Series Description

The Practice TV show was a 60 minute legal drama series on ABC about a small, struggling Boston law firm that specialized in criminal defense cases.

The Practice Cast

Dylan McDermott .... Bobby Donnell
Michael Badalucco .... Jimmy Berluti
Kelli Williams .... Lindsay Dole
Lara Flynn Boyle .... Helen Gamble
Camryn Manheim .... Ellenor Frutt
Lisa Gay Hamilton .... Rebecca Washington
Steve Harris .... Eugene Young
James Spader .... Alan Shore
Jason Kravits .... Richard Bay
Ron Livingston .... Alan Lowe
Jessica Capshaw .... Jamie Stringer
Bill Smitrovich .... Kenneth Walsh
Marla Sokoloff .... Lucy Hatcher
Lake Bell .... Sally Heep

The Practice Trivia

The name of the law firm was "Donnell & Associates" until 1998 when three of the associates became partners. The name was then changed to "Donnell, Young, Dole and Frutt".

All of the actors and actresses who portray defense lawyers on The Practice have guest-starred on "Law and Order" except Dylan McDermott. None of the five, however, appeared as their characters on The Practice.

The Practice always seemed to be struggling to pay their bills. This resulted in their "taking on" almost any client no matter how much of a "low-life" they were. In one episode, when a judge ordered them to defend a man charged with murdering a Nun, the judge said, "You people fight for murderors better than anybody".

Ratings took a nosedive during the seventh season and the cast and crew were led to believe that the series would be canceled but then suddenly, NBC renewed the show for an eighth season at the last minute.

Sharon Stone guest-starred on the second, third and fourth episodes of the eighth season and that boosted The Practice in the ratings but it didn't last.

In an unusual twist, The Practice had several crossover episodes with "Ally McBeal" and "Boston Public". All three series were created by David E. Kelley and apparently he convinced the networks that it was in their best interest to co-operate in the promotion.

Rebecca Washington began on the Practice TV show as a para-legal and office manager. In 1998, she passed the bar exam and Lucy Hatcher joined the series as the new office manager.