All language subtitles for The Practice s08e18 The Case Against Alan Shore

Previously on The Practice. Are you
trying to get disbarred as self

-destructive? All right, all right, on
that note.

We've decided to let you go. Go where?

Here's a check.

Representing two weeks severance pay.

I've generated fees in excess of six
million dollars. You've handed me a

for fifteen thousand.

Alan Shaw seemed to know this was
coming. Did you tell him? Yes.

Your employment here is terminated.
Wherever you take your business, I would

urge you again not to take it to Alan
Shore.

It is our belief that he is unstable.

I can't bear the idea of going back to
work with you not being there. I need to

be able to bring Tara back. My presence
is so powerful, I don't even have to

talk. Sometimes I'm better when I don't
talk. This was my thinking.

I'm Denny Crane, damn it. You hired him.
Why didn't you stop me? You need to

argue this motion.

I'm scheduling an evidentiary hearing
for next week. We'll take off our gloves

and have at it.

What's up?

This is Noah Burke.

He'll be representing us in our labor
dispute.

Wow.

So we are going outside.

Yes.

Just a thought, but shouldn't I have
been included in that decision?

Well, that's the very issue we need to
talk about. Look, Miss Fred, I can walk

you through the legals, but cutting to
the chase... This thing is close.

I mean, Mr. Shore's estoppel claims are
colorable. I mean, we have an associate

here whose financial contributions
grossly exceed those of the partners.

hired an extremely deep and talented
firm. I mean, we're in for a fight here,

difficult fight. So all this really is
to preface one question, which is, where

do you stand?

Can I get you a cup of coffee?

Okay. The guts of our case will be that
Alan Shore is a bad guy.

Now, you will need to testify.

You will need to get in the witness
chair and not only support the idea that

he's a bad guy, but actually sell it. I
mean, see, this man has a personal

animosity towards Mr. Shore. I mean, his
bias will be exposed in Lance like a

giant boil.

This man looks like he hates everybody,
and his emotions will make him anything

but impartial. The only objective and
fair -minded voice we have, if we're to

have one, is you.

All right, once again, it's you.

So, as I've told Mr. Young and Mr.
Bellotti, you will have to win this case

us. You will have to take...

Alan Shore down. So let me put to you
the great interrogatory once posed by

leader of the free world.

Are you with us?

Are you against us?

Whether or not we go forward all the
course we're going forward not so fast

slow down I Canceled your 10 o 'clock. I
had to tell the beast and she's in the

mood Tell us you looks beautiful and the
meeting will be rescheduled. Well, she

won't believe she's beautiful unless you
didn't tell her I said so. Goodbye

Who's the beast?

Sarah lip we could sing your partner of
the East Denny crane.

Yes. I know you're Denny crane. Why do
you always tell me your name?

Is it so you won't forget?

Well, let me tell you something,
soldier.

I've learned from experience that people
can't believe they're actually in the

room with Denny Crane.

They think it can't be true. So I let
them know it is true.

I look them in the eye.

Denny Crane.

Gives them something to tell their
grandkids.

Denny Crane.

You know, I wanted him.

Because he knows the judge. I'm having
deep concerns now that the judge knows

him. First of all, he did win the motion
last week.

Second, I'll first chair, he'll be
second.

But he talks.

Aloud. I'll rein him in.

It's an asset. We want him at our table.

Trust me.

Denny Cray.

Hara, hey.

What's new?

Don't even ask.

You doing okay?

Yeah.

Tara, thanks for coming in. Let's go to
my office.

Listen, Eugene, Jimmy, and I, we realize
that we put you in an impossible

situation, asking you to protect a firm
confidence to the detriment of a friend.

We appreciate...

That maybe we were unfair.

Anyway, we're offering you your job
back.

We consider you an extremely valued
member of this practice, and we hope

you will consider rejoining us.

You're offering me my job back?

Yes.

And you're actually sorry for putting me
in a difficult situation?

Yes.

Is Eugene sorry?

Yes.

Well, could Eugene apologize in person?

That would help me decide.

He's obviously under a lot of stress,
Tara. Let's not make... Eleanor, I have

great respect for you.

And my hope is that the conclusion of
all this ugliness, there will be no

erosion of that respect.

But this isn't about you being sorry.

This isn't about you valuing me as a
member of your firm.

This is about you getting me on your
side.

Securing my testimony to favor you.

Look, Tara.

You know I care about him.

And believe it or not, I also care about
you.

You are a young...

Law student with your entire future
ahead of you.

You need to consider carefully which
side you'd rather be associated with

I have considered that very carefully.

I'll be testifying in support of Alan.

