Netflix has formally commissioned 10 episodes of Partner Track, a 2013 adaptation of Helen Wan’s novel. Arden Cho was selected to lead the series by Georgia Lee (The Expanse). Bradley Gibson (Powerbook III: Spirit), Alexandra Turshen (Ray Donovan), Nolan Gerard Funk (The flight attendant), Dominic Sherwood (Penny Dreadful: The City of Angels), Rob Heaps (Good girls) and Matthew Rauch (Terminal Lis) also star in the series produced by Jax Media.
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Julie Anne Robinson will direct the first two episodes of Partner Track, following on from two episodes including the pilot, another Netflix drama series: the world hit Bridgerton. It earned Robinson nominations for an Emmy and a DGA award.
In Partner Track, Ingrid Yun (Cho), an idealistic young lawyer, struggles with her moral compass and passions as she struggles to climb the Partner Track in an elite New York City law firm.
“We’re excited to bring to life this story of an Asian American trying to break through the glass ceiling of an elite law firm,” said Lee.
Lee and Sarah Goldfinger (Trinkets) are serving as executive producers and co-showrunners. Kim Shumway (The 100), Tony Hernandez (Emily in Paris) of Jax Media and Kristen Campo (The L-Word Gen Q) are also executive producers. Wan is a consultant. Other directors of the series, which was shot in New York, include Tanya Wexler, Kevin Berlandi, Lily Mariye and Charles Randolph-Wright.
2020-21 Netflix pilot and series orders
“We’re proud of the incredible team that has been put together to bring Partner Track to life, a powerful story told through the eyes of our Asian-American lead character, Ingrid Yun, played by the talented Arden Cho,” said Jinny Howe, VP Original Series on Netflix. “Full of fun and romance, this is a contemporary and insightful look at the added pressure for women and those with underrepresented backgrounds in the workplace today.”
Chos Ingrid Yun is smart, wild, friendly, and eager to be the first Asian-American junior partner at Parsons Valentine, an elite white-shoe law firm in Manhattan. While Ingrid negotiates and struggles through these male power structures, she wrestles with what it means to be true to yourself.
(top LR) Sarah Goldfinger, Alexandra Turshen, Nolan Gerard, Matthew Rauch, (bottom LR) Dominic Sherwood, Bradley Gibson and Rob Heaps
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Gibson plays Tyler Robinson, a star litigation attorney for Parsons Valentine. Moral, righteous, and level-headed, Tyler is as fabulous in spirit as he is in a suit. Tyler questions his career, lifestyle, and love life as he learns what he can and can’t stand for in this cutthroat world.
Turshen plays Rachel Friedman, a hedonistic woman with a quick mouth. Indeed, astute and witty, Rachel is an incredible litigation attorney and lover. She is the life of the party that quickly realizes that its ambitions are not in the law, much to the disappointment of her family, her legal father, and most of all, herself.
Sherwood plays Jeff Murphy. With his soft English accent and even gentler charm, Murphy can talk himself into or out of anything. A mysterious sideways transfer from Parsons Valentine London, Murphy is working to prove himself in New York so he is on the right track as a junior partner.
Heaps plays Nick Laren. Nick Laren is NYC’s hottest bachelor and heir to one of the largest venture capital firms in the world. He’s the darling of the city’s high society.
Funk plays Dan Fallon. Silver spoon in mouth, gold napkin in hand, knows which fork to use on cue; Dan is the epitome of privilege and knows it.
Rauch plays Marty Adler. Marty, the senior managing partner for M&A at Parsons Valentine, is surgical, astute, and ruthless. He always knows what to do to get the best result for his client, moral or not.
Lee is currently developing other projects for Netflix. She previously wrote on The Expanse, The 100, and Carnival Row.
Robinson will direct and executive produce the Jekyll & Hyde drama series Hide, which will star and executive produce David and Georgia Tennant, who is in the works for Peacock. It is represented by LBI and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern.
What The Partner Track is taught in law schools and universities. She was represented by HG Literary on behalf of CAA on behalf of Josh Getzler.
