15 TV Shows To Watch If You Like The Lincoln Lawyer

Author Michael Connelly's hard-luck defense attorney Mickey Haller was adapted for television with the Netflix original series "The Lincoln Lawyer." Premiering in 2022, the show stars Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as Haller, who takes cases throughout Los Angeles, often from the back of his Lincoln Navigator. Mickey regularly finds his personal life upended by his work, including putting himself in legal hot water on multiple occasions. Netflix has renewed "The Lincoln Lawyer" through five seasons and the hit legal drama shows no signs of slowing down any time soon.

For those looking for more legally themed shows in between seasons of Mickey Haller's continuing adventures, there are plenty to choose from. We're highlighting other shows that largely feature lawyers as their protagonists, with quite a few of these series also primarily based out of Los Angeles. Here are 15 TV shows to watch if you like "The Lincoln Lawyer" and are looking for more legally themed shows.

While not the first successful legal drama in the '90s, "The Practice" does feel like the show that still influences genre. Set primarily in Boston, the 1997 series initially follows Bobby Donnelly (Dylan McDermott) as he leads his own law firm. Though he constantly proves himself to be a great lawyer, Donnelly struggles with the moral compromises that he often needs to make as part of the job. In between cases, the personal lives of the lawyers at Donnelly's firm are explored as the work impacts them in and outside the courtroom.

"The Practice" brings the sort of nuance and character development to legal dramas as "NYPD Blue" did to police procedurals. That said, the 1997 series was considerably lighter in tone, frequently incorporating comedic flourishes to balance the melodrama. McDermott is consistently magnetic in his lead performance, with co-stars LisaGay Hamilton and Steve Harris also bringing top-tier work. Still holding up over 20 years since its conclusion, "The Practice" sets the foundation that series creator David E. Kelley took to "The Lincoln Lawyer."

Another legal series created by David E. Kelley that premiered in 1997 was "Ally McBeal," which technically takes place in the same shared television universe. Calista Flockhart stars as the eponymous protagonist, who takes a job at a law firm in Boston. To her shock, one of McBeal's colleagues at the firm is her ex-boyfriend Billy Thomas (Gil Bellows) who has since married fellow lawyer Georgia (Courtney Thorne-Smith). Over the course of the five-season series, many of the characters at the firm become romantically entangled, fueling the show's comedy and drama.

One of the lightest shows on this list, "Ally McBeal" is more of a dramedy that just happens to have a law firm as its backdrop. There are courtroom sequences but the real appeal is the romantic hijinks and how they affect all of the interpersonal dynamics in the show. This is peppered by McBeal's vivid imagination, leading to idle fantasies, including one of the internet's first memes. A master of the daydreaming dramedy years before "Scrubs," "Ally McBeal" is a breezy delight.

One more Boston-based law show created by David E. Kelley, this time spinning directly out of "The Practice," is "Boston Legal." Alan Shore (James Spader), who was introduced at the end of "The Practice," continues his work at a law firm run by Denny Crane (William Shatner). Though ideologically opposed, Shore and Crane become best friends, with the series revolving around their dynamic. Compared to Bobby Connelly, Shore has no major moral qualms about using under-handed tactics to win in the courtroom.

"Boston Legal" doubles down on the comedic elements present in "The Practice" to great effect, taking advantage of Spader's wry wit. Shatner also frequently proves to excel at comedy, bringing an outlandish quality to the aging Crane. In between this shared rapport, plenty of familiar faces from "The Practice" resurface over the series' five-season run. A cozy legal dramedy elevated by its two lead actors, "Boston Legal" is one of the most overtly feel-good shows on this list.

As FX repositioned itself in the 2000s as a place for bold television series like "The Shield" and "Sons of Anarchy," one show worthy of a reappraisal is "Damages." The show has rookie lawyer Ellen Parsons (Rose Byrne) get hired by a New York City law firm run by cutthroat attorney Patty Hewes (Glenn Close). Patty is notorious in the unethical lengths that she goes to win her cases, with Ellen buying into the intense obsession prevalent in her mentor's work. However, as Ellen begins to recognize how toxic Patty and her workplace are, she tries to extricate herself from the firm with severe consequences.

Looking back, "Damages" is one of those prestige television shows that nobody talks about anymore despite its contemporary success. The series plays out like a psychological cat-and-mouse game between Patty and Ellen, with Close and Byrne bringing their respective A-game. To keep audiences off-balance and on the hook, the story often unfolds in a nonlinear fashion, right from its bloody opening scene. Blending legal drama with prominent psychological thriller elements, "Damages" is one of the most overlooked and underrated shows in FX's catalog.

The husband-wife team of Robert and Michelle King created the acclaimed legal drama "The Good Wife," which premiered in 2009 starring Julianna Margulies as Alicia Florrick. The series starts with Alicia's husband, Illinois State's Attorney Peter Florrick (Chris Noth) being arrested for a very public political corruption and sex scandal. In the wake of the humiliating scandal, Alicia decides to restart her legal career and joins a law firm in Chicago. This spirals into other seismic changes in her personal life as she contemplates if she wants to stay with her unfaithful and embattled husband.

