The Guardian Episode Rating Graph

Trouble gets very deep for Dale (Nick's Parole officer asks for help from Nick. Later LuLu's husband to be is arested. Nick can't tell LuLu. Burton wonders if his son will be on the federal bench.

Nick Fallin finds himself the advocate for a 12-year-old girl, Lesley, who needs to be adopted by foster parents immediately in order to receive a heart transplant. Laurie Solt, a social worker for Legal Services (LS), is having trouble placing her due to the many demands of caring for a child with congenital heart disease. Inspired by Lesley's strength after she learns her current foster parents are unable to adopt her, Nick takes the search on as a personal campaign to save Lesley's life. As hope of finding suitable foster care fades, Nick decides that the only way to save Lesley's life is to become her legal guardian. Nick's supervisor at LS, Alvin Masterson questions Nick's ability to care for Lesley. Eventually, the judge does grant Nick legal guardianship. Meanwhile, one of Burton Fallin's old friends, Harry Josephs is dying of cancer and tells Burton he is challenging the employment contract of Hopeson, Inc., which terminates employment if an employee is unable to work for 90 consecutive days. Hopeson Inc. is a long time client of Fallin & Assoc. and Burton helped finalize the original employment contracts. Burton struggles with the responsibility of fighting for his clients and opportunity to stand by his friend.

Nick and LuLu find teenagers in her house, after they hear a girl screaming giving birth. They want to keep the baby and soon end up in foster care.

Burtton turns his law firm over to Sen. Nathan Calldwell, he gets ready to be a federal Judge.

A case that Nick took at Legal Services creates a conflict of interest, James tries to help his nephew.

Nick's Aunt Liz visits Burton & Nick and tells them she is dying.

LuLu represents an old friend after one of her adopted children is dead. Nick represents someone he knew as a kid.

In The Season Finale Burton and Lulu tells Nick damaging information but that deals with a wanted killer. Dr. Reed asks to be his son's (Hunter)Trustee but their future could be in trouble.

Nick takes a job at the law firm of Walter and McNeil. Lulu gives birth to a baby girl. She decides to work part-time at legal services of Pittsburgh to take care of the baby. Burton thinks his son made a mistake by taking the new job. Alvin tries to stop the execution of Taliek Allen because of new evidence that Alvin's client suffered brain damage when he was attacked. Alvin along with Nick must try and get a trial stating why he should live and not be executed. Lulu decides to have full custody of the baby and give the baby her last name not Nick's. Alvin is angry because of what Nick told his client regarding his chances for a clemency hearing. Nick learns that Burton has stepped down from his firm to be a grandfather to the baby. Nick also leaves his job at the firm of Walter and McNeil.

As the legal guardian of two siblings he represented the year before, Nick must find the missing sister so she can be a bone-marrow donor to save her dying brother.

Burton, Lulu & Nick each find themselves in tight spots. Burton tries to stop Shannon from being hurt, Alvin finds Nick & Lulu at the office late Will they still have jobs after Alvin finds out?

After a rough turn of events at Kirk & McGee, Nick is back at Fallin & Assoc. just as Burton is looking into the case of Susan Newberg, deceased daughter of longtime client and family friend Frank Newberg. What begins as an investigation into Susan's widower Ray Harper, and the $11 million estate left to him, ends in a shocking case of suicide linked to sexual assault. Nick and Burton put their legal licenses and freedom at stake by violating their attorney/client privileges to protect Frank's youngest daughter and victim, 16 year-old. Meanwhile, first-year associate Amanda Bowles walks out of Fallin & Assoc. when Burton disapproves of her volunteer work at CLS.

Burton's past comes back to haunt him as he gets close to being a Federal Judge.

When a mother of a missing child shows up in Nick Fallin's office at Legal Services, he finds himself in the middle of an emotional struggle for closure and justice. Prior to the disappearance of her daughter Grace, Janine McGregor was in a car accident with her for which they were awarded a large settlement. However, since Grace has been missing for 10 years, the insurance company will not release the money. After years of searching for her daughter, Janine believes her only chance to get the money she so desperately needs is to have Grace declared deceased. However, just as a judge is about to sign off on the declaration, Grace unexpectedly reappears saying she had been kidnapped and taken to Europe. Nick encourages Janine to take the necessary steps to verify Grace's identity. However, with nothing but her gut feeling, Janine is convinced that the girl who has returned claiming to be her daughter is really her "Gracie." Meanwhile, Nick and Burton Fallin are faced with the death of a close friend and colleague, Judge Stanton. He was a long-time friend of Burton's and was the judge who presided over Nick's probation. His passing causes Burton to re-evaluate his life and his accomplishments as a lawyer.

