| Director | Jack Ng Wai-Lun |
|---|---|
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Budget | HK$22.2 million |
| Box office | $114.2 million |
In 2002, Adrian Lam, a former barrister-turned-magistrate recently demoted by his superior for his attitude, returns to private practice at the suggestion of his friend, senior barrister T. K. Ho. Lam obtains his first case, a child abuse case, through Ho. The defendant Jolene Tsang, a former model and single mother, is accused of assaulting her daughter, Elsa, who is now in a coma.
Lam takes over Tsang's case as her attorney, in partnership with fellow barrister Evelyn Fong, at the suggestion of her mentor Ho, and legal executive Prince. Throughout the first trial in court, they examine witness Ball Chan, a security guard in Tsang's residential area. However, Fong finds a loophole in Chan's testimony. Later that night, Elsa wakes from the coma. Lam, Fong and Prince come to hospital in order to record testimony from Elsa, but she dies from a cerebral bleed after revealing her mother is innocent. Tsang is then charged with manslaughter.
Lam finds Tsang's lover, Desmond Chung, who acknowledged his presence at Tsang's residence that night. Lam enlists Desmond as the key witness in the trial, but Fong worries about Desmond's wife, Victoria Chung, daughter of a powerful tycoon and an enemy of Tsang, who could threaten the case. At the final trial, due to Lam's careless decision to not obtain formal written testimony, Desmond suddenly changes his testimony, resulting in Tsang being sentenced to 17 years in prison. Condemned by Fong, Lam realizes his mistake and falls into despair. After his former classmate and now ICAC assistant commissioner Luk finds and encourages him, Lam decides to move his chambers to Mong Kok, in an effort to redeem himself by helping those in need.
Two years later, Ball Chan, who disappeared after the trial, returns to Hong Kong due to terminal illness and takes his own life. In his suicide note, he confesses he had wronged Tsang by lying to the court. Lam, now determined to have Tsang's conviction reversed, reconciles with Fong, who forgives him with Ho's encouragement.
The High Court sets aside the conviction and orders a retrial. However, the Department of Justice decides to upgrade Tsang's charge to murder and gives the prosecution brief to Kam Yuen-Shan, a senior criminal barrister. Chan's note is deemed insufficient evidence, prompting Lam and Fong to revisit Tsang's residence and reconstruct the case. The two realise that Victoria had visited the residence before Desmond's arrival, while Tsang was asleep in the garden.
Lam decides to wiretap Victoria's residence and trick her into confessing to the crime. Lam then plays the recording in court in an effort to sway the jury, to Kam's objection. Meanwhile, the Chungs' legal adviser and longtime friend, barrister James Tung, takes action against Lam, having him arrested for wiretapping.
Lam manages to still arrive in court on time thanks to the Prince, who helps him meet a friend in the police force who grants him bail. Lam forms a plan with Fong in the final trial to make Tung and the Chungs confess to the truth. Kam also agrees to the plan after revealing to Lam that he knows the truth. At the trial, both Lam and Kam highlight inconsistencies in Desmond's testimony and suggest that, based on new evidence, it was Desmond and Victoria who murdered Elsa; Victoria had crushed Elsa's head against a table corner, resulting in her cerebral bleeding, leaving Desmond to feed her water to accelerate her death and cover up the crime. Tsang breaks into tears after learning the truth about her lover and is found not guilty and released. The Chungs and Tung are then arrested by the ICAC, led by Luk, and the police for their crimes.
Lam, Fong, Prince and Tsang celebrate their victory, and Lam decides to partner with Fong and Prince to form a new set of chambers while continuing to help those in need.