I can't underline enough my reservations
about him being here. And I can't

underline enough his presence has
currency.

I don't like it when people talk about
me like I'm not in the room.

Last time I checked, I was in the room.

You know, I'm having a sudden burst of
insecurity. I could use some

Could you just say those two little
words I so long to hear?

Tony Craig.

Thank you.

How are we late? Let's get started. Um,
I'd like to preface my remarks by

saying... Hold on, hold on just a
minute.

You're not late.

You derive some sort of power keeping
everybody waiting.

We agreed to meet at two o 'clock
knowing you'd turn up at ten past.

Our plan all along was to start the
meeting at a quarter past, so we're just

gonna stand around for five minutes.

You little gerbil, why don't you gnaw on
a stick of celery?

Danny Crane.

Look, we are here to take one last stab
at settling this. We are not waiting

five minutes. We are not waiting two.

Let's start over.

Please.

I think we can all assume should this go
to trial, you'll be vicious, we'll be

vicious. It'll get publicly nasty and
everybody will bleed.

The reason for this meeting is to avoid
all the bloodshed.

Obviously, we have a number. You have a
number, I suspect.

Shall I give you ours?

Please.

$750 ,000.

And before you reject it, that's three
times the salary of the next ranking

associate, and that's probably $750 ,000
more than you'd get if we proceed to

court, given Mr. Shore's conduct. And
what if I were you I'd be most concerned

with? You're not me, Mr. Burke. Let's
not ever make that mistake.

If certain things in this trial become
public, Mr. Shore may be unemployable in

perpetuity and perhaps even disbarred.
Danny Crane.

Let me respond. May I, Matthew?

Let's not compare my salary with that of
the highest -ranking associate.

The whole point here is I don't compare
with the rank associates at Young,

Fronten, Berluti. I, in fact, out -earn
and out -produce the rank partners.

You're being contentious.

Denny Crane.

Okay. Why don't you just tell us your
number?

$1 .9 million.

What? Should Mr. Shaw be declared a de
facto partner, he's shared this year

alone will be over a million.

And that doesn't even account for the
revenues generated in the future by

clients he brought in.

Which he then stole.

Denny Crane. And what that really
doesn't account for?

You guys were close to going under.

Not true.

You know what? You can read the books
just like I can.

If the jury finds that Alan saved this
firm, and we have to allow for the

possibility of that finding, we could
get five million.

Maybe six.

Alan Shaw was fired from his last firm
for embezzling.

We hired him out of charity more than
anything else. We seem to be moving

further apart now. May I finish, please?
You may, but that last remark just

pushed our demand up to 2 .5.

Alan. You know what? In the absence of
any contract, I think the only fair

is to agree.

I have no right to work at your firm. I
should walk away, and I will. I just

want the money I brought in, $9 million.

Take out overhead, give me the rest.

8 .9 million. We can all shake hands.

I think we're going to trial.

Let's be fair, Mr. Shaw.

You were fired from your previous firm
for embezzling. And I deserved it. I did

not deserve to be fired from this firm.

Because? Because I saved them from going
bankrupt. Because I won my cases and

because I look good doing it.

Did you ever break any laws?

Break any laws?

Yes. Did you extort lawyers?

Did you illegally download records?

Were you privy to deals, buying off
witnesses?

Did you suborn perjury? Ah, that.

Perhaps.

Perhaps? Look, they knew my character
when they hired me. I never did

Hello, judge.

I never did anything ever that wasn't in
my character.

Well, Alan, come on.

You could have risked disbarment with
all this. That would run for the

reputation of the firm.

I was called before the bar already.
Eugene Young stood up unsolicited,

me a just and honorable man.

But when it was time to split up all the
millions of dollars I generated, I was

suddenly unworthy.

Thank you, sir.

This feels dramatic.

You left out the part where you
impersonated an airline official from

opposing side and then settled a case
under that false identity.

Using money out of my own pocket to
spare the firm a malpractice suit. You

out the part where you hired a lawyer
who believed God talked to her. It was

never established he didn't. You left
out the part that you constantly defied

the partners. Only when they were wrong,
which granted was most of the time. Is

it just me?

Or are all his questions in statement
form? You left out the part where you

a murder weapon from the police.

Well, if I were to mention that, the
police would demand to know where I hid

You left out the part where you took a
hooker to a client's wedding.

The invitation said significant other. I
thought it would last.

You left out the part where you secretly
installed video cameras in a woman's

hotel room and taped her having sex.

For blackmail purposes only.

Okay, that was a lie.

I watch for my own pleasure.

This is all one big source of amusement
for you, isn't it, Alan?

I'll tell you this, Eugene.

