David E. Kelley takes new case to networks

By Nellie Andreeva

LOS ANGELES (Hollywood Reporter) - David E. Kelley is staying on the legal beat with a new series project.

The Emmy-winning creator of ABC's "The Practice" and Fox's "Ally McBeal" has penned a spec script for a legal drama that is being taken to the broadcast networks this week. Both CBS and NBC are said to be very high on the project.

Kelley is wrapping production on the final 13 episodes of the ABC legal comedy-drama "Boston Legal," his spinoff from "The Practice."

With the departure of "Boston Legal," fledging ABC supernatural drama "Eli Stone" will be the only representative of the classic legal genre on broadcast TV.

The genre's presence is much stronger on basic cable with FX's acclaimed thriller "Damages" and TNT's courtroom drama "Raising the Bar," which hails from Steven Bochco, who collaborated with Kelley on a couple of series, including "L.A. Law."

Reuters/Hollywood Reporter