Two Chicago lawyers from vastly different backgrounds unexpectedly meet in court as they each face a personal crisis. Marcus Jackson (Martin Lawrence) is a kind-hearted community activist going through a heartbreaking divorce when he meets Allen Braddock (Kelsey Grammer), an elitist lawyer who has just been fired from his fathers firm. Brought together by fate and desperation, they develop a partnership and friendship, forcing each other to find the balance between the ethical and the unscrupulous in both their professional and personal lives.