"The Good Wife" is masterfully acted all-around, with Margulies and the extended ensemble cast all in fine form. There is a mature emotional richness to the individual character arcs and while we might not agree with each of their decisions, we at least understand them. The Kings have since created two successful spin-offs, "The Good Fight" and "Elsbeth," taking the original series' supporting characters in interesting new directions. But as good as these follow-ups are, there is something undeniable about "The Good Wife" that still has fans talking about it a decade after its conclusion.

Among the best original series produced by the USA Network is the 2011 legal dramedy "Suits," which saw a surprise resurgence a decade after its premiere. The show centers on the dynamic between college dropout Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), who possesses an extensive knowledge of the law and photographic memory. Despite Ross' lack of law school degree, powerful lawyer Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) takes him under his wing at his New York City law firm. Specter tries to conceal his protege's secret while Ross brings his strong legal acumen to aid the firm on high-profile cases.

"Suits" has a particularly strong ensemble cast, each forming their own magnetic rapport over the course of the series' nine-season run. This includes all manner of intrigue and backstabbing at Specter's law firm, often centered around Ross' secret for the first several seasons. Following the show reaching new audiences, the series received a spin-off in "Suits: LA" which was cancelled after one season. But the original series is still very much the real deal and a fantastic legal drama worth experiencing in full.

Another recurring literary protagonist created by Michael Connelly that's received a fan-favorite television series is Harry Bosch. Connelly has been writing crime stories starring the character since 1992, with Prime Video adapting them with the 2014 series "Bosch." Titus Welliver stars as the titular police detective as he investigates major crimes around Los Angeles. Bosch's work frequently impacts his messy personal life and forces him to reconcile with his past as he delves into everything from high-profile murder mysteries to organized crime activity.

While "Bosch" is certainly not a legal drama, it does share an authorship in Connelly, with Harry Bosch and Mickey Haller actually half-brothers in Connelly's novels. But beyond this shared creative background, "Bosch" also evokes a neo-noir look at Los Angeles with a protagonist whose personal life is in shambles like "The Lincoln Lawyer." The show has since grown into an entire television franchise, including a "Bosch" prequel series starring Cameron Monaghan as a young Harry Bosch. For fans of Connelly's work looking for something more than the adventures of Mickey Haller, the author's grizzled detective is a solid choice.

The project that made a household name of award-winning actor Viola Davis is the 2014 network legal drama "How to Get Away with Murder." Davis stars as Annalise Keating, a successful defense attorney who also works as a professor at a prestigious law school in Philadelphia. Annalise recruits five students from her class to work at her law firm as interns, helping her team investigate different murders each season. Among the first cases that the show explores involves Keating's philandering husband Sam (Tom Verica), eventually revealing who killed him.

"How to Get Away with Murder" is a tightly crafted set of murder mysteries with Davis expertly leading an ensemble cast. The show's complex use of flashbacks and flashforwards keeps the audience on their toes, carefully setting up plot twists and big reveals. But for all the murder and mayhem, the series' real appeal is an unrelenting magnetic performance from Davis commanding full attention whenever she's on-screen. Beautifully twisty and among the best series produced by Shonda Rimes, "How to Get Away with Murder" consistently keeps viewers riveted and guessing what will unfold next.

"Breaking Bad" is one of the best crime shows streaming on Netflix right now and its 2015 spin-off "Better Call Saul" is arguably just as good. The show is primarily a prequel, detailing Jimmy McGill's (Bob Odenkirk) as he tries to become a successful attorney in Albuquerque. To emerge from the shadow of his older brother and develop a showy image for the locals, Jimmy creates the professional persona of Saul Goodman. Jimmy's career leads him to go into business with very dangerous people while he can't help but indulge himself in increasingly criminal hijinks.

The reason that "Better Call Saul" makes this list and "Breaking Bad" doesn't is because the prequel spin-off spends a significant portion of time dealing with legal drama elements. As crooked as Goodman may be, he is still very much a lawyer and that aspect of his life plays a prominent role in the story. The spin-off possesses the stylish cinematography and tight plotting that series co-creator Vince Gilligan brought to the preceding show, elevating it considerably. With its cast and crew still very much at the top of their game, "Better Call Saul" is easily in the same class as "Breaking Bad" if not better.

The first season of the British crime drama "Criminal Justice" was remade as the standalone HBO limited series "The Night Of." Debuting in 2016, the show stars Riz Ahmed as Naz Khan, an American college student of Pakistani descent accused of murdering a woman in Manhattan. While Khan is held at Rikers Island awaiting prosecution, he is represented by world-weary and bedraggled defense attorney John Stone (John Turturro). As Khan endures a harrowing experience in prison, Stone works diligently to get his client acquitted despite institutional obstacles every step of the way.

