The Guardian

While Nick awaits probation revocation in jail, his father begins some investigative work about his story. First, the hospital to find out about Mandy's health status, where he meets Shannon, Mandy's daughter. Then Burton speaks to the detective who has been trying to locate Mandy for a month. And he meets Mary, Shannon's grandmother, for the first time. He asks Mary if Shannon can testify for Nick, but Mary refuses. James interviews with Caldwell, Fallin's new managing partner. Jake continues to work on getting Nick's firm started. Lulu visits Nick in jail, partly to ask him about a case she had to take over for him.

(NO SPOILERS) Nick's first day back at LSP after his hearing is a very difficult one. A young man, about 13 years old, killed his mother. Ronnie seems to have a strange affect; disconnected, focused on concerns that are not super important. Nick also has a fender bender in the parking lot, which is an interesting first meeting of Kim. Also, James and Jake help Nick with the opening of their new law firm.

Nick sees an opportunity to get a former client at his new firm, and meets with the client at The Incline, the favorite watering hole for Burton's firm. The client is building a new property, and wants to build a road through a cemetery, which would require 15 graves to be relocated. Burton visits Mary at work, and finds out the reason Mandy hasn't been buried yet; Burton offers to help. The FBI puts pressure on some unscrupulous actions among major players. And a difficult issue from Burton's past arises during a current case, although he is on the verge of being sworn in as a judge. Kim and Nick continue their bedroom relationship.

An "angel of death" nurse at a hospital confesses to killing 19 cancer patients; James' grandmother may have been one of them. While visiting the hospital, he meets a young woman whose husband also may be a victim. At LSP, Nick is asked to represent a child who has been difficult to adopt, so he can go to an "adoption party." Lulu represents a pregnant teenager who has an at risk pregnancy and needs to find a new shelter, as she doesn't like to follow rules.

A raid on a Massage Parlor jeopardizes Alvin's job. Nick is appointed to represent a young boy who is having severe medical issues from lead exposure. Jake is pressed to the limit both personally and professionally as he tries to help a close friend. And we find out that Lulu's marriage is meeting neither her nor her husband's expectations.

Nick's father has him take over a client with many secrets and idiosyncrasies; Nick begins to question his own personal motives while he does his job. Is it to be successful, meet his father's expectations, or purely for the money? Does his corporate job allow the "human factor" to be relevant? Nick also helps a teen who needs a bone marrow transplant from his sister, but her location is unknown. And Lu confides to Nick the reason she's mad at him.

Nick and Jake help a family whose lives have been torn apart by cancer death of mother, and drug use by father. Fortunately, the children's godparents want to adopt them, and are a good home for them. However, it doesn't mean there aren't some large issues to overcome. Lulu is asked to help a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for decades as he tries to re-enter life outside prison and keep his marriage. And Nick and Lulu begin talking about her concerns about her marriage.

A close friend of Lulu's has a daughter go missing, and foul play is suspected. Nick's father tries to celebrate Nick's birthday with a surprise. And Nick is assigned a new case, then discovers he knows the client from his childhood days, and the client needs help to retain custody of his dog.

Another appropriate name for a powerful episode. James' nephew, Levi, is assaulted by his former gang members at his reform school, and is threatened with expulsion unless he gives the headmaster the names of the assailants. Alvin represents a former baseball idol in a personal property dispute; Nick's dad has another eye surgery that compromises his ability to work, so Nick must take over a large merger on short notice, while he's juggling assisting others in his life, also with major personal issues.

Lulu's husband comes under scrutiny by the hospital after a problem in the operating room, and it puts Nick and Lulu on opposite sides of the courtroom. Nick's father meets a client's beautiful daughter, and wants Nick to date her. And a young mother is pushed to the limit in her multi-generational home where illness has taken over family function.

A client Nick has been working with for a long time graduates high school, and Nick offers him a temporary job. The first day, he follows Nick to his various duties, and his life is changed forever. Nick also represents a family where the father is mentally altered due to Acquired Brain Injury. Burton makes a generous offer to Mary and Shannon, and the friendship deepens. And Lulu needs representation, and Nick offers to help.

