Drama
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…


Having just won an important case, Martha Costello is given two new cases for the next day, with a chance of getting a good reference for her Silk application. Under huge time pressure, she has to prepare overnight. But will she be able to satisfy both the personal and the professional demands placed on her? Or will she be forced to sacrifice one case in order to win the other?

In an effort to boost her application, Costello accepts a rape case, against her better judgement. Even worse, Reader is prosecuting her client and delights in riling Costello. As the case draws to a close, Costello begins to realise that things aren't always black and white, especially when she makes a startling discovery.

Costello defends a vulnerable teenager and the pupils are given their first opportunity to stand up in court, taking on a low-level magistrates' case. However, as the cases progress, both Costello and protégé Nick Slade find themselves in challenging positions. Can Costello defend her client without endangering not only her Silk application, but also her career?

Costello is forced to defend a police officer accused of racism at the police tribunal, at the same time as trying to get bail for another client. In the meantime, pressure increases on the pupils as the tenancy deadline draws near. Meanwhile, Reader receives some astonishing news which could change not only his personal life, but life at chambers for everyone.

Costello prosecutes a teacher accused of assaulting a pupil, but believes he is on too serious a charge and is not being properly defended by her colleague Noah Zeigler. Meanwhile, Slade takes on his first major case, and both Costello and Reader have their Silk interviews. Will Costello be able to ensure the teacher a fair trial at the same time as succeeding in her interview?

Costello takes on the biggest case of her life, defending Mark Draper, a repeat offender on a murder charge at the Old Bailey. However, when the case starts to fall apart, she must remain focused on the trial as both personal and private pressures escalate. Meanwhile, it's decision time for the pupils, and the fate of chambers hangs in the balance.

Martha Costello QC

Clive Reader QC

Billy Lamb

Jake Milner

John Bright

Alan Cowdrey QC

Caroline Warwick QC


In cases ripped from the headlines, police investigate serious and often deadly crimes, weighing the evidence and questioning the suspects until someone is taken into custody. The district attorney's office then builds a case to convict the perpetrator by proving the person guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Working together, these expert teams navigate all sides of the complex criminal justice system to make New York a safer place.

Six years before Saul Goodman meets Walter White. We meet him when the man who will become Saul Goodman is known as Jimmy McGill, a small-time lawyer searching for his destiny, and, more immediately, hustling to make ends meet. Working alongside, and, often, against Jimmy, is “fixer” Mike Ehrmantraut. The series tracks Jimmy’s transformation into Saul Goodman, the man who puts “criminal” in “criminal lawyer".

The series revolves around a fictional Hong Kong senior counsel named Tony Cheung. Senior Counsel Cheung is well known for winning 31 legal cases in a row but is also notorious in legal circles for his unsavoury (but ethical) tactics. His focus on his legal career has also alienated family members and anyone romantically involved. When his colleague gets involved with an unscrupulous businessman, he begins to rediscover the lost idealism and righteousness of his youth.

Many lawyers consider themselves prophets, but Eli Stone may be the real deal. Eli has built a successful career at a top law firm in San Francisco representing only the biggest and richest corporations that make a habit of screwing over the little guy. But after experiencing a series of odd hallucinations, Eli seeks to find a deeper meaning to life while trying not to lose his job and destroy his relationship with the bosses' daughter. When Eli discovers an aneurysm in his brain, he wonders if his condition is truly medical or if perhaps he now has a higher calling.

A look at the real cases and personal demons of Sir Edward Marshall Hall, Edwardian London's most celebrated barrister. Presiding over trials that made headlines and drew large crowds to the public gallery, the Old Bailey defence counsel was Britain's first legal celebrity. A champion of justice for all, Marshall Hall earns a reputation as The Great Defender as he pleads the innocence of clients other lawyers refuse to represent.
Bethany Brassington

Harriet Hammond