"The Night Of" is a moody murder drama from HBO that keeps audiences riveted as they follow Khan's entire ordeal. While Ahmed is great in this capacity, the show's real standout performance comes from Turturro, fully in his element as Stone. Seeing the two perspectives play out over the course of the story juxtaposes the human cost of the case with the determination to see it resolved. One of the best limited series HBO has ever produced, "The Night Of" is an expertly paced and heartbreaking crime drama.

As far as Los Angeles-based lawyers that are scrappy underdogs with clear character flaws, Mickey Haller has a simpatico in Billy McBride, the protagonist of "Goliath." The 2016 Prime Video original series stars Billy Bob Thornton as McBride, who founded a powerful law firm in L.A. After a murderer that McBride got acquitted kills an entire family, he quits his firm and descends into alcoholism, the ragged state he's introduced in at the series' start. McBride reluctantly drags himself out of his self-imposed exile to defend the vulnerable against intimidating entities, often defended by his old firm.

Any fans of "Landman" know that Thornton can masterfully play a grizzled, street-wise figure ready to take on more polished, self-assured opponents. That dynamic fuels much of the appeal in "Goliath," though Thornton's character here is more haunted than his "Landman" protagonist. True to its title, McBride is often taking on overwhelming legal opposition, culminating in him going against the opioid industry in the fourth and final season. A tale of redemption and professional rebirth, "Goliath" is the perfect companion piece to "The Lincoln Lawyer," unfolding in the same narrative playground.

The classic pulp defense attorney Perry Mason was brought to life in a darkly compelling prequel on HBO in 2020. Matthew Rhys stars as Mason, who starts out in the series as a struggling private investigator in Los Angeles in the 1930s. Mason becomes involved in a child kidnapping case that uncovers a more sinister conspiracy involving powerful people in the city. By the second season, Mason has shifted his professional life to start a legal career, taking on another case that involves another scheme by the city's upper-class.

While "Perry Mason" was cancelled at HBO after two seasons, the show is definitely worth giving a chance. The '30s setting is immersively brought to life and Rhys brings a hardboiled quality to his down-on-his-luck protagonist, with Mason's personal life as fascinating to watch as his professional work. If Mickey Haller is a Los Angeleno lawyer whose domestic life is in shambles, Perry Mason captures those same qualities in the same city, albeit 90 years prior. Easily binged over a long weekend, HBO's "Perry Mason" is a pulpy noir tale that does its venerable character justice.

Convicted fraudster Anna Sorokin is the subject of the Netflix true crime limited series "Inventing Anna," which premiered in 2022. Julia Garner stars as Sorokin, who infiltrates New York City high society under the alias of Anna Delvey. Posing as a young German heiress, Sorokin successfully defrauds millions from the city's business institutions and Manhattan's most affluent. This eventually leads to Anna's schemes being exposed by a sting operation as she tries to build an art foundation.

"Inventing Anna" gives Julia Garner one of her biggest TV roles, playing layers within layers as Sorokin and her facade. This is complemented by investigative journalist Vivian Kent (Anna Chlumsky) looking into the extensive case as Anna awaits her trial. The limited series moves at a deliberate pace, letting viewers form their own opinions about its odd protagonist. While "Inventing Anna" stirred controversy over its portrayal of the fraud victims, it stands as a compelling look into the superficialities of modern society.

The 2022 Hulu original series "Reasonable Doubt" has provided a corporate-powered focus to the world of legal dramas. The show stars Emayatzy Corinealdi as defense attorney Jax Stewart, who specializes in criminal cases involving corporate clients. Based out of Los Angeles, Jax takes on high-profile cases while sorting out major changes in her personal life. Jax's work often spills outside of the courtroom, with her enduring everything from kidnapping and attempted murder to overcoming her own trauma.

"Reasonable Doubt" is fueled by a healthy amount of melodrama, often veering into prestige soap operatic levels with its character arcs and plot twists. Jax gets into her fair share of torrid love stories throughout the series but there is a clear emotional honesty to the stakes involved. Each season, the show finds new ways to up the ante while balancing Jax as a thorough professional and haunted trauma survivor. Stylishly staged and magnificently performed by Corinealdi and the ensemble cast, "Reasonable Doubt" plays out like a legal soap opera and is all the better for it.

The 2024 "Matlock" revival isn't so much a reboot of the classic 1986 series, but a self-aware reimagining. Kathy Bates stars as retired lawyer Madeline Kingston, who loses her daughter Ellie at the start of the series to the opioid epidemic. Suspecting a powerful law firm concealed evidence that could've prevented her daughter's death, Madeline takes a position with them under the assumed name Madeline Matlock. Matty quickly proves that she hasn't lost a step in the courtroom while she secretly searches for the information involved in the opioid case.

The 2024 "Matlock" is a complete deviation in premise from the '80s series, which exists in-universe within the revival. Instead, the newer show is a clandestine investigation and legal drama all at once as Matty grows close to those she's furtively examining. As good as ever in her starring role, Kathy Bates set an Emmy record with her "Matlock" nomination as a testament to her terrific work. A reinvention of the "Matlock" name, the 2024 series makes an excellent use of Bates' talents while putting a fresh take on the genre.