Lulu has a stalker, and it's unclear who it is: repeat, silent phone calls, and a break-in while her husband is away. Burton gets a lead on picking up some of the city's legal matters, which can help the firm monetarily, but it conflicts with other duties at the law firm. Specifically, he sues a man to remove a nuisance aviary in his small back yard. And a mother who has been physically abused seems to feed her son with lies about his father, so he's afraid of him.

Nick gets a new client, and then finds out it's actually Lulu's mother, who is moving her business to Pittsburgh. She tries to entice Lulu away from her non-profit work and begin working with her as she builds her company in this new location. James represents a young man who has foster parents who want to adopt him, but the youngster is being enticed by a potential rap recording contract in New York. And a long time client of Burton's is wanting to expand his inherited business to a completely new business venture, and this encourages Burton to consider his "old fuddy duddy" ways.

At a benefit dinner for LSP, Jake meets a "model" woman who recently got custody of her son. They happened to have gone to the same local high school, and there is a mutual interest. Since Jake is spending time with her, he begins to question if she is really a fit mother. After Burton is rebuffed, he rethinks his relationship with Mary, and Nick witnesses her true side. Brian files a suit against the hospital for wrongful termination. Nick represents a transvestite man whose partner is now deceased, and is trying to keep custody of the young boy he's been raising as his own for several years now. Lulu bid on some law books of Burton's, but the box which is delivered is more of a personal nature, and she begins to see how Nick was raised.

A school friend of Nick's has a new product, and he's asking for the firm's assistance with a business plan, etc. Meanwhile, Lulu has a young boy who misses a lot of school. Nick has second thoughts about working with his friend, but his invention proves extremely effective at a crucial moment. James approaches his friend still at Fallin & Fallin, Jake, regarding an unscrupulous auto lending company for his latest client.

Barbara has some very exciting news, with invitations in hand for the entire office. Nick takes over a case for Lulu, where a terminally ill child has parents who disagree on the direction her care takes; Burton has a medical scare. And a factory in Burton's small hometown may have to close, which would devastate the community's economy.

This episode shows how the lives of the different people in the accident intersect. We see how the accident happened and the cause, the people involved, and how they are affected by the accident and subsequent consequences. Nick has the opportunity to show us his most vulnerable side. Both Barbara and her fiance get difficult news.

A young cop shoots Nick's former drug dealer while on duty, and Burton takes a hard line on the settlement after Nick removes himself from the case. Lulu's recovery goes well. A new probationary official visits Alvin's office to question Nick's hours reporting, since he also has a full time job. And Nick has to represent three of his former clients as they need to find new shelter when their facility shuts down.

A popular local boxer seeks assistance with a custody issue, and Burton, Nick and Lulu attend his first big fight together. Nick takes Lulu replacement car shopping. Lulu is concerned about a teenage cheerleader into some questionable behavior, and works with Jake to assist her family. And Lulu's mother testifies before a grand jury.

The new temp attorney at Fallin & Fallin has two unusual encounters with a client which cause concern for Burton. Lulu is representing a church in an eminent domain dispute, and Nick is representing the opposite side. A close friend from Burton's recent past needs his help. And the "police officer vs drug dealer" lawsuit ends differently than any one was expecting.

Burton's nephew, Jeremy, begins exhibiting very disturbing behavior, and it affects the entire extended family. Lulu and Nick host their first dinner party as a couple. Jake buys a cabin in the woods and is excited about fixing it up. Shannon has trouble adjusting to life in a new environment and without her grandmother.

Nick wants to diversify the firm with criminal law practice. Jake went to school with the best criminal defense lawyer in town, and Nick asks Jake to try to land him. Nick is assigned a client, Taliek, who was the victim of a brutal attack, and he's trying to get visitation rights. Nick and his father square off in a mock trial for credits toward continuing legal education (CLE). Lulu tells Nick she's going to interview for a great job in Berkeley, California. James realizes he may have made a tragic mistake about 6 months ago. We find out that Jake's relationship with Clay, the criminal defense attorney, may not be as friendly as we originally were led to believe. Nick tries to apologize to Shannon for humiliating her in front of several people.

Lulu travels to Berkley for a job interview, which could split up Nick and Lulu. Shannon's father shows up to seek custody. James confesses about his past behavior, and many people get hurt. Nick is court-ordered for anger counseling, but he's resistant. And a parking spot becomes the last straw for two frustrated men.