S1 • E1
With female Q.Cs or 'silks' in a tiny minority, barrister Martha Costello of the Shoe Lane chambers, is anxious to join that elite number by progressing through the courts. Following a successful acquittal in a murder trial, she is given two cases to defend at short notice--One is Mercedes Cordoba, a pregnant drugs mule for whom she pleads for mercy, based on Mercedes' poverty-stricken background. However, smooth fellow barrister Clive Reader, representing Mercedes's co-defendant, points to her previous, of which Martha was unaware, and she is sent down--though she is relieved to be out of the dealers' clutches. The other is Gary Rush, charged with robbing and assaulting elderly war hero Michael Dodd, though he has no confidence in her. Mr. Dodd commands sympathy in court but Martha demonstrates that Rush has been set up by a vengeful policeman, and he walks free. At a chambers party, Martha is irate when, in view of the day's business, she sees Reader snorting coke and pushes him downstairs. Her young pupil Nick backs her up by claiming that the fall was accidental.
S1 • E2
Martha's day begins badly when she discovers that she is pregnant and gets worse when she finds that scheming Billy has her down to defend Alan Bradley,accused of raping ex-girlfriend Annie with Reader - who has just bedded Niamh,his junior - prosecuting. In court Reader plays to the gallery,Annie appears fragile and Bradley accuses Martha of being too soft on her. After she has warned Niamh about Reader's bed-hopping the junior gives her some information which tips the case in her favour though she still wonders who was telling the truth. Niamh gets bail for Gary Ross,whom Martha recently got off a robbery case but Martha doubts his innocence when part of the loot,a medal,appears in her locker. Kate and John,two other lawyers,feel that Billy's fondness for the drink makes him unsuitable for the job.
S1 • E3
Martha defends homeless teen-aged rent boy Mark Draper,charged with indecency in a public lavatory with two others,one of whom is Reader's client. Niamh and Nick separately represent a warring couple charged with owning dangerous dogs. Bumbling Nick wins his case by a fluke whilst the more competent Niamh loses. Reader nonetheless ensures she gets the next brief but Nick has to represent the third defendant in the indecency charge when his barrister falls ill. Thanks to information from Mark's solicitor Reader's client is exposed as a party to entrapment by the police,exonerating the other two though Mark still returns to his pimp. Kate and John try to rally the other barristers to oust Billy for showing favoritism.
S1 • E4
Aware that he has enemies in the firm Billy sets up Reader. He gets a friend in another chambers to offer Reader a better job and then threatens to expose him for being disloyal and 'jumping ship' unless he spies on Billy's opponents and reports their movements. Martha tells Reader that he is the father of her child and ,on learning that she will not have an abortion,he offers to support her. He is also extremely helpful to her in a misconduct hearing where an Asian policewoman is accused of racism against a black colleague by providing a tape with which Martha is able to persuade one of the judging panel that his own racism will be made known in the press unless the woman,whose remarks were joking and did not offend her colleague,is allowed to keep her job. She is however unsuccessful in securing bail for rent boy Mark, who is accused of murdering a judge.
S1 • E5
Martha's preference is to act for the defendant but Billy persuades her it will help her silk application to act as a prosecutor,against Tony Paddick,a young teacher accused of the attempted murder of a pupil who persecuted him. Martha argues with the C.P.S. solicitor that the charge should be Grievous Bodily Harm and finds her humanity and ambition at odds with each other in her new role.After taking advice from the Law Lady interviewing her for her silk,Martha concocts a way of helping Paddick receive a lesser sentence,chiding his defending barrister for letting her do his job. Kate hacks into Billy's computer to find money unaccounted for but fails to get Martha on side against him. Nick wins his second solo case but Niamh,feeling under-used,agrees to see Gary Ross on behalf of Martha.
S1 • E6
Martha prepares to act for Mark, who admits that he and girlfriend Emma Slater broke into the judge's house to rob him but claims he killed him in self defence. Head of chambers Alan Cowdrey returns and wants the case but Martha hangs onto it with Kate as her assistant. Much of her case involves attacking the victim's widow, who is dignified and sympathetic, making Martha seem cruel. However when Martha is rushed to hospital - where she miscarries - Nick comes up with evidence which shows that Emma killed the judge to stop him killing Mark and she is found guilty of manslaughter, not murder. Billy learns that Kate and John want to set up a rival chambers with Clive Reader, whom they hope will get his silk. In the event it is Martha who gets the distinction, which she uses to keep the firm together.
Martha Costello QC
Clive Reader
Billy Lamb
Jake Milner
John Bright
Alan Cowdrey QC
Caroline Warwick QC
Micky Joy
Nick Slade
Niamh Cranitch