Payout That Made Him A Pariah

Top-tier lawyer Ethan Reed provides pro bono representation for migrant worker Stan Wilson in a work injury case, winning a first instance ruling awarding 480,000 RMB. Parties including Doug Miller groundlessly suspect he embezzled the compensation, cause a public disturbance and file anonymous reports seeking to have his law license revoked. After Ethan proves his innocence, they insist on terminating their retainer, retain unqualified Hank Hale to handle the Second Instance Trial, and even hold an early victory banquet. Sterling Construction takes the opportunity to appeal, leveraging its legal team advantage and asset transfer maneuvers to secure a Second Instance Trial ruling awarding only 112,000 RMB, with assets drained making enforcement impossible. Stan undergoes amputation, Doug suffers a stroke and is left paralyzed. The group kneels in the rain outside the law firm to repent.