Nibble & Kuhn

In his latest, author and attorney Shmahmann creates a world of cutthroat partners and sordid love affairs in the law firm of Nibble & Kuhn. Our protagonist Derek Dover is a cold but admirable professional (TV fans will find more than an initial resemblance to beloved but beguiling Mad Men hero Don Draper) struggling to become a partner while wrestling with a seemingly impossibly case, trying to prove that a leaky chemical plant has caused cancer in a group of young boys with virtually no evidence. With the help of a wacky scientist and a backwoods lawyer, Dover heads to court accompanied by the firm's beautiful new lawyer, Maria. An illicit affair with Maria brings further complications to bear, but Dover keeps his cool and prevails. Despite a slow start, Shmahmann's skilled character development guides this courtroom potboiler to a neat finish.