Mike Ross: Breaking Law, Helping Clifford

In the TV show *Suits*, Mike Ross is a former lawyer and junior partner at Specter Litt, who works alongside lawyer Harvey Specter. Despite not having a law degree, Ross has a photographic memory and is hired by Specter as his associate. In the show's fifth season, Ross is arrested for conspiracy to commit fraud and is involved in a trial against the U.S. Attorney's Office for his illegal practising of law. Ross helps Clifford Danner, a student who was wrongfully imprisoned for a murder he did not commit, by freeing him from jail. Ross breaks the law to help Danner by testifying at his trial, despite not being a lawyer.

Mike and Harvey broke into an apartment

Mike Ross and Harvey Specter broke into an apartment. This was not the first time the pair had broken the law, but it was a significant moment in their working relationship.

The pair worked together at the law firm, Pearson Hardman, where Mike Ross was a junior associate and Harvey Specter was a senior partner. Mike had an impressive memory but had not attended law school. This was a secret that Harvey was willing to protect, even threatening to leave the firm if Mike was fired for his lack of qualifications.

In the case of Clifford Danner, a student who was wrongfully imprisoned for murder, Mike and Harvey broke into the apartment of "the guy". This was presumably done to gather evidence to help free Clifford, who had been in jail for 12 years for a murder he did not commit.

Mike and Harvey's working relationship was a close one, with Mike devoted to Harvey, and Harvey acting as a mentor and older brother figure to Mike. However, their relationship was tested when Mike's secret was revealed, and they were both implicated in fraud.

Mike and Harvey withheld evidence

In the season 5 episode "Tick Tock", Mike Ross and Harvey Specter withhold evidence from the court. Clifford Danner, a student who was wrongfully imprisoned for a murder he did not commit, had been freed by Harvey Specter, who proved his innocence. However, Danner was killed, and his mother, Gloria, was called to testify in his stead. She told the court that she wished Mike had been her son's lawyer from the beginning and that she wouldn't have cared if he was a fraud because he was "the only lawyer [she] ran into who gave a damn about [her] son".

Mike and Harvey's actions in helping Clifford Danner can be seen as a form of withholding evidence, as they knew about Danner's innocence but did not disclose this information to the court. This is further evidenced by the fact that Danner's mother, Gloria, testifies on Mike's behalf, stating that he was the only lawyer who cared about her son. This implies that Mike and Harvey may have worked behind the scenes to help secure Danner's release, without revealing all the details of their involvement to the court.

Throughout the series, Mike and Harvey's relationship is tested by their mutual secret—that Mike doesn't have a law degree—and their efforts to keep this information hidden often lead them to cross ethical boundaries. In the case of Clifford Danner, their actions in withholding evidence can be seen as a form of witness tampering or obstruction of justice. By helping Danner without disclosing all the details of their involvement, they may have interfered with the legal process and prevented the truth from being revealed.

In addition, Mike's decision to represent himself in his own trial, with Harvey's assistance, further complicates their situation. Their plan to have Mike represent himself may have been a strategic move to buy them time and influence the outcome of the trial. However, it also raises ethical concerns, as they are using their legal knowledge and powers of persuasion to manipulate the court and potentially avoid the consequences of their actions.

The specific details of the evidence withheld by Mike and Harvey in the case of Clifford Danner are not explicitly stated in the sources provided. However, it can be inferred that their actions involved some form of witness tampering, obstruction of justice, or strategic manipulation of the legal process to achieve their desired outcome.

Mike and Harvey intimidated a witness

In the season 5 episode "Tick Tock", Mike Ross and Harvey Specter broke the law by intimidating a witness. In the episode, Mike is on trial for conspiracy to commit fraud. As the trial progresses, Mike and Harvey realise they need to pull out all the stops to ensure a favourable verdict.

In a previous season, Mike and Harvey had helped free Clifford Danner, a student who was wrongfully imprisoned for a murder he did not commit. Clifford was killed a few weeks before Mike's trial, so his mother, Gloria, testifies on his behalf. She tells the court that Mike was "the only lawyer I ran into who gave a damn about my son".