If you take life too seriously, it
ceases to be funny.

I tried to impart that and other little
wisdoms to you, which you never took,

but you always took the money.

Ellen, I don't know what you're doing.

You say you want to settle, but I don't
think you know what you want.

Carr, I plan to keep your testimony very
simple.

Basically, I want you to establish that
he was open and notorious with his

antics from the beginning.

Okay. I will not put you in the position
of attacking Eugene or Ellen or Ant. I

don't want you to.

Denny! This is Tara Wilson, a law
student I spoke of. In need of

Yes, she's extremely talented. I can
personally vouch for her skills as a

paralegal as well as... Stand up,
please.

Turn around, please.

Lips real?

Yes. Yours?

Let me tell you something, Tara. We hire
only pretty people in this firm.

Pretty people get better results.

Pretty girls keep me aroused.

I think more clearly when I'm aroused.
Are you a pretty girl, soldier?

I am, sir.

Good girl.

At ease.

I'm always at ease.

Sir.

The truth is, it's been a horrible year.

I haven't liked going to work since he's
been there.

My cases... Seems he's gotten all the
good ones.

How's your love life?

Sounds like I hate my life, doesn't it?

Very much so.

Why don't you change it?

How?

Well, what do you want to do?

Jimmy, you mean you haven't even asked
yourself the question?

Dishonorable? No.

Ethically challenged?

Perhaps.

What's the difference?

He was honest with how he dealt with his
friends and...

his fellow partners.

Where he was perhaps underhanded was
with opposing counsel.

Did the partners at the firm know about
his underhandedness?

Yes. They would often protest and
threaten him.

But as Alan correctly points out, at the
end of the day, they would cash the

checks. And Ms. Wilson, you had the
opportunity to see the financial records

Young, Frutt & Berluti?

I did.

And what kind of impact did Alan Shore
have on their business?

In dollars?

He more than tripled it.

Obviously, you're friends with Alan
Shore.

I consider him a friend, yes.

Forgive my indiscretion. And admittedly,
I'm speculating. But have you had sex

with him?

No.

Objection. She answered the question.

That's what I'm objecting to. I want to
have sex with her. She keeps saying no.

I believe you've witnessed Mr. Shore
committing acts of sexual harassment in

workplace. Have you not? I have. In
fact, you once complained to Eugene

that he repulsed you, that you thought
he was vulgar. I believe the witness

she had vulgar thoughts that involved
me. There's a difference there. Please

rephrase.

As you can see, his behavior is quite
incorrigible.

Incorrigible? He lies? He steals?

He conceals evidence?

He openly defies the partners, and
that's the word you use?

Incorrigible?

Well... I'm just curious. Is Mr. Shore
helping you to find new employment?

Actually, he just helped me find a new
job, yes.

Oh, well, that's interesting. So, I
mean, why don't you say you're in his

little? I would.

Thank you very much, Miss Wilson.

Isn't it true you really do want to
sleep with... Nothing further.

Matthew, the client confuses me.

Does he want to lose?

No, he just can't contain himself
sometimes. He's

a complicated guy. This is not good
behavior. This is not consistent with

someone who wants to win.

I understand.

I'm concerned, Matthew.

The client confuses me.

He called me fat.

Mr. Short, it?

Almost every day.

Usually in front of other people to
humiliate me.

It was some remark about my body.

He'd also call me stupid.

This is an associate directing insults
at partners.

And he's all shocked that we didn't want
him. So that's why you voted to

discharge him, because of all the
insults?

No, that's not the only reason.

He violated legal ethics.

He ignored privilege.

I voted to discharge him because we're
not just a place of business.

We're not simply a corporate entity that
exists to generate profits.

We're a practice of law.

The people in our practice.

have respect for the profession, respect
for each other as people.

He didn't.

I voted to discharge him because it is
not okay to ignore the ethical rules of

the practice.

I voted to discharge him because it is
not okay to belittle people, to treat

them with cruelty or ridicule.

If he wants to build a firm where that
kind of behavior is okay, let him build

his own firm.

But he was an associate at ours.

And he dishonored it.

And us.

Daily.

Thank you, sir.

You spoke with a great deal of emotion,
Jimmy.

No,

I don't.

Is it possible for you to completely
separate your personal dislike of me

your objective opinion of me as an
attorney?

Honestly.

Probably not.

Thank you.

testifying against me, Eleanor.

Alan, what do you want?

The jury can't order us to rehire you.

You claim it's not about the money.

No.

What is it that you want?

I don't know.

Maybe just to be...

Well, let's leave it at that.

Just to be.

Are you trying to get the jury to judge
you negatively?

To confirm some twisted... Again with
the psychoanalysis.

