Jim Steele is a Deputy Bureau Chief Assistant District Attorney whose best friend, Mike Randolph, was murdered by drug dealers. (Conviction: "Pilot") Jim is strong-willed and was determined to avenge his friend's death. He is shown to have an adversarial relationship with Cabot, after she decides to plead out his friend's murderer. Jim is tough on his subordinates, but he is secretly proud of them. He was having an affair with Jessica Rossi, which was private until the media exploited it in an attempt by a woman on trial to detract from Steele's credibility and portray him in a negative light.