In 1941, a young African-American lawyer named Thurgood Marshall (Chadwick Boseman) partners with a young Jewish lawyer Sam Friedman (Josh Gad). They take on the case of a black chauffeur, Joseph Spell (Sterling K. Brown), who has been accused by his wealthy socialite employer Eleanor Strubing (Kate Hudson) of sexual assault and attempted murder.

Based on the true story of Thurgood Marshall, who became the first African-American Supreme Court Justice.