I don't have time, Eleanor.

I've got a long day in court tomorrow.

Do you?

He had no contract. It was employee at
will. And legally, we're entitled to

terminate an associate for personal
reasons.

But it wasn't just personal reasons.

We had to protect the integrity of our
practice.

But, Eugene, as it's been said, he did
take the money.

Yes. He earned revenue in his capacity
as an associate, but that didn't give

tenure. You heard all the things he did
against the law, against the canons of

law, against us.

How do we employ a person we can't even
trust?

Fiduciary duty, that has to mean
something in a partnership.

There's an implied obligation to deal
fairly with one another.

Honestly, that man never did.

As a result, he had to go.

He had to go.

Thank you.

I want you to know I agree with
everything you said, and if what you

my client is true, I'd have fired his
ass, too.

Good work, soldier.

Nothing further.

I imagine this business about

fiduciary duty, obligation to deal
fairly, honestly, goes both ways.

You would have a duty to be...

Fair and above board with Alan Shore.

I would, and I did.

Good man.

You had a meeting with Samuel Gould, a
client of Al Shore's,

last week, did you not?

I did.

Long time client of Al Shore's, am I
right?

Yes.

belief that he is unstable, that he has
self -destructive personality

tendencies, that he's also prone to
committing unethical, sometimes even

criminal acts.

Wherever you take your business, I would
urge you again not to take it to Alan

Shore.

That was you trying to steal Al Shore's
client. Was that a fiduciary stab in

Al's back?

At the time of that discussion, Samuel
Gould was a client of the firm. Your

Honor, it's illegal to secretly tape
recordings. There was nothing secret

it. Mr.

Gould taped all his meetings. Firm knew
it.

Did you forget?

He is unstable.

That he has self -destructive
personality tendencies.

That's slander, Mr. Young.

Truth is a complete defense to slander.

I spoke the truth.

You know, son, I'm a senior partner in
my firm the way you are in yours.

And here's the thing about good
leadership, and you tell me if you

It's not enough to insist on fidelity or
honesty or fair dealing.

A good leader has to practice it.

Denny Crane.

Was it my imagination or was he actually
quite effective?

I keep telling you, once he's in a
courtroom, all the plaque on his brain

dissolves. I don't know what the hell it
is.

I think it was effective.

I don't like it when people talk about
me like I'm not in the corridor.

Last time I checked, I was in the
corridor.

He said that he had been fired by his
firm and that he needed a break.

Did he say why he was fired?

He embezzled.

He said it was a half Robin Hood kind of
thing, that he took from the rich and

kept it.

And knowing this, you hired Alan Shore?

Yes.

Why?

He was a friend who... Well, like you
said, he needed a

break. And...

This testimony today, this is difficult.

You have no idea.

In fact, despite all the infractions
he's committed since joining your firm,

you've continued to defend him.

Why, Eleanor?

I think Alan is deeply troubled.

As talented as he is, as terrific as he
is.

I don't think he likes himself.

And on some psychological level...
Objection.

Foundation. This will be a lay opinion
from a friend, Your Honor.

I'll allow it.

Please continue.

I think to service his own self
-loathing, he breathes contempt from

We heard Eugene Young use the word self
-destructive.

That would be fair.

I've said that to Alan on more than one
occasion.

I truly believe he's trying to destroy
himself.

I don't think it was ever his intent to
damage the firm.

But that's what he started to do.

So you agree then with the decision to
discharge him?

I do.

Thank you, Eleanor.

Do you really want to do this one?

Alan?

Yeah?

You think it's best that I

leave?

Did you not say last week, let's work
this out?

Did you not say you couldn't bear the
idea of going to work at a place without

me?

I said that.

Did you mean it?

I meant it.

But, Alan, I said that unobjectively as
your friend.

As a person who continues to care deeply
for you.

But... I don't think you're entirely
well.

You are going to self -destruct one day.

And I can't prevent that.

But I can't let you destroy my partners
in the process.

I see.

We live in a time where breaking rules,
being a rebel.

Flash and irreverence for any kind of
convention is cool. It's hip.

Alan Shore is a hip, cool guy.

He's entertaining, too. It can be fun
watching him do his thing.

But when he's doing it to you or people
you love or something you love.

You see these people here?

We don't have husbands and wives.

Eleanor has a child. I have a son. But
no one can accuse us of living rounded,

balanced lives.

Our lives are that law firm. Our lives
are each other. And working together in

place together, that's something.

I might even call that everything.

This man couldn't get that.

He came in from the very first day and
behaved in a way that said, People here

don't have to be moral.

People here don't have to conduct
themselves with integrity.

