The Netflix streaming sensation The Lincoln Lawyer is the latest Hollywood creation that has been taking the world by storm, with the acclaimed legal drama starring Manuel Garcia-Rulfo as idealistic criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller, as he operates out of his Lincoln Town Car and attempts to make a positive difference in the lives of his clients in Los Angeles. The smash hit series currently has two knockout seasons with a third set to premiere in October, and it is the second adaptation of the popular Michael Connelly novels.

The charismatic Matthew McConaughey had previously starred in the 2011 legal thriller of the same name, giving his own unique and impressive spin on the literary character and helping the film become both a success with critics and moviegoers. The 2022 Netflix series has also dominated the streaming site and served up some truly spectacular viewing numbers, becoming the platform’s latest hit and attracting appreciation from fans of the novel and lovers of the riveting genre itself. Many can’t help but wonder if both the show and Haller himself are based on a true story, so let’s dive in and explore the origins of The Lincoln Lawyer.

Two Compelling Hollywood Adaptations

Crime beat writer-turned-bestselling author Michael Connelly has penned an impressive 38 novels and has sold over 74 million copies of his books worldwide, and is the genius mind behind popular literary characters like criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller and LAPD Detective Hieronymus “Harry” Bosch. Both unforgettable protagonists have been given the Hollywood treatment, with Haller being the focus of both a successful silver-screen adaptation as well as a knockout television series on Netflix.

In the 2011 film The Lincoln Lawyer, Oscar-winner Matthew McConaughey portrayed the Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Mickey Haller, who operates out of his Lincoln Town Car that is driven by a client attempting to pay off his legal fees via his chauffeur services. The charismatic Haller spends most of his time representing low-level crooks and criminals, yet lands the case of a lifetime when he is tasked with defending a Beverly Hills hotshot accused of attempted murder. The legal thriller proved to be both a critical and commercial hit, grossing over $87 million at the box office and earning praise for McConaughey’s commanding performance.

11 years after McConaughey starred as the earnest character, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo took over the role of the brilliant Mickey Haller, appearing alongside Neve Campbell, Becki Newton, and Jazz Raycole in the Netflix adaptation of the popular series. The legal drama features Michael Connelly as an executive producer and has become a certified streaming hit, with Garcia-Rulfo’s endearing portrayal dazzling audiences and leading to the iteration having two lauded seasons under its belt and a third installment set to make its highly-anticipated premiere on October 17, 2024.

The Inspiration Behind Mickey Haller

Though The Lincoln Lawyer is not technically based on a true story, author Michael Connelly did in fact largely base the fictional character of Mickey Haller on a real-life person, the late Los Angeles attorney David Ogden. Connelly was inspired to create the lead protagonist of his bestselling series after being introduced to Ogden by a mutual friend at a baseball game, during which he learned that Ogden did not have a traditional office but instead ran his practice out of his Lincoln car. Not only did Ogden serve as inspiration, but so did Florida-based lawyer Dan Daly, whom Connelly had met when they were both writers at the Daytona Beach News-Journal.

Daly felt compelled to pursue a career as a defense attorney after leaving the publication, and Connelly took notice of the work that Daly did and how he was constantly on the clock and pursuing every angle and avenue when it came to his many complex cases. Connelly was able to learn first-hand about the effort and energy that went into being a lawyer and the full-time commitment it required, molding his character Mickey Haller to have characteristics of both successful men. In 2022, Daly reminisced about his time with Connelly and told Tudum:

“When Mike [Connelly] moved to Tampa around 2001, I think, I routinely invited him to join my partner, Roger Mills, and I for cocktails after work. Roger and I and other lawyers who joined us would tell war stories about cases we handled because that’s what lawyers do when they get together. Mike paid attention and took notes on napkins.”

While Mickey Haller was heavily inspired by both David Ogden and Dan Daly, the passionate and tenacious lawyer is largely his own person and has fantastically been portrayed by both Matthew McConaughey and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo. According to Connelly, he wanted the headstrong Haller to be a lawyer “doing the right thing at great risk to himself and his family” and was also inspired by Atticus Finch from Harper Lee’s acclaimed literary masterpiece To Kill a Mockingbird. All of these elements have helped establish Mickey Haller as a compelling and root-worthy protagonist that fans all across the world have become enamored by.

Netflix’s Successful Streaming Hit

Upon its worldwide debut on Netflix on May 13, 2022, The Lincoln Lawyer was a smash hit on the juggernaut platform, going on to become the streaming site’s most-watched English-language series globally within just a week of its release and racking up over 108 million viewing hours (outperforming the second-place program by more than three times). Throughout the ensuing month, the legal drama was watched 260.53 million hours globally, both of which swiftly helped the quotable series become a bona fide television triumph and a must-watch of fans of both the film and series as well as the gripping genre.

The first season of The Lincoln Lawyer earned a solid 79% Rotten Tomatoes score while its second installment fared even better with critics, garnering a sensational 91% score, with Decider commending the decorated cast and Garcia-Rulfo’s electrifying performance, writing: “Part legal drama, part relationship drama, and easily consumable in its network television-style format and tone, The Lincoln Lawyer has style and wit in addition to great chemistry between its core cast.” A third season of the riveting series is set to premiere on October 17, 2024, and devoted fans can’t wait to see what their beloved Mickey Haller will do next, in an adaptation of Michael Connelly’s The Gods of Guilt.

Stream The Lincoln Lawyer on Netflix.