Nick is upset because Lulu is about to take a job in California and while in court loses control of his temper while trying to finish his call and later goes to court ordered therapy. Shannon meets her dad for the first time, Burton has to go to a hearing to find out if he can keep Shannon. Nick advises James to stay away from Taliek (James accused him of killing Levi then found out he accused the wrong guy) Now Taliek lost the court battle to get his son back. James and Larry Flood get ready to leave for home having no idea that they will be fighting for their lives.

A tough case involving a sick baby brings Nick and Lulu closer together when Lulu gets attached to the mom.

Nick learns his unborn baby has Down Syndrome to learn more about it Nick helps Mark set up a trust fund so he won't lose his Social Security. Nick tells Lulu about Mark and that he took the case to understand more about Down Syndrome and help Lulu understand what maybe a head for their baby. Kate Shaw asks Jake to take an AIDS test because Kate wanted him to join a country club.

Nick tries to help 2 brothers get adopted, the foster parents want the "gifted" brother. Jake tries to save his dad from losing his house to a loan shark.

Burton tries to save Nick who is behind bars temporarily for drug possession by looking for a defense in Mandy's daughter Shannon. Shannon's grandmother doesn't want her to testify.

Alvin is having to take James Mooney's caseload & trying to stop Lulu from leaving for new job. Nick meets Sharon Diamond who was arrested for solicitation. Nick asks for help in what to recommend for Sharon (A.K.A.: Tiffany Skovich) who was working at a restaurant. Nick tells Tiffany Skovich to talk to the police about Mason and go to a shelter. Alvin tries to get Mason to stop using girls for money. Alvin goes to far looking for Tiffany before police get to the scene, leaving Nick to wonder why he isn't at LSP. Alvin fights Roger over pictures he took outside the restaurant where Mason worked. Roger & other LSP board members feel Alvin went to far. Lulu is the new Director Legal Services of Pittsburgh.

Nick & Lulu move into his place and find out how hard it is keep their love life out of the office. Jake learns his mom and dad want to divorce. Jake is about to lose control of his life when he finds out the secret his father has hidden for years. Lulu's dad drives her crazy when he finds out that his daughter is seeing Nick, her dad asks Lulu to take over his painting business.

Rob a college roommate of Nick's wants to test a device for tracking kids. Will Nick agree to testing the tracking device on L.S.P. kids?

Nick Fallin, a high-powered, high-priced attorney living the good life is brought down to earth when he has to pay the price for his indulgent lifestyle. Busted for drugs, he must now perform 1,500 hours of community service and so Nick juggles his white-collar world of litigation with the not-for-profit world of child advocacy working with Children's Legal Services. Under the supervision of Alvin Masterson, Nick is thrust into the life of Hunter Reed, a young boy who has witnessed the murder of his mother by his father's hand. Back at Fallin & Associates, owned by Nick's father, Burton Fallin, he is dealing with company presidents who are looking to bring their business to Pittsburgh and spoiled dot com kids who want to get rich quick.

Nick brings a lawsuit again the pharmaceutical company, Bendaprine, on behalf of Hunter Reed and his mother's estate for 10 million dollars. But, when Alvin Masterson gets wind of it he insists that Nick drop the case, being that it is a conflict of interest. Nick is quick to point out that Alvin took him off of Hunter's case and therefore he is acting within his rights as a lawyer for Fallin & Assoc. Meanwhile, James gets handed a case involving a 12-year-old boy who has been living with his older brother after their mother has been arrested for drugs. Marcus, Andre's older brother, is arrested for selling crack and James tries desperately to find a relative for the boy to act as guardian so the youth won't end up in juvenile detention like his brother. But, Andre doesn't want to be separated from Marcus and even when James succeeds in finding a relative, Andre makes it very clear he will stay with Marcus at all cost � even if he needs to get himself arrested to make it happen.

