Benched - Season 1

Distinguished corporate lawyer Nina Whitley has given up everything in her climb to the top. However, when she's passed over for a coveted promotion and discovers that her fiancé Trent is now engaged to another woman—Nina has an epic meltdown. Now, shunned from the corporate world, the only place Nina can get a job is at the Public Defender's office.

Nina learns about an upcoming gala where wealthy corporate lawyers honor the public defenders. Desperate to be accepted back into her former corporate world, Nina gives a speech in an attempt to impress her old colleagues. It doesn't go according to plan. Meanwhile the rest of the gang struggles to fit in at the fancy event.

Nina tries desperately to fit in with the gang; Phil plays a cruel trick; Phil and Boring Larry take Carlos for a night on the town.

Nina finds she needs a refresher on influencing jurors and winning friends after arguing her first jury trial; elsewhere, Phil and Trent face a curmudgeonly judge.

Nina is worried she is being played by a private defense lawyer assigned to her case; Phil tries to impress a cute stenographer.

When Nina's refusal to lose cases to her ex-fiancé Trent starts clogging up the court system, she's forced to accept that in this world compromising isn't losing -it's a fact of life. Meanwhile, Carlos gives up smoking and the gang worries about his ability to de-stress without that vice.

Feeling like her coworkers don't "get" her, Nina finds a new friend in Edie a spunky forensics analyst. However, Nina's new friend takes the meaning of loyalty too far. Meanwhile, Carlos needs to crash with Phil for a few days and gets a worrisome glimpse into his life.

Nina is assigned one of Phil's old defendants and makes a bet with Phil that she'll fix what he couldn't and get the guy out of the court system once and for all. Meanwhile, after Micah criticizes Phil and Carlos's performance in court, they decide to teach her a lesson and give her a case of her own.

When Nina discovers that Trent and the DA's office are involved in a plot to arrest the city's homeless, Nina struggles with her priorities: should she protect justice, Trent, or her own reputation? Meanwhile, Cheryl, whose terrible record has left her on thin ice with the new boss, turns to Nina for help.

Nina runs into an old friend, Francine, who asks Nina to set her up with Phil. When they hit it off, Francine returns the favor by setting Nina up on an ill-fated double date. Meanwhile, a female judge (Molly Shannon, guest star) takes a liking to Carlos, but Carlos becomes worried that all her attention is crossing a line.

When the news breaks that Phil is on the shortlist for Public Defender of the Year, Nina insists on helping him win, despite the fact that he thinks the award is silly. Meanwhile, Trent brings his 10-year-old "Little Brother" Walter to court for the week.

After secretly reuniting with Trent, Nina realizes she has some hard choices to make, especially when Phil unintentionally steps up to the plate. Meanwhile, Phil is forced to take a look at his own relationships when Morris calls out his glibness.