The USA Network is adding a new television series to its growing roster of hit shows, such as Burn Notice, Royal Pains, and White Collar. Fairly Legal stars Sarah Shahi as Kate Reed, a former lawyer turned mediator due to her frustration with the legal system.
Fairly Legal also stars Virginia Williams as Lauren, Kate's "wicked" stepmother and new boss (Kate's father has recently passed away), Michael Trucco as Justin, her ex-husband, an ADA and Baron Vaughn as Leonardo, her trusted assistant. The series takes place in San Francisco. Fairly Legal premieres January 20, 2010 at 10pm ET/PT on USA.
I participated in a conference call this week with Michael Sardo, creator and executive producer of Fairly Legal:
How did you come up with the idea for Fairly Legal?
About six years ago, many of my friends were getting divorced. It would always start out amicably but once the lawyers came in, it would turn into war. Mediation seemed like a much better alternative. I developed a pitch for a half-hour comedy and it didn't get picked up. Four years later I came back to the mediation idea and this time wrote a script and it worked.
What was your casting process?
I like to see as many people as possible when casting. We must have looked at about 90 women for the role of Kate.
Sardo then went on to explain that just by the way Sarah was and the movements she made, he knew she was Kate.
Why did you choose San Francisco as the setting for Fairly Legal?
I wanted a city where people walk and take mass transit, not one where people drive everywhere. Also, San Francisco is multicultural and picturesque and the type of city that could have raised someone with Kate's sensibilities.
Kate's cell phone ring tones have a Wizard of Oz theme. Does this have a bigger meaning within the show?
Yes. Kate feels very much like Dorothy. All of the touchstones of her life have been taken away from her: her father died, she divorced and left the law and her stepmother is the wicked witch.
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