FIRST LOOK Counsels

A new high-stakes legal drama about a group of twentysomething lawyers in Glasgow.

BBC One has released a first look at its new eight-part high-stakes legal drama Counsels, from Bryan Elsley, the co-creator of Skins, and BBC Writers Drama Room graduate Gillian McCormack.

Set and filmed in Glasgow, the eight-part series follows the lives of a group of twentysomething lawyers in Glasgow in the crucial moment when, a few years out of university, their careers finally become serious.

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Counsels navigates their sometimes complex and messy lives whilst exploring the challenging yet thrilling world of their profession.

Working across the legal landscape, whether as public prosecutors, slick representatives of glossier commercial interests or the shabby and good-hearted last resort of those with nothing left to lose, each one of them is out to win.

They are colleagues jostling for promotion, lovers trying to hold onto one another as ambitions accelerate and pure adversaries professionally and personally. And now’s the time things are going to catch fire.

Starring as the young lawyers are Brandon Grace as Jamie, Ro Kumar as Bav, Eilidh Park as Nadine, George Prentice as Alasdair, Alyth Ross as Katie and Rebecca Bell as Karina.

The series also stars Michelle Gomez, Derek Riddell, Laura Haddock, Daniela Nardini, Michael Nardone, Sally Howitt, Stuart Bowman, Neshla Caplan and Stephen Purdon.

Made by Balloon Entertainment in association with Banijay Rights, in co-production with ZDFneo, and supported by Screen Scotland, Counsels is co-created, written and executive produced by Bryan Elsley and Gillian McCormack, with further episodes written by Maryam Hamidi and Jingan Young.

It's produced by Brian Kaczynski, directed by Lynsey Miller and Siri Rødnes, and executive produced by Gaynor Holmes and Stephanie Fyfe for the BBC, Gavin Smith for BBC Scotland and Daniel Donnelly and Dave Evans for Balloon.

Counsels will air in early 2027 on BBC One