Kate Reed, a top litigator frustrated with the endless bureaucracy and daily injustices of the system, takes a hard left to become the ultimate anti-lawyer: a mediator. Using her knowledge of the Law, along with her savvy, intuition and a whatever-it-takes approach to resolving conflict, Kate finds the middle ground for a wide variety of adversaries -- from Fortune 500 corporations to bitter divorces. After the sudden death of her father, she finds herself at odds with the new boss, her stepmother Lauren Reed, and in bed with her soon-to-be ex-husband, Justin Patrick, a top gun in the DA's office. Helping her keep all of this chaos at bay is her trusted, geek-chic assistant Leonardo. Kate digs deeper when a news station fires a lesbian couple for fraternizing in the workplace. Also, Kate must choose between Justin and Ben. Justin puts his election in jeopardy when he introduces Kate to a Brazilian singer and activist. Elsewhere, Lauren falls for a businessman who may be hiding something Kate and Ben settle a dispute in Lake Tahoe; Lauren helps Justin with an impossible case. Justin and D.A. Davidson oppose Kate and Ben. Meanwhile, Lauren negotiates the purchase of an airline for a client. Judge Nicastro enlists Kate and Ben to mediate a contract dispute. Lauren looks for a painting to hang in the lobby of the firm.