GOOD KNIGHT: A Tale of Justice-Balance-Growth Part 2 of The Year of the Esquire

Ten years have passed since David Mitchell first joined Harrison, Wheeler & Chen as a bright-eyed associate with a shiny new "Esq." after his name. The Public Interest Liaison Counsel position he pioneered has evolved into the firm's acclaimed Impact Litigation Program, with David now a senior partner leading a team of attorneys who divide their time between corporate work and public interest cases. His innovative approach to law—bridging the gap between corporate defense and social justice—has made him something of a legend in legal circles, though he continues to view himself as simply a lawyer trying to do right by all his clients.

But as the firm's founding partners approach retirement and a new generation of leadership emerges, David faces new challenges that test his carefully constructed balance. A high-profile case involving environmental justice in his childhood neighborhood of Newark puts him at the center of a brewing storm, forcing him to confront the true cost of compromise and the legacy he wishes to leave behind. The Knight who once learned to wield his shield with purpose now discovers that even the most carefully forged armor has its vulnerabilities.