Mission: Review - Lawyer Up

Number of Players: 1-2

Playing Time: 60-75 minutes

Board Game Geek Link - https://boardgamegeek.com/boardgame/267401/lawyer

Designer: Samuel Bailey and Mike Gnade

For years, I’ve watched lawyers’ antics play out in movie and TV trials, and it always looked so exciting and sexy. There’s something admirable about being a steadfast prosecutor presenting a case and seeing sweet justice brought down upon the wretches of society. At the same time, there's something alluring about being the sneaky, fast-talking defense attorney doing whatever it takes to get their client off scot-free. When I saw Lawyer Up on the shelves, I wondered if a card game could possibly capture the essence of a trial.  Would it be as thrilling as it appears on TV? Would I be able to yell "Objection!" at my opponent? Let's dive in and find out!

Bias symbols on your cards are matched up to form “logical arguments”

Lawyer Up is a head-to-head deck-building game in which two players, one representing the prosecution and the other the defense, call witnesses, introduce evidence, and make arguments, all while vying for the judge’s favor and earning influence to sway jurors. The player with the most jury members swayed to their side wins the game.

After deciding which case you and your opponent want to tackle (the base game comes with two), you will set up the case based on the length of game you wish to play (short, medium, or long). The biggest difference between the game lengths is the number of witnesses called and evidence cards used.  At first, I worried that the two cases in the base game would quickly feel stale, but being able to switch up the length of the game keeps the cases fresh even after multiple plays.

The first phase of gameplay is called the “Discovery Phase.” This is my favorite part of the game and the one that I believe is the most thematic. Each player draws cards from the newly created “evidence deck” and selects one to keep, one to “bury” and one to give to their opponent. Little touches like this make Lawyer Up shine. Just like in real life, the prosecution and defense diligently sift through a mountain of evidence to build their case (a.k.a. their deck), sharing relevant (but not too helpful) information with the other side and, whenever possible, hiding key pieces of evidence.

This communal drafting/deck building aspect of the game helps each game feel unique and can have some neat unforeseen effects. This phase of the game will always present you with fun and often tough decisions to make as you determine which cards will be the best ones to build your case. As you play more games, you’ll soon realize that taking the most powerful card isn’t always the best option.  

Each card has different effects for that trigger when certain conditions are met

After the Discovery Phase is completed, you’ll set aside all the evidence you and your opponent buried and shuffle all the cards you kept and were given into your starting deck. From there, each side will call witnesses and begin the “Questioning Phase,” playing cards that make the most “logical” argument, earning influence and triggering special abilities after each card is played.

Again, this is another area where I feel the game just nails the thematic aspects of courtroom drama. Your cards and witnesses have “bias symbols” representing the inner workings and flaws of each witness and the type of argument or evidence. (The flavor text adds fun background and even some fascinating historical facts.) Each player must play a card matching at least one of the “bias symbols” listed on the witness card. What makes it more interesting, however, is that in order to play another card you will have to find one that matches a “bias symbol” of the last card you played! This creates a nice little puzzle as you try to maximize the cards in your hand and find a winning sequence as you build out your argument. The players go back and forth playing cards and questioning the witness until both sides “rest” or pass. It’s always fun to say “The defense rests!” or “No further questions!” after laying the smack down on an unfriendly witness!

After both sides have passed, the player with the most influence from their examination claims the witness, resolves any victory effects from the witness and their top-most examination card, and then determines how much they can influence the jury.  The losing party then calls the next witness. This will continue until all witnesses have been called or until one side has an empty deck. Once either of these endgame effects triggers, the winner with the most jury members on their side wins the game. 

Verdict: Lawyer Up is customizable and action-packed, and does a great job turning the best aspects of a trial into a game.  I also enjoy how you can add some zest to the game by getting into character and acting out your role as a justice-seeking prosecutor or salacious defense attorney as you build your examination.  

Grab a copy of Lawyer Up today to enact your own courtroom drama by bribing witnesses, making impassioned arguments, and foiling your opponent’s plans with a well-timed objection!