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Lincoln Lawyer season 3 premiered on October 17, 2024 on Netflix. Based on Michael Connelly's legal thriller novel of the same name, the show follows the life of Mickey Haller, a defense lawyer who works out of his Lincoln Town Car. This new season continues to look at how complicated the law is in Los Angeles.
As stated by Tudum, the show isn't entirely based on a true story, but David Ogden and Dan Daly, two real lawyers, ideated the show. These lawyers made important contributions, making Haller's personality and work style unique. So, the series fictional, but based on the experiences of two real-life lawyers.
As per Netflix's Tudum:
"Connelly borrowed the idea of a lawyer working out of the back of his car from a real-life person: David Ogden, a Los Angeles attorney who passed away in 2020. Connelly also drew from the career of Dan Daly, a Florida-based lawyer who met the writer when they worked together at the Daytona Beach News-Journal."
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David Ogden: The original inspiration behind Lincoln Lawyer
The initial real-life influence on Mickey Haller's character was David Ogden, an attorney based in Los Angeles. In 2001, Michael Connelly met Ogden at a baseball game through a mutual friend.
Michael Connelly came to know about Ogden's unconventional legal practice, which frequently involved operating from the trunk of his vehicle. This mobile setup was born out of necessity, as Ogden frequently found himself on the road, handling cases from various locations.
His car, often driven by a former client working off legal fees, became his office.
Connelly was fascinated with this mobile practice and thought it would make a great plot for a legal thriller. Ogden's story wasn't just about convenience; it was also about a different way to practice law that let a lawyer keep moving while still handling a lot of cases.
Mickey Haller's character was created based on the idea of a lawyer who drives around the city in a Lincoln Town Car, taking on difficult cases while juggling personal and professional problems.
Ogden’s real-life legal work involved defending clients from a wide range of crimes, such as drug dealing and gang-related offenses, which is a lot like Haller's job in the show.
But Lincoln Lawyer's dramatic flair comes from its made-up plots, in which Haller takes on high-stakes cases, like defending a wealthy real estate agent who is accused of attempted murder.
Ogden’s influence is clear in the portrayal of Haller’s hands-on, street-level approach to law.
Dan Daly: Adding layers to Mickey Haller’s career
Dan Daly, an attorney from Florida, additionally contributed to a big difference in Mickey Haller's character. Connelly and Daly worked together at the Daytona Beach News Journal. Later, when Daly pursued a career in law, he became a source of inspiration for Connelly’s portrayal of a busy, always-on-the-go lawyer. Daly’s career provided a blueprint for Haller’s relentless work ethic and constant juggling of legal responsibilities.
Daly shared with Tudum:
“When Mike [Connelly] moved to Tampa around 2001, I think, I routinely invited him to join my partner, Roger Mills, and I for cocktails after work, Roger and I and other lawyers who joined us would tell war stories about cases we handled because that’s what lawyers do when they get together. Mike paid attention and took notes on napkins.”
Like Ogden, Daly did not work out of his car, but he did manage cases while he was on the go. Daly talked about how he took calls and worked on legal matters while driving from one court date or meeting to the next.
His experience of being on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and having to deal with urgent legal matters that came up out of the blue was similar to Haller's busy legal life.
Daly talked about taking calls in strange places, like on the golf course, where he would get court dates and set up hearings right away. These stories gave Connelly ideas about how hard and unpredictable it is to be a lawyer, which he used to shape Haller's personality.
Daly had an impact that went beyond the normal tasks of being a lawyer. Conversations with Connelly show that his approach to defense work was based on the moral duty to represent clients, no matter what their background was.
This way of thinking shows up in Lincoln Lawyer, where Haller takes on cases that are morally tricky and struggles with the right way to defend clients who might not always be innocent.
Daly’s experiences helped shape Haller’s nuanced understanding of the legal system. Gradually, he understood that the role of a defense attorney is to provide competent counsel, even when the odds are against the client.
Putting together the thoughts of Ogden and Daly for Lincoln Lawyer
The real-life work of David Ogden and Dan Daly gives the character of Mickey Haller a strong sense of realism, even though Lincoln Lawyer is a fictional show. Ogden's mobile office setup was the basis, and Daly's experiences gave Haller's never-ending work schedule and moral dilemmas more depth.
Connelly did a great job of weaving these real-life events into a story that was made up. His character feels rooted in reality but still does well in the dramatic world of legal thrillers.
The fact that Haller can handle cases while keeping a strong sense of right and wrong comes directly from these real-life connections.
A glimpse of the cast in Lincoln Lawyer
Hollywood actor Manuel Garcia-Rulfo plays Mickey Haller in Lincoln Lawyer. Garcia-Rulfo nails Haller's complicated personality, from his charm to his inner struggles.
Notable actors in the cast also include Neve Campbell as Mickey's ex-wife Maggie McPherson, and Becki Newton as Mickey's second wife Lorna.
An excellent supporting cast, starring Jazz Raycole and Angus Sampson, helps bring the story to life. The series was created by David E. Kelley and developed by Ted Humphrey.
Lincoln Lawyer season 3 is streaming on Netflix.
