Here Are Netflix’s Top 10 Law Dramas for 2025

Fully updated in April 2025

Tom Borman, LawFuel contributing editor

Netflix’s catalog of legal dramas has expanded to include both established classics and innovative newcomers that push the boundaries of the genre in 2025 with The Lincoln Lawyer leading the group, but with top law shows streaming quality content, as we show . .

Leading our docket is “The Lincoln Lawyer,” Netflix’s standout legal drama that has redefined the genre for the streaming era. 

Based on Michael Connelly’s bestselling novels, the series follows Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo), the unconventional defense attorney who operates from his Lincoln Town Car rather than a traditional office.

What distinguishes this series is its masterful balance of legal procedural elements with character-driven storytelling. Haller isn’t just brilliant in court; he’s a complex protagonist whose moral compass, while strong, helps to navigate him through those unumerable gray areas. 

His pragmatic approach to law, focusing on negotiation and strategic maneuvering, offers a refreshing departure from idealized portrayals of legal practice.

The show’s fourth season, currently in production and set to release in late 2025, promises to be its most compelling yet.

Based on Connelly’s “The Law of Innocence,” the upcoming season flips the script dramatically—Mickey Haller will find himself as the defendant rather than the defender. 

This role reversal creates what co-showrunner Ted Humphrey describes as “the biggest and most personal challenge Mickey has ever faced.”

With the addition of Constance Zimmer (“UnREAL,” “Entourage”) in a 10-episode guest arc, Season 4 is poised to explore new dimensions of the legal system when a lawyer must experience it from the other side of the courtroom.

“Suits” continues to dominate as one of Netflix’s most-watched legal dramas, even years after its original run. The series’ enduring appeal lies in its slick portrayal of high-stakes corporate law, where brilliant minds engage in legal warfare amid the gleaming skyscrapers of Manhattan.

What began as a premise about Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams), a college dropout with a photographic memory who bluffs his way into a prestigious law firm, evolved into a multifaceted exploration of loyalty, ambition, and the moral compromises that accompany success in the legal world. 

The chemistry between Mike and his mentor Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht) remains one of television’s most compelling professional relationships.

For attorneys, “Suits” offers a glamorized yet occasionally insightful look at the pressures and politics of big law. Although the show certainly takes creative liberties with legal procedures, its examination of firm dynamics, client relationships, and the personal toll of a high-pressure legal career resonates with many lawyers.

No discussion of legal dramas would be complete without acknowledging “Better Call Saul,” the prequel to “Breaking Bad” that has earned its place as one of television’s greatest character studies. 

The transformation of Jimmy McGill into the morally compromised Saul Goodman offers a nuanced examination of legal ethics and the slippery slope of rationalization.

What sets “Better Call Saul” apart is its patient, methodical storytelling and its willingness to explore the mundane aspects of legal practice—the paperwork, the client development, the small courtroom victories—alongside more dramatic moments.

For attorneys, the show’s portrayal of the struggle to build a practice and establish professional identity often hits remarkably close to home.

The series also excels in its depiction of the relationship between Jimmy and his brother Chuck, a respected attorney whose psychological issues and complicated feelings toward Jimmy create a fascinating exploration of sibling rivalry within the legal profession, not an infrequent occurrence in the profession.

Shonda Rhimes’ “How to Get Away with Murder” continues to enthrall viewers with its twisty narrative centered on law professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis) and her students who become entangled in a web of murder and deception. 

The series offers a darker take on legal education, examining how the theoretical principles taught in classrooms can be twisted and applied in morally questionable ways.

Davis’ Emmy-winning performance as the brilliant but deeply flawed Keating provides the gravitational center for the show’s exploration of power dynamics in legal education, racial and gender biases in the justice system, and the psychological toll of legal practice.

For law students and educators, the show—while highly dramatized—touches on relevant questions about the ethics of legal training and practice.

Bryan Cranston delivers a masterful performance in “Your Honor” as Michael Desiato, a respected New Orleans judge whose moral compass is tested when his son is involved in a hit-and-run accident with connections to organized crime. 

Nice setup for a compelling law drama that deals with everything from how legal systems handle high-stakes cases, from personal tragedy to broader issues like truck accidents due to improper loading – and the hit-and-run accident that set up the compelling drama.

A bit different, but with similarities too with Walter White’s slip from teacher to drug baron.

What begins as a single ethical compromise spirals into a complex web of deception that challenges the foundations of justice.

