15 Best TV Shows Like The Lincoln Lawyer

With its third season in the rearview mirror, it's safe to say that "The Lincoln Lawyer" won't be rolling to a stop anytime soon. The Netflix legal drama quickly found its footing staying relatively close to the course set by the novels by Michael Connelly (which also inspired the 2011 Matthew McConaughey movie of the same name) — though it certainly helps that the series was created by David E. Kelley, a prolific television producer responsible for some of the best legal dramas ever made for the small screen.

As fans await the upcoming season 4, they don't necessarily have to spin their wheels. There are plenty of shows like "The Lincoln Lawyer" out there right now, many of which are available to stream alongside the series on Netflix. Whether you're looking for a protagonist as charismatic and complex as Manuel Garcia-Rulfo's Mickey Haller, another dark, growing tale of a lawyer fighting corruption, or something that explores similar themes in an entirely different setting, we have the perfect series to add to your caseload.

Over 25 years before "The Lincoln Lawyer," David E. Kelley was working on another legal drama that became a runaway hit for ABC. Premiering in 1997, "Ally McBeal" starred Calista Flockhart (whom readers may recognize from the "Supergirl" TV series) as a young attorney seeking a fresh start at the dysfunctional Cage and Fish law firm.

While Ally herself was already an unusually relatable protagonist for a legal drama, the show as a whole was refreshing. It combined the legal procedural format with the conflicts and tropes of a workplace sitcom, as well as several dashes of absurd comedy. The result is a memorably vibrant depiction of a profession normally marked on TV by dour self-seriousness (it could be described as doing for legal dramas what "Scrubs" did for hospital dramas).

"Ally McBeal" enjoys a legacy as a standout of the genre at large, inspiring future TV shows that sought to strike a similar tone. There have been talks of an "Ally McBeal" revival starring Flockhart, though no firm plans have been announced as of writing.

If "Ally McBeal" is too wacky to satisfy what you're looking for after finishing "The Lincoln Lawyer," "Boston Legal" has a better case to offer. Also created by David E. Kelley (and spinning off from another series we were honor-bound to include on this list), it stars William Shatner — doing some of his best work outside of "Star Trek" — and James Spader as aggressive, white glove lawyers who somehow manage to win the most unwinnable of cases despite often behaving like the most unprofessional of professional litigators.

"Boston Legal" still consistently leans into straight-up comedy in every episode, almost bordering on parody at times. But Spader in particular manages the tone of the show as Alan Shore, defining the sarcastic but dangerously intelligent sort of character he has played time and time again in the decades since. Even when Shatner's near-senile Denny Crane goes to outrageous extremes, Spader's grounded, occasionally megalomaniacal performance works as a glue that makes "Boston Legal" both surprisingly plausible and highly amusing.

We'd be shocked if we were the first site to recommend "Better Call Saul" to you. The "Breaking Bad" spin-off series was somehow met with even more enthusiastic acclaim than its predecessor, earning countless glowing reviews across all six of its seasons, as well as more Primetime Emmy Nominations than we could hope to list in a single article.

But while the reputation of "Better Call Saul" may speak for itself in terms of quality, fans of legal dramas like "The Lincoln Lawyer" may be intrigued to learn that the series trades the drug-dealing protagonists of "Breaking Bad" for struggling up-and-coming lawyer Jimmy McGill, who will, of course, one day be known as the "criminal" attorney Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk). 

Taking place several years before Walter White started his meth lab, it follows Jimmy as he attempts to start his own law practice despite his appetite for getting involved with get-rich-quick schemes. His journey from public defender to fugitive is one of the most richly compelling character studies ever put on television, and "Lincoln Lawyer" fans will be amused by the bizarre cases Jimmy takes on, as well as the extra-legal ways with which he handles them.

At first glance, including "Daredevil" on this list — ostensibly a run-of-the-mill superhero show, produced by Marvel Studios no less — might seem like so much of a stretch on our part that we could join the Fantastic Four. Those who have seen the Netflix series themselves, however, know that fans of "The Lincoln Lawyer" would hardly be disappointed by the series' blend of action, thrills, and genuine legal intrigue.

Like many popular legal dramas, "Daredevil" is the story of an attorney with a moral code so strong that it sometimes defies the rigid system in which he operates. Thus, he uses his unique set of skills to see justice done on his own terms. In this case, rather than using a photographic memory to cheat his way into a law firm or carrying out elaborate schemes and scams to save his clients, Daredevil just so happens to use nigh-supernatural fighting abilities to beat the powerful villains of Hell's Kitchen into submission.

The balance between Matt Murdock's (Charlie Cox) nightly activities and his day job in court is fairly equal, with his cases directly tying into his superhero missions and vice versa. The Netflix series has more in common with "The Lincoln Lawyer" than it does most of Marvel's television shows, and the performances from Cox, Deborah Ann Woll, Vincent D'Onofrio, and the rest of the cast create the dramatic gravitas that keeps legal dramas exciting to watch.

