Mickey receives an onslaught of media attention in the wake of the Trevor Elliott trial in The Lincoln Lawyer season 2 opener.
The Lincoln Lawyer: Case File for season 2 episode 1
‘The Rules of Professional Conduct’
Written by Ted Humphrey
Directed by Rob Seidenglanz
The L.A. Times has Mickey on speed dial. He shows up on the cover of a magazine. And he poses for a photo shoot, all in the opening minutes of The Lincoln Lawyer season 2. The press and the public are fascinated with Mickey’s finesse in getting an acquittal for Trevor Elliott.
The phone at the office is no less busy as Lorna fields calls from clients and studies for law school exams. Cisco and Lorna are getting closer to their wedding and Mickey’s driver Izzy is ready to keep Mickey on time with his busy schedule. Mickey and Maggie have licked their wounds and are back doing their best to co-parent Hayley.
In other news, a chef named Lisa Trammell takes a shine to Mickey and enlists his help with a legal problem. An old case resurfaces when Mickey learns that his client Jesus Menendez is being investigated again for the murder of Martha Renteria.
Let us investigate further our case file for The Lincoln Lawyer S2E1 ‘The Rules of Professional Conduct’.
Refresh your memory:
- Maggie MacPherson, Mickey’s first wife and mother to their daughter Hayley, has relocated to Van Nuys following a demotion at the District Attorney’s office.
- Second wife, Lorna, has returned to law school yet is still managing the law office.
- Mickey’s investigator Cisco is engaged to Lorna but also preoccupied with a debt to his former motorcycle club.
- Izzy is Mickey’s driver and a fellow addict in recovery.
- Jesús Menendez’s conviction for the murder of Martha Renteria was vacated after prostitute Gloria “Glory Days” Dayton testified that Martha’s killer came after her as well. The man Glory Days escaped had a distinctive tattoo that does not match Jesus Menendez.
- Detective Griggs collaborated, reluctantly at first, with Mickey to uncover the person behind Jerry Vincent’s murder in season 1.
A dangerous encounter
The episode opens with Mickey taking a beating in a parking garage. Viewers will recall that a parking garage was the site of Jerry Vincent’s murder in season 1.
The beating appears to be a flashforward as the scene shifts to Mickey posing for a photo shoot.
Notoriety means business
Mickey is on his own little press tour after his high-profile courtroom win for Trevor Elliott. Of course, if you have seen The Lincoln Lawyer season 1, you cannot really say that Trevor won in the end. He is on the cover of “Los Angeles Lawyer” magazine cited as “L.A.’s Hottest Defense Attorney”.
Phones are ringing off the hook at the newly renovated law office of Haller and Associates. Lorna tells Mickey about a new client as she gets an onslaught of other calls to which she responds over and over, “Law Offices. Please hold”.
Lorna tries to juggle the uptick in cases while preparing for her wedding with Cisco and her law school class schedule. Lorna works well under pressure, but even she is starting to show signs of stress. Mickey volunteers driver Izzy (with overtime) to give Lorna some help in the office.
Speaking of Izzy, she talks to Mickey about teaching dance classes with her ex, Ray, who is now in recovery. Mickey cautions Izzy about trusting Ray and Izzy warns Mickey about the addictions of fame.
First wife Maggie calls to confirm dinner plans and Mickey goes to meet his newest client.
Meet Russell Lawson
Mickey visits his new client, Russell Lawson. The good news is Russell easily paid his legal bill up front. The bad news is Russell seems very nervous to the point of distraction. Russell works in finance with debt recovery, so Mickey advises Russell to put on his “poker face” like he might do in financial negotiations.
Russell was arrested for breaking into his neighbor’s house and passing out on her couch with pants optional. He had been drinking and only remembers using ride share to leave the bar. He will have to stick it out until his arraignment where he hopes Mickey will work his magic.
The old client
Detective Griggs, who worked with Mickey last season to take down a corrupt judge, has requested a meeting with him. Mickey is blindsided by the news that the client he recently helped free may now be recharged with the same crime.
Mickey used the testimony of prostitute Gloria “Glory Days” Dayton to get Jesús Menendez’s sentence vacated last season. Menendez was framed for the murder of Martha Renteria, but Glory Days escaped the real self-proclaimed murderer. Glory was able to recall the real killer’s tattoo, which did not match Menendez’s tattoo-free arms.
