An ambitious new Assistant D.A., Jeremiah ""J.J."" Jellinek, arrives at 100 Centre St. and immediately starts jockeying for a position on a new task force, run by acting D.A. Gil Byrnes, that is going after the construction industry for its ties to the mob. Cynthia and Bobby set up their non-profit legal aid business, People's Defence, in Washington Heights and land their first client, Rudolfo, a 17-year-old accused of brutally beating a teacher. Judge Attalah Sims' last case of the night is a catatonic young woman who goes by the name Rebecca Rifkind, who turns out to have some connection to Judge Rifkind's past.