A large part of what makes "The Lincoln Lawyer" so striking in its first season is how vividly it renders its blend of legal drama and thriller, creating a genuine sense of danger and tension for its cast of characters. This is the key trait it shares with "Damages," an FX series that is quietly one of the best-written television shows of the 2000s.

Rose Byrne and Glenn Close star, captivating audiences as promising young attorney Ellen Parsons and her infamously vicious and unyielding boss Patty Hewes. The first season picks up shortly after Ellen is offered a position at Patty's firm, a seeming dream job that could set her career up for decades of success — if she can survive Patty's violent outbursts, impossible standards, and willingness to bend the law to her whim.

"Damages" has a seasonal structure, with each season focusing on a new case or client retained by the firm (which allows the series to delve deeper into the finer aspects of arguing a case). At the same time, a surprising, twist-filled overarching storyline runs throughout the series, containing elements of mystery, suspense, and crime.

We should state up front that "Elsbeth" is not a conventional legal drama. Though it was spun off from one of the most popular TV legal dramas ever produced and even follows the casework of a defense attorney, it plays out far differently than you'd expect episode to episode. And yet, that might make it a perfect follow-up for someone recently finished with "The Lincoln Lawyer."

Carrie Preston stars as the titular character Elsbeth Tascioni, an attorney who is a bit like a cross between Kimmy Schmidt and Columbo. Having been moved from Chicago to New York by the U.S. Justice Department (charged with the lofty task of ensuring that the NYPD is operating within the bounds of the law), Elsbeth is utterly enchanted by her new surroundings, and finds her outsider's perspective gives her an edge when it comes to solving murders.

Then again, the audience has the greatest edge of all, as the structure of "Elsbeth" reveals the identity of the murderer early in each episode. This places the narrative emphasis on her ability to catch these criminals, as well as the unfolding psychological drama of why they turned to crime in the first place.

While Marvel's "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law" took many of its cues from "Ally McBeal," we always hoped it would learn from the delightful K-drama "Extraordinary Attorney Woo." This acclaimed South Korean courtroom drama became a global hit when it landed on Netflix, with viewers worldwide seeing themselves in the story of a young attorney (Park Eun-bin) making history as the first person to practice law with an autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) diagnosis in the country.

The tone, style, and presentation of this series are fairly different from "The Lincoln Lawyer," but the cases and depiction of legal work are equally titillating. Beyond that, "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" is the sort of feel-good drama that makes for an easy follow-up to a relentless show like "The Lincoln Lawyer," and its depiction of ASD is refreshing compared to most other workplace dramas featuring neurodivergent protagonists. If you've never seen a K-drama before, "Extraordinary Attorney Woo" is perfect for any first-time viewer.

In contrast, if you're looking for a show that's as close to "The Lincoln Lawyer" as possible (so close in fact that they could almost be the same series) your best bet by far is the Amazon Prime Video series "Goliath." Yet another legal drama created by David E. Kelley, "Goliath" (with Jonathan Shapiro) also tells the story of a once great lawyer cast outside his world by tragedy, heartbreak, and personal vices.

Billy Bob Thornton's Billy McBride is every bit the tragic hero Mickey Haller is. Like Mickey, Billy suffers from a substance abuse disorder that haunts his otherwise enviable reputation; he, too, lost his wife (played by Maria Bello) as his life spun out of control — and the two come into conflict with one another personally and professionally, as she still works for the powerful law firm Billy left; and he even lives in a motel, which feels spiritually identical to Mickey running his practice out of a car. "Goliath" is at least significantly darker in tone, however, exploring the mental toll the fight against corruption can take on someone so vulnerable.

Arguably one of, if not the most successful legal drama of the past two decades, "The Good Wife" emerged as a tentpole series for CBS when it began airing in 2009. Creators Robert and Michele King surely had high hopes for the series, but it's unlikely anyone expected it to become a franchise-launching megahit that continues to this day through "Elsbeth."

"The Good Wife" begins with the shocking revelation that a high-profile Chicago state attorney (Chris Noth) has not only been forced to resign due to a salacious sex scandal, but has been sentenced to a decade behind bars on charges of bribery and corruption. As a result, his wife, ex-attorney Alicia Florrick (Julianna Margulies), must come out of retirement to forge a life of her own. It's a remarkably sharp story about redemption and resilience, bolstered by a stacked cast that includes Christine Baranski, Alan Cumming, and (eventually) Jeffrey Dean Morgan.

At the start of her infamously ruthless Criminal Law 101 class, college professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) introduces her course under a rather... creative title: "How to Get Away with Murder." As her students compete with one another for a coveted internship within her prestigious criminal defense practice, she promises to teach equally creative ways to protect their future clients from, in many cases, facing the legal consequences of their actions. Yes, even if those actions include murder.

