8 Best Binge-Worthy Legal Dramas on Netflix

Netflix audiences have had the opportunity to fall in love with general surgeons like Meredith Grey on Grey’s Anatomy or small-town inn owners like Lorelai Gilmore on Gilmore Girls. These series, among many others, show the ins and outs of these different professions and often serve as motivation for future careers. But recently, legal dramas on Netflix became the new thrilling binge, drawing in viewers that get hooked on these unbelievable cases and the lives of lawyers.

Most audiences have seen many of the classic films, romantic comedies or sitcoms that have been released on the platform, but if you’re looking for a career-focused series where you can also become invested in the characters’ love lives and friendships, legal dramas on Netflix might be the genre for you.

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These fiction dramas are the perfect distraction from real life while not straying too far from reality. If you’re looking to dive into an action-packed series, take a seat in the courtroom and check out these legal dramas on Netflix.

1. Suits

This legal drama, which aired originally from 2011 to 2019, was the most-streamed show of 2023. Suits stars Patrick J. Adams as brilliant college dropout Mike Ross and Gabriel Macht as hard-headed corporate lawyer Harvey Specter.

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After a drug-deal gone wrong, Mike finds himself in the middle of law interviews for a major firm in New York City. Though not taken seriously by Harvey, Mike proves himself with his photographic memory and intelligence. Harvey takes Mike on as an associate lawyer without his ever having attended law school. Harvey and Mike make the perfect team, continuously winning cases and rising through the ranks, with the help of Harvey’s assistant, Donna (Sarah Rafferty).

Adams spoke about the series skyrocketing on Netflix in 2023. “I mean, when you say goodbye to a show and you walk away and it ends and you had your moment, you think that’s it,” he explained. “And I think we had a twelve-week run at number one… So we feel very grateful.”

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2. Partner Track: Legal dramas on Netflix

One of the underrated legal dramas on Netflix is Partner Track (2022). Arden Cho stars as Ingrid Yun, a young idealistic lawyer who tries to fight her way to the top of an elite law firm and make partner. Meanwhile, Ingrid deals with a blossoming romance and feelings for another man.

Cho talked about her role on the series, explaining her character still deals with everyday struggles. “As she’s trying to break this glass ceiling and win, she is struggling with all the things we experience in life… There’s friendship, love, family, drama, and a little touch of comedy.”

Unfortunately, audiences don’t get to find out what happens after the big cliffhanger at the end of season one, as the series will not be returning. But everyone can still binge the ten episodes that are currently available on Netflix.  

3. How to Get Away with Murder

This Emmy-winning series is the perfect legal thriller if you’re looking for something with a darker twist. This mystery drama follows law professor Annalise Keating (Viola Davis), who teaches a class called “How to Get Away With Murder.” Because she is also a criminal defense attorney, Keating chooses a group of her brightest students to help with cases. But while the students and professor get involved in those, mysteries begin to arise.

When the series came to an end in 2020, Davis shared that it was very emotional. “We’ve all been crying all week. It’s almost like saying goodbye to someone at the airport and not wanting to let go of the hug.” How to Get Away with Murder is a thrilling watch and one of the most exciting legal dramas on Netflix.

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4. The Lincoln Lawyer: Legal dramas on Netflix

This legal drama gives a twist on the classic courtroom lawyer. Mickey Haller (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) runs his practice out of the back of his Lincoln car. The attorney takes on all sorts of cases, while also balancing being a father and ex-husband to two women.

Rulfo discussed season two, which returned to Netflix in 2023, and shared his thoughts about his character. “One of the things that I really like about Mickey Haller is that he’s very human. He’s the hero of the story, but he’s a hero that struggles and deals with problems that every kind of man may deal with… that’s why people want to see him succeed.”

5. Better Call Saul

Saul Goodman (Bob Odenkirk) wasn’t always an ace attorney for drug dealer Walter White. Six years prior, he was small-time lawyer Jimmy McGill, who had to work to make a name for himself. In this spinoff series, Jimmy McGill works his simple job alongside private eye Mike Ehrmantraut.

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Better Call Saul, the prequel to the 2008 series, Breaking Bad, came out in 2015. This series follows Jimmy McGill’s transformation into the corrupt lawyer of the notorious meth dealer White. Odenkirk is also a fan of the series, saying, “That was probably the role of my lifetime, and that’s a wonderful thing to have had. Some people don’t get that. I will be wallowing the rest of my life.”

6. The Night Agent: Legal dramas on Netflix

After a situation the year prior, FBI agent Peter Sutherland (Gabriel Basso) is put on the night action desk. When he receives a call from a distressed woman, Peter is placed in charge of protecting Rose (Luciane Buchanan), a cybersecurity expert. The phone call from Rose pushes Peter into a conspiracy that leads him to uncovering a mole at the White House.

For any fans of thrilling legal/conspiracy series, you should definitely check out The Night Agent, the second season of which is in production.

7. The Recruit

Noah Centineo’s role as a CIA lawyer Owen Hendricks in The Recruit is a far cry from his role in various Netflix romance movies. In one of the very exciting legal dramas on Netflix, Hendricks gets entangled in a dangerous game of power politics. The newbie lawyer discovers a threatening letter from a former asset, Max Meladze (Laura Haddock), claiming to expose the firm if she is not absolved of a serious crime.

Centineo discusses his new role on The Recruit, which has been renewed for a second season. “This is a departure from the rom-com genre and the love-interest genre, but it’s not a radical step in the other direction… I like how this is a show that is about the world of the CIA, but not through a spy’s lens.”

8. Madam Secretary: Legal dramas on Netflix

Newly appointed Secretary of State Elizabeth McCord (Téa Leoni) is valued in her position. She drives international diplomacy, has a deep knowledge of the Middle East and deals with politics in and out of the office.

Leoni spoke with Vogue prior to the premiere of the series in 2014, sharing that the show breaks barriers. “It’s different from what we are used to seeing on TV,” she explains. “There’s a portrayal that has been sort of accepted of choosing between a strong career and a successful family life, and I think we’ve accepted a myth. This show is breaking down a myth.”