10. Parenting Made Easy

Complete story — includes the ending

Alicia mentors Caitlin through her first arbitration case, defending a college professor who claims she was laid off after refusing her boss's sexual advances. When Alicia learns that opposing counsel is Martha, the associate that she had previously wanted to hire in preference to Caitlin (Ep. 305), the proceedings swiftly become antagonistic. When testimony reveals another possible cause for the defendant's job loss – her staunch right-wing beliefs – the case becomes an issue of freedom of expression. This twist removes the damages cap originally imposed by the arbitrator, making it potentially far more lucrative for Lockart/Gardner. With so much more at stake, Martha's boss Louis Canning starts taking a more active role in the case. It is Alicia vs. Canning once more, this time clashing as the puppet masters of their first-year associates. While Alicia meets with Canning, she checks her phone and realizes that she has twelve missed calls from her daughter Grace. When all attempts to track down Grace initially fail, Alicia fears the worst. As the hours pass, Alicia wonders if she has been prioritizing her work and her relationship with Will above her family.