People here don't need to be honest.

You heard the list.

Blackmail, extortion, breaking
privilege, impersonating opposing

concealing evidence. It goes on and on.
He did this acting as an agent of the

place we built.

Alan Shaw thinks he got fired because we
were afraid he'd bring the firm down.

What he can't seem to get is that he's
already brought us down.

Like I said, I know scandal is hip these
days. For sure, it's profitable.

But at young, frat, and berluti,
character still counts. It must count.

Our dignity is not a fungible thing.

Not to Eleanor.

Not to Jimmy.

Not to Jamie.

Not to me.

Alan Shore just can't get that.

When this firm hired me, they knowingly
engaged the services of an embezzler.

They let me go about my evil, sinister
business and make them rich.

And then they tossed me.

I had an uncle.

He'd bring a delicious dessert to every
family get -together, and everyone

would.

fawn and gush, saying, You're so
thoughtful, Charles. You're so generous.

He admitted to me he wasn't generous at
all. He was hungry.

And his logic was, if he brought a pie,
he'd get a slice.

I brought the pie, ladies and gentlemen.

They didn't give me my slice.

As for all my despicable, unethical,
immoral, treacherous, sleazy conduct,

they called me everything but a
terrorist, didn't they?

This business is not an ethical arena.

Our legal system is adversarial by
nature, where it is often the very

of a lawyer's job to prevent the truth
from ever coming out.

We get paid to suppress and squash and
conceal evidence.

Remember, this is the system that freed
OJ but also convicted Ruben Hurricane

Carter. Every first -year law student is
taught, don't ever, ever

equate legal ethics with morality.

They're almost always mutually
exclusive.

It's an ugly world where
underhandedness... is often celebrated.

I didn't enter Eugene Young's church.

It was a law firm, a criminal law firm,
the dirtiest kind, where lawyers get up

in court, as Mr. Young has many times,
and knowingly, falsely accuse innocent

people of murder.

Why? For the noble cause of getting the
real killer off.

Eugene Young has put guilty people back
on the street to kill again. He's in the

business of freeing serial rapists. But
hey, I brought the firm down by

pretending to be an airline executive.

I'm sorry.

I guess I just don't get it.

He goes behind my back, tells my client
I'm unstable for the purpose of stealing

that client.

This somehow falls within the bounds of
integrity.

I guess I just don't get it.

There's a couple of things Eugene Young
just can't seem to get.

First, I'm just an unscrupulous guy
trying to get by in an unscrupulous

profession.

And second, I respect him profoundly.

There's perhaps nobody I respect more.

In the eight or so months I've known
you, I've found you to be utterly...

Beyond reproach.

Which is why I'm so surprised he would
take all that money I brought in,

fire me, then go through all this just
to

avoid giving me my slice.

How'd it go? They're deliberating. Can
we talk about the outfit?

All the assistants here wear uniforms.

I like it.

Do you?

Well, as soon as I pass the bar, it's
coming off. I can't wait. Let's go to

bar now.

We conduct our sexual harassment behind
closed doors. Here, see what I shudder

to think.

Excuse me.

That was a hell of a closing. I like
what I see so far.

Nine million dollars, portables.

Closing like that, what do you say we
take our relationship to the next level?

Are you a homosexual, Denny?

I'm offering you a job, sailor.

You can't be serious.

They already have a verdict.

What? That means they never got to
damages.

You lost, pilgrim. Come on.

It's exciting.

All right.

Mr. Foreman, the jury has reached a
verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

What say you?

On question one, was the defendant's
termination of the plaintiff wrongful?

We find in the affirmative.

That means yes.

On question two, concerning damages, we
are the defendant to pay the plaintiff.

Compensatory damages in the amount of $2
.3 million.

Congratulations. Thank you.

Lost. 2 .3 million.

Who?

We've appealed.

Let's not... Well, does this affect
payroll?

I mean, can we still finance our cases?
Do you guys need me to open up a

separate account?

Look, I'll advise you what to do. We'll
see, okay?

Jimmy, Eleanor in the conference room,
please.

I don't want the money.

If the judgment holds up, we'll pay you
the money.

I don't want it.

Well, you'll get it. Do with it what you
want. But this firm always meets its

financial obligations.

Maybe we can donate it to a cause that
we mutually... Legalization of

prostitution.

Something that... Whatever.

Why are you here?

I'm here...

Because I'm a sucker for closure, I
guess.

Not to be confused with sentimentality.

I wanted you all to know two things.

First, I'm sorry for

any embarrassment that...

any embarrassment.

And second, I

really loved working here.

I know my coming back isn't an option,
but

people should know where people stand.

I've always believed that.