User Reviews

Of all the story ideas of Season 12, that for "Attorney Client" was the one that intrigued and grabbed my attention the most. The character that the episode centres around sounded like one that one loves to hate, am not always keen on the defense attorney characters because of some of the arguments put worth being ridiculous but it is always interesting when the regular characters meet their match and someone that pushes them to the limit.

"Attorney Client" struck me as a very good episode on first watch, and it still holds up as a very good episode. One of the best of Season 12 in my view. Loved the idea and the execution of it doesn't waste if not quite exceeding it. A 'Law and Order' classic "Attorney Client" may not quite be, but 'Law and Order' post-Season 10 was a lot more variable in quality than the earlier seasons and this episode is proof that the show still had plenty of mileage.

There is a lot to admire here. It is as ever shot with the right amount of intimacy without feeling too up close, even with a reliance of close up camerawork. That the editing has become increasingly tighter over-time is great too. The music isn't over-scored, manipulative or used too much. There is intimacy and tautness in the direction.

Script is intelligent and lean with no signs of fat. It also has intensity, emotional impact and even the odd sprinkle of humour, with it being especially good in the conflict between McCoy and Briscoe. The story is entertaining and gritty in the policing scenes, namely for the chemistry between Briscoe and Green, but is even better in the increasingly tense legal scenes. Namely down to the wonderfully sleazy turn of Peter Friedman and also his unnerving character's manipulation tactics. Interesting to see pre-Alexandra Borgia Annie Parrisse. Most of the regulars are excellent, Sam Waterston's authority and resourcefulness shining.

Excepting Elisabeth Rohm, who has a robotic presence and her line delivery is too much of one expression.

Like some of the other Season 12 episodes, the final quarter is a bit hurried and tries to do too much.

On the whole, very good. 8/10.

The wife of criminal defense attorney Peter Friedman is the murder victim and one of Friedman's ungrateful clients looks real good for it. How he gets out of it is a simple act, but successful and it has Jesse Martin and Jerry Orbach looking in a different direction.

Eventually Friedman's extra-curricular activities are what lead to his arrest and those activities include an affair with a stripper played by future second chaie ADA Annie Parrise.

Friedman is one of the bigger sleazebag attorneys ever portrayed on Law And Order. The kind of lawyer a whole genre of humor is based on.

In the end he's swinging for the fences.

A middle aged couple was walking down the street; she was complained about people celebrating her fortieth birthday when they heard a couple of gunshots: a girl was killed in her own car. The victim is the wife of a prominent defense attorney: someone had to hold a grudge against him. The first suspect was a former inmate who has just ended his prison time; he used to send menacing letter to his lawyer for his conviction, but he had a strong alibi, having spent time with a friend in a wheelchair the night of the murder. When detectives realize the victim's husband had an affair with a pole dancer (Annie Parisse) and his wife met the prostitute's boyfriend at a pub to uncover the relationship (the guy had pictures of the two lovers), it becomes clear the husband could be the perp. So a legal battle between him and McCoy begin and it will be hard for the prosecutor to get rid of him.

The "villain" in this episode is a real piece of cake: he knows every tricks related to his profession and all his actions mislead McCoy. It's not over for the stone cold prosecutor.

I happened to sit down for 'Attorney Client' and not thinking highly of it thought why not salvage something from the viewing, do a review. OG 'Law & Order' had plenty of memorable episodes especially during it's earlier run, but it also had many for the mediocre side. This happens to be one of those times. It goes thru their typical formula, but the story is pedestrian without any real satisfying moments and the main cast is left to go thru the motions.

A lady shot dead in her car turns out to be the wife of defense attorney Harold Jensen (Peter Friedman). Notions of a carjacking, former client are looked at and produce one solid lead. When he's found to be not involved, the work of Det. Briscoe (Orbach) & Green (Martin) turn up an exotic dancer Jasmine (Annie Parisse) and her boyfriend Bobby (Victor Verhaeghe). Suddenly a picture starts to emerge that Jensen might have killed her and tried to throw off the scent.

Defense lawyers make for good villains with little to no work, but the tale is a predictable whodunit. Issues of infidelity, divorce, frame job pop up on route to a simple finish. Speaking of such, it ends on an odd note like we haven't heard the last from this guilty party. It's like they tried to create energy out of a nothing moment or when someone knows they're the idiot but have to get in the last word to save face. Parisse pops up in a early role before going on to portray ADA Borgia.