Episode 1 (tx. 18/10/2000)
Written by Peter Moffat, Directed by Tim Fywell

Billy and Alex lose a court case to Leo, an ex-colleague from their old chambers. When Leo makes a racist remark about Wendy, the senior barrister in their new chambers, Billy punches him. Alex is asked to defend a pregnant woman who assaulted a security guard after being caught stealing baby clothes from a shop. Alex opts to make her plead guilty in part because it means he will be able to work on a more remunerative case afterwards. He makes the case sound worse than it is to make the client follow his advice, to the alarm of Morag, the new pupil in chambers.

Peter, the head clerk at North Square chambers, offers Billy a case in Liverpool but he turns it down as his wife Rose is about to give birth. Later, Peter offers it to Rose, who accepts, even though the case is scheduled to end the day before her due date. Billy instead unsuccessfully defends a man accused of stealing Y-front underwear from washing lines. Peter asks Alex to meet Stevie, a solicitor who usually gives her work to Marlowe, the clerk at their old chambers. Alex is immediately attracted to Stevie, but she cuts their meeting short when her client Frank Green is arrested. Alex discovers that his client had an abortion rather than risk giving birth in prison. Alex is asked to defend Green, but turns it down, as he feels guilty for making his client have a termination. In desperation, Peter sends Morag to represent Green, who is initially very angry about her clear lack of inexperienced. She wins his respect by trying to get him out on bail, even though Peter expressly told her not to do this.

Rose goes into labour just as he is about to go to court in Liverpool, but insists on being driven back to Leeds to give birth. Despite his client's wishes, Alex tells the judge that she has had an abortion and asks for this to be held in mitigation. The judge sentences her to twelve months in jail, but later says that he will suspend the sentence. Alex berates the judge for making his client think that she was going to be incarcerated. Leo makes a formal complaint and Billy is arrested for assault. Peter goes to the police station and promises to get him out of trouble.