Shondaland Legal Drama Gets Pilot Order at ABC

Untitled drama hails from “Scandal” writer Paul William Davies

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ABC

ABC has given a pilot order to a new Shondaland legal drama, TheWrap has learned.

The pilot, from “Scandal” writer Paul William Davies, will be set in the Southern District of New York Federal Court, aka “The Mother Court.” It will follow brand new lawyers working on opposite sides — for both the defense and the prosecution — as they handle the most high profile and high stakes cases in the country, all as their personal lives intersect.

Davies will serve as writer and executive producer on the project from ABC Studios, alongside Shondaland’s Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers.

This is ABC’s third pilot order of the season, following the Reba McEntire-led crime drama from “Desperate Housewives” and “Devious Maids” creator Marc Cherry. The network also has the comedy “Libby and Malcolm,” starring Felicity Huffman and Courtney B. Vance, from “black-ish” creator Kenya Baris and Vijal Patel.

The network also recently handed a 10-episode straight-to-series to the murder drama “Somewhere Between” from writer and executive producer Stephen Tolkin.

ABC currently has four series from Shondaland on the air, “The Catch,” “How to Get Away With Murder,” “Scandal” and the long-running “Grey’s Anatomy.” The “Romeo and Juliet” sequel series — which had previously been titled “Still Star-Crossed” — was expected to premiere at midseason, but did not appear on the schedule.

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