The series provides a rare perspective in legal dramas by focusing on judicial ethics rather than attorney conduct. For legal professionals, “Your Honor” offers a compelling thought experiment: specifically, how far would one go to protect family when doing so directly contradicts professional obligations and ethical standards?

“Unbelievable” moves right away from the idea of tnertainment for lawyers, showing the story of Marie Adler, an 18-year-old who reports being raped by a masked intruder.

Rather than receiving support and justice, she faces skepticism from detectives who pressure her into recanting her statement, effectively criminalizing her for reporting her own assault. The narrative shifts when two female detectives in another state meticulously follow evidence trails, ultimately uncovering a serial rapist and vindicating Marie years after her initial report.

This 2019 eight-episode limited series, based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning article “An Unbelievable Story of Rape” by T. Christian Miller and Ken Armstrong and their subsequent book “A False Report.”

An important story for lawyers and law students – quite apart from anyone less involved n the justice sytem, the series is a masterclass in the consequences of investigative assumptions. The show earned universal acclaim, maintaining a 98 percent approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes and receiving numerous accolades including a Peabody Award and nominations at the Critics’ Choice, Golden Globes, and Primetime Emmys. Top television.

“Reasonable Doubt” brings a welcome diversity of perspective to legal drama following Jax Stewart, a brilliant defense attorney navigating high-profile cases while managing personal challenges – not to mention being a series dealing with both gender and race.

The series stands out for its exploration of the unique pressures faced by Black women in the legal profession, addressing issues of representation and bias that remain prevalent in law firms today.

The show’s unflinching examination of the criminal justice system’s inequities, combined with nuanced character development, makes it essential viewing for attorneys interested in thoughtful explorations of how identity shapes legal practice and experience.

Set in the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York, “For the People” offers an engaging look at young prosecutors and public defenders navigating the world of federal law. 

The series excels in its balanced portrayal of both sides of the adversarial system, showing how passionate advocates can maintain respect for one another despite representing opposing interests.

For early-career attorneys, the show’s depiction of the learning curve, mentorship relationships, and work-life balance challenges in demanding legal roles offers both cautionary tales and inspirational moments.

Billy Bob Thornton was always going to bring that BBT approach to a character like his role in Goliath, playing a fall-from-grace lawyer, Billy McBride, seeking redemption and a few kcourtroom scalps in the process.

A once-powerful attorney who is now battling personal demons, McBride embodies the archetype of the flawed hero fighting against overwhelming odds.

The series works well in its examination of corporate legal power and the David-versus-Goliath dynamics that often characterize high-stakes litigation. For attorneys who have faced burnout or disillusionment, McBride’s journey offers a cathartic, if sometimes unrealistically triumphant, narrative of professional renewal. And, as said, BBT is always fun to watch.

“The Trial” (Il Processo) brings Italian legal drama to Netflix, offering viewers a refreshing international perspective on courtroom proceedings. The series follows prosecutor Elena Guerra as she investigates a murder case with complex personal connections, navigating the intricacies of the Italian justice system.

For American attorneys, for any non-US attorneys, the show provides a fascinating comparative study in legal procedures, highlighting both the universal aspects of seeking justice and the cultural and procedural differences across legal systems.

The eight-episode format makes it an ideal weekend binge for those seeking to broaden their understanding of international legal frameworks and follow the Italian legal manoevering

Emerging Trends

We’re looking forward to new Netflix legal dramas coming too. The upcoming adaptation of “The Rainmaker”, a rewritten adaptation of the John Grisham novel and earlier movie version produced by Francis Ford Coppola and starring Matt Damon (above) has been greenlit by the USA Network with Grisham producing and shows renewed interest in classic legal thrillers, potentially challenging established series like “Suits” and “White Collar” for audience attention. 

Gender representation in legal dramas continues to evolve, with more shows featuring women in powerful legal positions, reflecting real-world progress while acknowledging persistent challenges. 

Series like “Family Law,” returning for its third season in 2025, explore the intersection of personal and professional life for attorneys, particularly women navigating work-life balance in demanding legal careers and exploring issues ranging from how legal systems handle high-stakes cases, from personal tragedy to personal injury questions like truck accidents due to improper loading and similar issues.

This is an area with plenty happening and top quality content, both fiction and reality shows.

We’ll be keeping an eye on the genre as always. Keep reading . . and watching.

Author: Tom Borman writes on legal issues, law marketing and other matters of interest to lawyers, including his most recent article on law firm marketing in the age of automation. He can be contacted at news@lawfuel.com.