In addition to feeling relieved about actor Elliot Gould’s return, I’m hopeful that end of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, Netflix picked the show up for season 4, which will center on Mickey Haller’s murder trial in the book The Law of Innocence.

Since then, fans have waited on bated breath to learn more about The Lincoln Lawyer season 4. One of the first updates confirmed Maggie's full-time return and Andy's departure. New cast like Constance Zimmer and Jason O’Mara have also ed the ranks of the series regulars. However, the most exciting casting update for The Lincoln Lawyer is the return of Elliot Gould’s Legal Siegel and Krista Warner’s Hayley Haller. With Legal returning, I hope that The Lincoln Lawyer makes one big change to the character.

Elliot Gould's Legal Should Be More Involved In The Lincoln Lawyer Season 4

Legal Siegel Is The Only Father Figure That Mickey Haller Has

After Mickey and Legal’s rift in The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, I wasn’t sure that Elliot Gould’s Legal Siegel would come back for season 4. The father figure viewed Mickey’s actions as reckless to both Mickey and his loved ones, leading Legal to distance himself as a form of self-preservation. Luckily, it seems Mickey’s arrest for murder could be the catalyst (albeit a negative one) necessary to bring the characters back together.

Because Mickey is arrested for murdering Sam Scales at the end of The Lincoln Lawyer season 3, Legal should play an integral role in emotionally ing the titular lawyer in season 4, even if he only appears in a small number of episodes. Mickey’s dad died when he was younger, so Legal is basically the only father figure Mickey has had for most of his life.

Knowing Mickey, he wouldn’t want to lean on Hayley out of protectiveness and wouldn’t want to reach out to his mom. Because Bosch can’t appear in The Lincoln Lawyer, his half-brother can’t step in to help. This leaves Mickey with only Maggie, his ex-wife, who has moved on to another relationship. Legal could be someone whom Mickey is willing to rely on.

Legal's Role In The Lincoln Lawyer Has Been Great, But He Needs Direct Involvement In Mickey's Murder Case

Legal Siegel's Background As A Defense Attorney Could Come In Handy

On top of offering Mickey Haller emotional , I need Legal Siegel to take on a more active role in Mickey’s murder case, possibly even ing or advising the team. This would be a major divergence from Michael Connelly’s The Law of Innocence. The book version of Legal Siegel doesn’t ever appear, but his sage legal advice is referenced multiple times. The Netflix series could easily have him offer those bits of advice in person.

Additionally, Mickey’s existing team could benefit significantly from Legal’s experience as a defense attorney. Because the individual framing Mickey did a great job, the legal case has a lot of evidence pointing to Mickey Haller’s guilt. Anybody on his team will be fighting an uphill battle, no matter their experience level.

Lorna and Maggie are the two lawyers who are expected to help Mickey. Even though Lorna is whip-smart, she is still a new lawyer without a ton of experience under her belt. A high-profile case where the defendant is getting framed could be a little out of her depth. Meanwhile, Maggie is a fantastic prosecutor, but she’s never worked for the defense. It’s unclear how she will handle working on the defense side in The Lincoln Lawyer season 4, considering her intense moral detestation for the job. She would probably be closed off to any idea involving dirty tactics or loopholes.

Unfortunately, questionable defense strategies will likely be necessary in Mickey’s case, considering Mickey’s new prosecutorial nemesis in The Lincoln Lawyer season 4, Dana Berg, is known for her ruthless, sometimes illegal, tactics that lead to death row convictions. It could come down to who fights dirtier. Legal Siegel could help sway the team’s defense approach in The Lincoln Lawyer using his background knowledge as the anchor. Mickey Haller would undoubtedly appreciate the help of someone with a similar mindset about the law.