# Fairly Legal (2011)

> A former San Francisco litigator turned mediator uses her legal knowledge and wit to resolve other people's disputes while her own life stays messy.

Canonical page: https://ember.film/tv/29956

## Facts

- Seasons: 2
- Episodes: 23
- Episode runtime: 41 min
- Status: Canceled
- Genres: drama, comedy
- Created by: Michael Sardo
- Network: USA Network
- Cast: Sarah Shahi, Virginia Williams, Ryan Johnson, Baron Vaughn, Michael Trucco, Betsy Brandt, Patrick Gilmore, Ken Howard
- TMDB rating: 7.3/10
- IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1586676/

## Ember's analysis

- Pacing: brisk
- Intensity: mild
- Complexity: accessible
- Violence: none
- Tone: witty, breezy, sincere, wistful

## What critics say

Audience reception is positive, with viewers appreciating the mediation-centered legal stories and the lead's wit and warmth.

## Synopsis

Fairly Legal (2011-2012) is a United States dramedy series created by Michael Sardo for USA Network. Sarah Shahi plays Kate Reed, a former lawyer from a prominent San Francisco family firm who now works as a mediator, using her innate understanding of human nature and wry humor to settle disputes. Virginia Williams plays her sister Lauren Reed, while Ryan Johnson, Baron Vaughn and Michael Trucco fill out the principal ensemble around her. Across two seasons and twenty-three episodes, the show follows a case-of-the-week format in which each client conflict becomes a fresh puzzle to untangle through negotiation, empathy and sharp legal instinct. Each episode builds toward a settlement, while the continuing storylines follow Kate's own romantic and family tangles, which resist the easy resolutions she offers others. Set in contemporary San Francisco, the series blends the polished glamour of a city law firm world with the warmth of a family drama. Its tone is breezy, witty and sincere, with an undercurrent of wistful longing. Fans of Suits, The Good Wife and Ally McBeal will find resonance in its mix of legal problem solving and character-driven comedy.

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