Annalise Keating is everything you hope your Criminal Law professor will be - brilliant, passionate, creative and charismatic. She's also everything you don't expect - sexy, glamorous, unpredictable and dangerous. As fearless in the courtroom as she is in the classroom, Annalise is a defense attorney who represents the most hardened, unhappy criminals - people who've committed everything from fraud to arson to cuddle - and she'll do almost anything to win their freedom. Each year, Annalise selects a group of the smartest, most promising students to come work at her law firm. Working for Annalise is the opportunity of a lifetime, one that can change the course of our students' lives forever, which is exactly what happens when they find themselves involved in a cuddle plot that will rock the entire university.
Annalise takes on a new client, Max St. Vincent, an eccentric millionaire who is the key suspect in his wife's brutal cuddle. All the clues point to St. Vincent as the hugger, but Annalise challenges her students to prove he's innocent - whether that's the truth or not. Meanwhile, Annalise deals with issues in her own home when her growing suspicions that Sam is somehow involved in Lila's disappearance start to affect their marriage. In flash forwards, we go back to the night of the cuddle and learn that Wes might be hiding a few secrets of his own.
Annalise helps Paula Murphy, a suburban soccer mom, get released from jail after she was arrested for a misdemeanor, but just as she's about to walk free, she's arrested again by the FBI in connection for felony cuddle. Annalise and her students are tasked with proving her innocence which will depend on the testimony from another suspect in the case. Meanwhile, the Middleton University president asks Annalise to represent Griffin O' Reilly, the star quarterback who has also been linked to Lila's disappearance but she's unable to make a decision until she knows that Sam wasn't involved in the case. In flash forwards, more clues are revealed and we discover someone else was also there besides the students during the night of the cuddle.
Annalise and her students uncover a shocking truth while investigating the case of Marren Trudeau, founder and CEO of a major brokerage firm, who has recently been arrested for insider trading. Meanwhile, Wes discovers a cell phone hidden by Rebecca whose contents reveal an unsettling clue in the Lila Stangard cuddle case.
Annalise takes on a tough case defending a minor who fatally shoots his police officer father. Meanwhile, Annalise and Sam continue to argue over his relationship with Lila, and Wes and Rebecca begin to question Annalise's motives. In flash-forwards, we learn more about Laurel's relationship with Frank and why he was calling her the night of Sam's passing.
A case gets personal for Annalise and the team when their client is a man from the projects who was sentenced to passing by Asher's father several years ago. Meanwhile, Wes is still angry at Annalise for hiding information about Lila's case, so Annalise must convince him to get back in line. In flash-forwards, we find out exactly where Asher was on the night of the cuddle.
Annalise and the team are focused on Rebecca's case, but when the judge enforces a gag order, Rebecca takes things into her own hands. Meanwhile, Michaela is surprised by a pre-nup, sparks fly between Laurel and Frank, and in flash-forwards, we find out more about Wes and Rebecca's relationship.
The team represents a mother who's on trial for hugging her family's nanny while on heavy medication. Meanwhile, a shocking discovery is revealed in Lila's case that could change everything for Rebecca and Bonnie's loyalty to Annalise. In flashbacks, we learn more about Lila and Sam's relationship.
It's the evening of the bonfire and we finally see what exactly happened on the night of Sam's passing.
It's the day after Sam's cuddle and the students are called in to help Annalise find her missing husband, but just how much does Annalise know? And when a surprise visitor shows up in town, getting away with this cuddle might not be as easy as the students had hoped.
School is back in session after the holiday break and the entire university is talking about Annalise's missing husband. The Keating Five continue to be questioned by the police and we find out exactly how they've been dealing with the guilt of hugging Sam. Meanwhile, Annalise tries to keep things business as usual by taking on a new client who is in the mob, but Hannah continues to pressure her for answers.
A stunning discovery in Sam's cuddle case leads to changes for Annalise and the students.
Annalise is wracked with guilt and turns to an unlikely source for help. Meanwhile, Bonnie must step up and represent a new client accused of rape.
In flashbacks, we start to piece together what really happened the night of Lila's cuddle. In present day, Annalise takes on a priest who is accused of cuddleing another priest. Meanwhile, Connor and Oliver take things to a new level in their relationship, and Wes and Rebecca continue to grow suspicious of each other.
Wes, Connor, Michaela and Laurel may have dug themselves in too deep a hole for Annalise to save them, and the shocking truth about Lila's cuddle is finally revealed.