NBC Buys Legal Drama ‘Local Counsel’ From Bill Chais & Debra Martin Chase
NBC has put in development hourlong legal drama Local Counsel from Franklin & Bash co-creator Bill Chais, Debra Martin Chase’s Martin Chase Productions and Universal TV.
Written by Chais, Local Counsel centers on a powerful female New York lawyer who is sent to New Orleans to handle a case. A misadventure results in her losing everything — job, reputation and fiancé – and she soon finds herself in an unlikely partnership with a mess of a newbie female lawyer as they form a law firm dedicated to fighting for those who need it most.
Chais executive produces with Martin Chase. Universal TV, where Martin Chase Productions is under a first-look deal, is the studio.
This is the latest legal show for Chais, a lawyer by trade who worked as a public defender and had his own firm when he was tapped as a legal consultant on Family Law. The gig quickly led to a staff writer job on the CBS legal drama. Chais also has worked on The Practice, Shark and Chicago Justice and is behind two legal series: he created Head Cases for Fox and co-created with Kevin Falls TNT’s buddy dramedy Franklin & Bash. Chais, who is currently a consulting producer on ABC’s Designated Survivor, also has done stints on Unforgettable, Desperate Housewives and The Mysteries of Laura. He is with WME.
This marks the latest sale this season for Martin Chase under her Uni TV deal. She also has contemporary spy drama Get Christie Love, with Power creator Courtney Kemp and Vin Diesel, which received a pilot production commitment at ABC; and she partnered with Virgil Williams on Hard Knocks, an hourlong drama with a script commitment plus penalty at Fox. She is repped by CAA and attorneys Nina Shaw and Laurie Megery.
NBC is currently without a legal drama series on the air after opting not to renew Chicago Justice for a second season but has legal comedy Trial & Error coming back for a second installment.
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