| abstract
| - Ellen Parsons is in a conference with Hollis Nye's law firm offering her a job at $150,000 a year. She tells that she was called by Hewes and Associates for a job and took the interview, denying Nye’s job offer. Tom Shayes and Patty Hewes sit in a car, having a phone conversation with a lawyer named Martin Cutler. Cutler offers $25 million as his client's "final offer." Patty demands $150 million. Upon arriving at the courthouse, a court officer informs them that a verdict has been reached. Cutler raises the offer to $50 million, then to $75 million, and finally accepts the $150 million deal as Patty approaches the courthouse. At Tom's request, Cutler calls the judge, informing him of the settlement. Another woman, addressed by Patty as "Madam Forewoman," arrives at the courthouse. Cutler realizes that a verdict was never reached and becomes angry. Ellen is in a cab with her boyfriend, David Connor, and tells him that she questions her decision to turn down Hollis Nye's offer. They arrive at a bar, where Ellen finds Nye. He warns her about working with Patty Hewes, and that there will be no room for David or even Ellen herself in Ellen's life once she is working for Patty. At his request, Ellen signs Nye's business card. Above her signature, Nye writes "I was warned." Patty is in an interview with Greta Van Susteren, in which she explains her case. According to Patty, Arthur Frobisher, a billionaire CEO, encouraged his employees to invest in his company's stock shortly before selling his own stock, resulting in huge losses for the employees. Van Susteren comments that Frobisher claimed to have had a previous arrangement with his broker to sell his stock, and that he was found not guilty in a criminal court. Patty and her associates are meeting with their clients from the Frobisher case. The clients are angry that Frobisher's lawyers are portraying them as greedy. Patty tells them that "high-stakes litigation is a long and painful process," and that they should expect more attacks from Frobisher. Ellen and Katie Connor, David's sister, are out jogging. Katie notes how her new restaurant is having a hard time getting started, as David catches up with them. Ellen checks her phone and notices her interview has been rescheduled for an earlier time. Ellen arrives at Hewes and Associates and meets Patty as she is leaving the building. Ellen introduces herself, but Patty appears not to recognize her. Tom Shayes welcomes Ellen and gives her a tour of the offices. She is introduced to Uncle Pete, a long-time friend of Patty. Tom warns Ellen that Patty has a remarkably keen ability to spot lies. He tells her that she is scheduled to meet with Patty on Saturday. Ellen is confused, thinking that this interview was when she would meet Patty. Ellen tells Tom that her sister's wedding is on Saturday. Tom tells her to work around it. It was later revealed that Patty knew of the connection between Ellen and her brother's fiancee, Katie Connor, and hence hired Ellen to get to Katie. Patty successfully manipulates Katie to testify against Arthur Frobisher, and manages to dispel Ellen's suspicion of the true motive behind Patty hiring her as an associate by putting up an elaborate act of firing Tom Shayes and then secretly cooperating with him to fool Ellen into thinking that there wasn't any hidden agenda behind Patty's decision to hire her
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