Unfortunately, the habeas hearing that freed Menendez reflected the LAPD and District Attorney’s office in poor light. Their embarrassment combined with the inability to locate the real killer has led to the point of possibly recharging Jesús.
Mickey is stunned and has been tasked with bringing Jesús in for questioning with Detective Griggs. Griggs hopes that things can be cleared up before the D.A. brings new charges.
Meeting Maggie
Mickey meets Maggie for dinner at Elysian, a restaurant that is getting lots of buzz. They are checking in with one another about daughter Hayley. Thankfully, the two have been able to move on from their differences at the end of last season involving a decision that helped Mickey’s case while hurting Maggie’s case.
The former couple does not appear to be on the road to romantic reconciliation, but they agree on their love for Hayley. Maggie, in fact, is dating someone new named Jim. Mickey gently teases Maggie about it while she teases him about his popularity with the press. Their discussion keeps getting interrupted by the L.A. Times trying to reach Mickey on his phone.
We are reminded that Maggie was demoted by the new DA and transferred to Van Nuys. She and Hayley have moved, and Hayley is adjusting to her new school. Hayley is showing an interest in horseback riding with a new friend. Maggie is not adjusting as well with her new location. Her big cases are repeatedly pulled from her by the downtown office.
When a server brings an assortment of complimentary treats for the celebrity Lincoln Lawyer, Maggie decides she’s had enough and leaves dinner early.
What’s up with Cisco?
Cisco has been vague and more difficult for both Lorna and Mickey to reach.
He arrives back to the office with a freshly groomed Winston, Lorna’s pug, in tow. Lorna is happy to see them both.
His behavior feels suspicious when he claims to have had poor cell service while he was out.
About those treats
Mickey is back at the restaurant enjoying the food offered to him. A woman comes to his table to check on him. He learns that she is the chef, and he praises her work. Her name is Lisa Trammell. She claims that her hostess recognized him. He asks about his “date”. Mickey explains that Maggie is his ex-wife. Lisa shares that she is divorced also.
They chat for a minute and Lisa offers to give Mickey a tour of the restaurant. She shows him her herb garden where he samples the cilantro. The tour leads to her apartment adjacent to the restaurant. After some flirtations outside the door, they end up inside having a “sleepover”.
The morning after
Mickey wakes up in Lisa’s bed to the noise of construction outside. He gets dressed and heads over to the restaurant where Lisa has whipped up some fabulous breakfast. Lisa tells him about the annoying developer, Mitchell Bondurant, who is taking over the neighborhood with new construction and displacing longtime residents who can no longer afford to stay.
Mickey offers to refer her to a good real estate attorney, but she says she would not be able to afford one. Mickey expresses interest in seeing Lisa again and she seems game.
He takes his leftovers and heads to the Lincoln convertible. As he leaves, he sees Lisa taking breakfast items to the picketers next door protesting the new development.
Back at the office
Things remain busy at the office. We learn that Cisco has not made any progress finding Martha Renteria’s real killer, no sign of the tattoo guy. To make matters worse, Glory Days has changed her phone number, so they have not been able to reach her.
Cisco has photos to show Mickey regarding Russell Lawson. The photos are nearly identical homes next door to one another. Russell lives in one of them but was found passed out in the other. Could he have just been too drunk to get the right house?
Lorna stops someone at the front desk. “Crammel?”, she asks. Nope. It’s Trammell, Lisa Trammell is there to talk to Mickey. Didn’t she just see him this morning?
Lisa and the TRO
Lisa quickly informs Mickey that she is not there about their recent “connection”. Instead, she is asking for legal assistance with a temporary restraining order she has just received. The order demands that she remains at least 300 feet away from Mitchell Bondurant.
She expresses concern because she frequents a farmer’s market close to his office. She admits that she has protested the neighborhood development and has expressed some outrage on social media. But she insists she has never threatened him. Mickey agrees to help her.
Lorna is skeptical about Mickey representing her. She says she knows he slept with Lisa because she knows his MO having been married to Mickey. She makes some jokes about it and Mickey heads out the door.
