Roman J. Israel is a lawyer earning $500 a week at a small law firm in Los Angeles. In his two-partner office, Israel is responsible for preparing briefs, often focusing on the civil rights of their defendants, while William Jackson, the firm's founder and a well-respected professor, focuses on the courtroom appearances that Israel struggles with. Israel has spent years developing a brief that he believes will bring reform to the unfair use of plea bargaining to induce guilty pleas in the justice system. Though short on social skills, Israel is gifted with a phenomenal memory as well as strong personal convictions, which he has pursued at the expense of family.

Jackson suffers a fatal heart attack. The firm is broke and will close, all to be handled by Jackson's former student, George Pierce. Pierce, who greatly admired Jackson and is impressed by Israel's legal mind, offers a job at his own large firm. Israel initially rejects this offer, believing that Pierce is simply a greedy lawyer. Israel meets Maya during a job interview at a local activist network. The interview does not go well, but Maya asks him to speak at an upcoming meeting organizing a protest. Struggling to find a job elsewhere, Israel reluctantly takes up Pierce's job offer.

Israel is a poor fit at his new firm, clashing with senior partner Jesse Salinas over a joke Salinas makes about battered women. After attempting to interest Pierce in his brief, Israel is disappointed to be assigned to handle clients. One such client is Derrell Ellerbee, a young man arrested for murder, who tells Israel that he is willing to divulge the whereabouts of the actual shooter, Carter "CJ" Johnson, and will testify against him. Israel goes behind Pierce's back to negotiate a plea deal with the district attorney. The prosecutor rejects his offer and hangs up on Israel after he insults her unsympathetic counter-offer. No deal is struck and Ellerbee is murdered as a snitch.

On the same evening, Israel is berated by Pierce for mishandling of Ellerbee's case, then is mugged by a homeless man he attempted to help. He becomes downcast and cynical, illegally using the information he received from Ellerbee to anonymously collect the $100,000 reward for Johnson's location. Israel indulges in luxuries he had previously eschewed. Pierce apologizes to Israel for berating him earlier and for forcing him out of the shadows, accepting that he thrives working behind the scenes as he did at his old firm. Maya calls Israel to ask him out on a date, where she shares some of her struggles with idealism and thanks Israel for his inspiring her. Pierce invites Israel to a game, where he shares some of his big plans for their future at the firm.

Pierce calls Israel to meet a new client arrested for murder. Before the meeting, Pierce resumes the conversation from the game stating that Israel's dedication to justice has touched him, and that he is reorganizing the firm to take on pro bono cases handled by Israel. Pierce offers to work with Israel on his brief. Israel, still a bit despondent, is unmoved by these developments. They go in to see the client, who turns out to be Johnson. Meeting Israel in jail, Johnson accuses him of divulging privileged communications to collect the reward money, and resolves to torment Israel with the threat of jail time or death. Israel suffers a breakdown in which he becomes a law unto himself becoming both the lawyer and the defendant in one and judges his own actions as unlawful. Renouncing his momentary transgression, Israel goes home and returns the reward money with a note apologizing for taking it in the first place. He reconciles with Maya and Pierce, and tries to motivate them to pursue their inner sense of justice. He tells Pierce that he is turning himself in to the police for his crime. As Israel starts walking to a nearby station, he is shot and killed by one of Johnson's henchmen.

In the aftermath, Maya is seen to be renewed in her activism efforts, while Pierce files Israel's brief, in both their names, intent on continuing his efforts to reform the justice system. 1

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