Street Legal - Pilot Episode

Television (Full Length) – 1998

One of a trio of crime-based pilots from the late 1990s, Street Legal was the only one that went on to become a TV series. This feature-length pilot provides a stylish big city template for the series to follow. Auckland criminal lawyer and no-nonsense Casanova David Silesi (Jay Laga'aia, fresh from Australian show Water Rats) enlists the help of an extremely forward journalist (Mercy Peak's Sara Wiseman). His hope is to win an out-of-court settlement over a hit and run case. Meanwhile Silesi's lawyer girlfriend (Katherine Kennard) smells something fishy — with good reason. Street Legal would ultimately run for four seasons.

[The character] was specifically created with actor, Jay Laga'aia, in mind. David is a showman and loves the ‘performance’ of the courtroom. Never one to bury his head in a legal tome, he relies on his common touch to win over juries — he can be charming, persuasive and quick on his feet. If he’s a hero, it’s almost an accident, a consequence of following his heart.
– The Street Legal website, on Jay Laga'aia's character, lawyer David Silesi