Unfortunately for the students "lucky" enough to be chosen for her internship, classwork becomes more practical than they'd hope. In addition to proving themselves in Keating's real cases, they also have to work together to cover up a murder they all played a role in. "How to Get Away with Murder" is anchored by Davis as Keating, who very much deserves the massive career resurgence the series brought about for her almost immediately after it began. In terms of plot (specifically with regard to legal credulity) sticklers for the law may find some of its conclusions hard to swallow. This is, after all, another masterpiece from television legend Shonda Rhimes, whose work proudly trades conventional logic for salacious surprises and shocking resolutions. But though it often gets lost between the "Scandal" and "Grey's Anatomy" of it all, "How to Get Away with Murder" is undoubtedly one of her best series of all time.

Like many of the protagonists of the legal dramas featured on this list, Mickey Haller's personal failings, insecurities, and unconventional background are ultimately what make him a singularly effective attorney on "The Lincoln Lawyer." The same is especially true for "Matlock," a new series that began airing on CBS in 2024 to rave reviews — and is not, in fact, a reboot of the 1986 Andy Griffith TV series (though the identical names are both confusing and intentional).

A hefty amount of the show's charm comes from its perfectly written and cast ensemble of characters, many of whom you'll recognize from popular films and television shows from the last several years. Kathy Bates leads, returning to the small screen as Madeline Matlock, an attorney coming back to the profession after over 30 years on the outside. The precise reasons for her coming out of retirement are arguably a spoiler for the series, but part of it was due to her age. As an older woman, Matlock has noticed that no one really seems to notice her anymore, which gives her an unexpected edge in the courtroom and a determination to advocate for those similarly brushed aside by society.

After wrapping up his time in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Robert Downey Jr. set his sights on television production — his first major project was a prestige TV reboot of "Perry Mason." However, after scheduling conflicts arose, Matthew Rhys of "The Americans" took the reins of the iconic titular role, leading a story that takes place during the early 1930s at the beginning of Mason's career as a crime fighter.

It isn't a traditional legal drama, with Mason beginning the series as a private investigator hired to look into a horrific crime involving the kidnapping of an infant (of all the series on this list "Perry Mason" also happens to be the bleakest). The slow burn of the mystery is still there, however, and readers looking for something with greater narrative heft, a character-driven story, and a more distinct visual style will be among the most satisfied. Despite being cancelled before its third season, "Perry Mason" still feels whole and worthwhile.

Without the success of "The Practice," we probably wouldn't have "Ally McBeal," "Boston Legal," "Goliath," "The Lincoln Lawyer," or more than half the legal dramas on this list.

Having previously worked as an executive producer and writer on the drama "L.A. Law" at ABC, David E. Kelley returned to the network in 1996 to take his a swing at creating a courtroom drama of his own. Refining the sharp wit and strong character-writing of the procedural drama "Chicago Hope," "The Practice" was an explosive hit for both Kelley and the network that ran for eight seasons, over 160 episodes, and spawned the spin-off series "Boston Legal."

Fans of "The Lincoln Lawyer" may find it a bit outdated in terms of style, but narratively speaking, "The Practice" is still as sharp a series as they come. This is largely thanks to Dylan McDermott's Bobby Donnell, whose ethical struggle with the law raises questions about the system that remain relevant today.

Speaking of ethical dilemmas relating to the law, the entire plot of "Shark" is kicked off by the title character's revelation that, in some cases, the best defense can lead to the worst outcomes for society. It stars James Woods (formerly best known for voicing Hades in Disney's "Hercules;" currently best known for voicing the most unhinged opinions on social media), whose performance as the hilariously named Sebastian Shark contains an undeniably peerless balance of smarmy sleaze and humanity.

The series follows Shark after he leaves behind his career as a defense attorney to become a prosecutor for the district attorney's office, hoping to redeem himself by working on the side of "justice." It's a compelling and potentially complicated premise that admittedly isn't fully taken advantage of here. Still, "Shark" contains enough moments of genuine thematic ingenuity to be thought-provoking — and with Woods bearing his teeth in every scene he chews, it's a show worth swimming with the fishes for — if only for a few episodes.

We don't need to review any further evidence. It's simply a fact that, if you like "The Lincoln Lawyer," you'll be completely enthralled by "Suits." There's a next-to-zero chance that anyone reading this looking for recommendations hasn't heard of the massively popular USA legal dramedy series, which ran for nine mostly great seasons from 2011 to 2019 before receiving an unexpected cultural resurgence in the early 2020s (said resurgence was so strong that NBC greenlit the short-lived Stephen Amell reboot "Suits L.A." — which was, somewhat expectedly, unsuccessful without any of the original cast returning in leading roles).

If you're somehow here and unaware of "Suits" (remember: perjury is a prosecutable offense, we think, maybe), the series follows the unlikely partnership and friendship between ambitious and morally dubious corporate attorney Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) and Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), his green but brilliant associate whom he takes a major gamble on. Despite being a proven legal genius via his photographic memory and full-time side-gig helping rich kids pass the bar exam, Mike doesn't have a law degree. In fact, he doesn't have any degree whatsoever. "Suits" has everything "The Lincoln Lawyer" has but doubled, including a dual dose of charismatic underdogs talking their way to victory after victory. And, fortunately, both series are currently streaming on Netflix.