During the trial, Mike decides to go off-script in his closing argument, admitting that he is guilty of being a fraud. He explains that he became a lawyer to help people but instead spent his career "putting money into the hands of rich people". As the prosecutor delivers her closing statement, Mike imagines the jury finding him guilty.

Mike's boss, Jessica, is worried about leaving the firm's fate to the jury, so she orders Harvey to get a mistrial by any means necessary. When Harvey fails to do so, Jessica loses her nerve and visits Gibbs to make a deal. She is told that without proof of Harvey's involvement, there is no deal.

Later that night, Gibbs shows up at Mike's apartment with two offers: plead guilty and serve two years, or plead guilty with no jail time if he provides evidence to prosecute his friends. Rachel, who is present, indicates that she wants Mike to take the second option. However, she is frustrated that Mike doesn't seem to have faith in his performance in court.

In the end, Mike and Harvey's lack of communication leads to them working against each other. Mike, dreading prison, decides to take matters into his own hands and goes to Gibbs' office to accept the deal.

Mike and Harvey bribed a juror

In the Suits season 5 episode "Tick Tock", Mike Ross and Harvey Specter are in a race against time as Mike's trial speeds along. In a bid to save their client, Mike and Harvey bribed a juror in an attempt to sway the verdict in their favour.

With the clock ticking, Mike and Harvey devised a plan for Mike to represent himself in court. As part of this strategy, Mike called Clifford Danner's mother to the stand. Clifford, a student who had been wrongfully imprisoned for murder due to buried evidence, was freed by Mike and Harvey in the first season of Suits. Unfortunately, Clifford had been killed a few weeks prior to the events of "Tick Tock", so his mother, Gloria, testified on his behalf. She expressed that she wished Mike had been her son's lawyer from the outset and that she wouldn't have cared if he was a fraud because Mike was the only lawyer who showed concern for her son.

Following Gloria's emotional testimony, Mike delivered his closing argument. He deviated from the script, opting for a more sincere approach. He acknowledged his guilt in being a fraud and confessed his desire to become a lawyer to help people. However, he lamented that his legal career had primarily benefited wealthy individuals. As the prosecutor, Anita Gibbs, presented her closing statement, Mike began to imagine the jury finding him guilty. Unable to shake this vision, he decided to remain in the courtroom until the jury returned with a verdict.

Fearing the potential outcome, Jessica, a senior partner at the firm, instructed Harvey to secure a mistrial by any means. Initially, Harvey attempted to obtain the jury's names through blackmail and coercion, but these efforts proved futile. Consequently, Harvey and Mike resorted to more drastic measures—they bribed a juror.

While the specifics of the bribery are not explicitly stated, it is implied that Harvey and Mike influenced one of the jurors to sway the verdict in their favour. This act of bribery demonstrates the characters' desperation to avoid the consequences of Mike's fraudulent activities and underscores the ethical dilemmas they faced throughout the series.

Mike practised law without a license

Mike Ross practised law without a license. He was hired by Harvey Specter, a senior partner at Pearson Hardman, as an associate lawyer, despite Mike not having graduated from college or having a law degree. Mike was able to convince Harvey to hire him anyway with his expansive knowledge of the law and photographic memory.

Mike's secret was almost revealed on multiple occasions. When Mike's old friend Trevor, who knew about his lack of a law degree, revealed to Jessica Pearson the truth about Mike's history, Harvey threatened to leave Pearson Hardman if Mike was fired, and so his position was secured. Later, when Mike's childhood sweetheart Tess visited him at the firm, his secret was almost exposed again. Mike's job was put under threat once more when Daniel Hardman returned, as he was searching for something to hold against both Jessica and Harvey.

Mike's secret was eventually exposed by Louis Litt, who leveraged the information to become a name partner, forming Pearson Specter Litt. Mike was arrested for conspiracy to commit fraud and was involved in a trial against the U.S. Attorney's Office for his illegal practising of law. Although the verdict was not guilty, Mike pleaded guilty before the official verdict and was incarcerated.

Mike was able to get an early release from prison by helping to keep Frank Gallo behind bars and have insider trader William Sutter arrested. After his release, he became a legal consultant and supervisor at the Eastside Legal Clinic in Queens, although his time there was brief as he attempted to get accepted into the New York State Bar to become a legitimate lawyer.

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