Lulu starts her job as Director of LSP, leaving Alvin to wonder if he is needed at LSP. Nick helps a couple sue a fertility clinic because the baby is black. The parents want to keep the baby and the clinic to pay for damages. Nick needs to help find Samantha Gray who lost her sight because her dad. Samantha goes to Nick's office to tell him she isn't going back to the place she came from. Nick has dinner with Mrs. Aaronson who became pregnant after doing a procedure to have a baby, now the lawsuit against the clinic will be dropped. Samantha learns her dad lost his rights to be a dad because he was drug addict. Nick waits with Samantha on a bench in the courthouse wondering if her dad will show up for the hearing. When he doesn't show up Nick finds him doing drugs.

Nick meets Sam at a gala in Burton's honor. Sam who is a transvestite tries to get custody of lover's son. Also Nick finds out Mary and Shannon have been living with his father.

Lulu's mom comes to town to offer her daughter a job. Soon Nick learns of Mrs. Novack's bad business practices which causes a problem.

Nick is duped into representing a young woman who lied to him after they spent the night together. After Nick picks up a young woman named Dina at The Incline, they go back to his place for the night. The woman then reveals herself to be an orphaned, underaged girl whose younger sister is about to be placed in a new home where Dina is not wanted. She gives Nick an ultimatum that he must help her get placed in the same family as her sister or risk her going to the police about his underage encounter. He must uncover her true motives or risk the consequences of their ill-fated night together. Meanwhile, Alvin goes to extreme measures, including soliciting a donation from a wealthy socialite, in an effort to raise money after CLS loses its grant and the money runs out.

After deciding to work together, Nick and Burton Fallin return to the old offices of Fallin & Associates to create a new firm, Fallin & Fallin. Finally working on equal ground, Nick and Burton's first big client turns out to be Allegheny County Hospital, which is under scrutiny as one of the nurses is arrested and confesses to killing patients in the oncology department during his shifts. The hospital faces several potential lawsuits from the family members of the patients who died. To assemble a strong team of attorneys, Nick and Burton bring in James Mooney to help with the case but soon discover that his grandmother died in that very hospital just a few months earlier. James immediately removes himself from the case but he eventually gives into his desire to fight for the underdogs and tries to find representation for the family members. Meanwhile, Nick is also thrown into a case as a favor to Laurie Solt, where he must defend a child's right to attend an adoption party. This is a concept that Alvin Masterson finds reprehensible, as he believes it treats the children as though they are cattle to be sold at market.

The past comes back to haunt Both Nick & Burton, When a drug dealer from Nick's past is shot and Burton's new client is the police officer.

Lulu's home is broken into forcing Nick to protect her. Nick takes Gavin Putinski a former child actor who claimes his parents want him to leave home.

Nick thinks a woman he helped get her kids, may still use drugs.

Nick is given the case of a wheelchair-bound boy who is about to be placed in a group home while his mother does time for prostitution. The boy, Lawrence, wants to live with his stepfather, but the man has a criminal record. The state wants him to live at St. Riley's, but Lawrence doesn't want to live among the mentally disabled. Nick thinks the only chance for him is to track down the father, a former customer of the mother's, and sue for child support. But, when the father wants to have more of a relationship with the boy, everyone is caught off guard. Meanwhile, Burton and Nick help out an old friend when his daughter, Rebecca, tries to take over his business.

Nick finds out how hard it is to get the trust of the people he hurt back. Burton feels Nick isn't ready for a heavy caseload that might hurt Fallin & Fallin. Nick wonders if the bus driver caused the accident on purpose. Lulu tries to place Connor Adams in a foster home and understand why Nick had the affair with Suzanne.

Nick takes the case of a 16 year old mom who wants to put her baby up for adoption, after her father ends up being arrested for the murder of the 16 year old's very ill mom. Brian Olsen (LuLu's Husband) ends up being accused of negligence.

When the bank insists that the firm pay off its loan immediately, Nick is forced to try to collect unpaid fees from delinquent clients. Meanwhile, Lulu's estranged father returns and asks her for money.

Nick has to represent Levi who may not be allowed in school for not telling who beat him up.

Nick defends an Arab American man who appears to be the victim of a hate crime. Wendy Moniz ("Nash Bridges") and James B. Sikking ("Brooklyn South") guest star. Nick gets a new boss at Legal Aid, Louisa "LuLu" Archer (Moniz), and their first case together involves the vandalism of a restaurant owned by the Arab-American and his young daughter. However, things are complicated further when the vandal, who was viciously beaten in self-defense by the restauranteur, turns out to be a teenage boy.