Bad news for Jesús
Mickey and Jesús meet with Detective Griggs. Griggs questions Jesus about the murder weapon. Menendez claims he has never owned such a knife, nor killed anyone. Not so fast, Griggs has new information. Jesús’ former roommate, Luis Castillo, is on video testifying that Jesús did have that type of knife and tossed it in the river.
Mickey is livid and tells Jesus to stop talking. Griggs does not make an arrest, but things do not look good for Jesus. Outside, Mickey demands to know why he never mentioned having a similar knife. Jesus feared it would make him look even more guilty.
Maggie meets with Andy
Maggie shares a drink with yoga buddy and fellow prosecutor, Andy. Andy still works downtown and sympathizes with Maggie over losing her cases to the larger office.
Andy suggests going to the private sector or switching to a different DA’s office like San Francisco. Maggie does not have great feelings about the private sector and she cannot imagine uprooting Hayley again or moving farther from Mickey.
Wisdom from Hayley
Back at home, Mickey shares the leftovers from Lisa’s restaurant with Hayley. Hayley is impressed. But she notices that her dad is distracted. He explains that the man helped go free may be recharged.
Hayley recalls a time when she was very stressed about her assignments in grade school. She remembers her dad advising her to focus on what was right in front of her. Hayley suggests that he take his own advice.
And, oh, yeah, she teases him about his magazine cover, too.
Russell’s arraignment
Mickey is ready to strike a deal with the prosecutor charging Russell Lawson. He shares the photos of the almost identical homes and insists this was a mistake and clearly not pre-meditated.
The prosecutor claims he could not have been incapacitated enough to make such a mistake. So, Mickey tells her he will wait for the toxicology results to see if there was Rohypnol present. The other attorney scoffs at the idea of Lawson being “roofied”.
Mickey claims that he could go public with claims of people drugging guests at this establishment and how that would make the D.A.’s office look bad. She agrees to a deal and Russell avoids any further jail time.
Russell is impressed and relieved. Later that day, Russell pays a $5000 retainer in case he ever needs Mickey’s services again.
A painful reminder of the past
Lorna picks up a form to sign up for criminal practice clinic with Mickey serving as her mentor. She is excited to get started. The receptionist reminds her that she needs the dean’s signature. Lorna is crestfallen when she sees the name. It is Dean Wheaton, the torts professor that made unwanted advances on her the first time she enrolled in law school. Lorna left law school as a result.
Cisco’s indiscretion
Earlier in the day, Cisco picked up a member of his former motorcycle club, Kaz, upon release from prison. The two ride away on motorcycles and end up at the Road Saints hangout.
Cisco calls to check on Lorna. He tells her he is out trying to track down Glory Days. Of course, we know that is not true. Teddy, leader of the Road Saints welcomes Kaz back and returns his kit, all while staring down Cisco.
Unwanted guest
Mickey arrives home and looks over his banister at the vast view of Los Angeles lit up at night. He hears a voice behind him.
Mickey does a double take and realizes it is Russell Lawson, minus the nerdy glasses and nervous demeanor. Russell removes his jacket revealing his bare arms. Marking his left forearm is the distinctive tattoo of the man that attacked Glory Days and murdered Martha Renteria.
Russell takes disturbingly full credit for Martha’s murder but says Mickey cannot do or say anything about it because of attorney client privilege. The murderer says he made certain that their client relationship was still in place by paying the retainer.
Russell says he could have Mickey disbarred if he acts upon the information. Lawson claims this is not a threat because that would negate the confidentiality requirement. But he makes a point of mentioning Mickey’s family just in case his message is not clear.
Sidebar:
It is tough seeing both of Mickey’s ex-wives struggling. Normally, spunky Lorna and power prosecutor Maggie are leading the charge. Now overloaded with work, Lorna must also face the professor who harassed her and try to figure out what is going on with Cisco’s suspicious behavior. Maggie’s self-esteem has taken a hit and she is missing the bigger cases she had in Major Crimes.
What do you think of Lisa Trammell? Do you trust her intentions with Mickey?
Closing Argument:
Wow! Mickey was on top of the world when the episode opened, the darling of L.A.’s legal scene. How fast things change! Not only is his client on the hook again for a murder he did not commit, but Mickey also cannot tell anyone who the real killer is.
Stay tuned for ongoing coverage including interviews, recaps, and all new episodes of our podcast Lincoln Law Pod on SoManyShows.com.
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