claim.
Costello goes to lockup to visit old flame Sean McBride, who is charged with fatally shooting gangster Jimmy Monk. Despite an obvious bias, she represents him with Warwick prosecuting though she comes close to exposing her position and needs Reader to support her.
Believing in McBride's guilt, Reader withdraws from the case, whilst in court Costello's passionate, if biased, speeches lead to accusations of 'performing'. Increasingly the evidence suggests that McBride was indeed the owner of the gun that killed Monk though, as the trial continues, Lamb brings in Micky Joy to highlight police corruption and present McBride as a victim of a dishonest Inspector.
