All the References to Suits in Suits LA

Suits LA brought viewers into the fast-paced, high-stakes world of entertainment law.

Under the leadership of Ted Black (Stephen Amell), Hollywood’s fiercest attorneys used every tactic at their disposal to keep their elite list of clients happy. 

But the NBC series, which aired its series finale Sunday, also served as a vehicle to pay homage to its much-loved predecessor, Suits. Whether it was repeated drop-ins by the legend himself, Harvey Specter (Gabriel Macht), or well-placed easter eggs to reward the series’ most devoted fans, Suits LA found plenty of creative ways to honor the OG series, which wrapped up in 2019.

In case you may have missed the subtle nods to some of Suits’ favorite characters or cutthroat moves, here is a list of all the references Suits LA made to the original series during its run: 

Ted Makes His First Mention of Harvey Specter 

It didn’t take long for the nostalgia to begin. Fans learned early on how the worlds of Suits and Suits LA were connected after private investigator Kevin (Troy Winbush) picked up a photo of Harvey and Ted in Episode 2 during a conversation with Ted. The two attorneys were happily posing together in matching baseball shirts, giving fans their first clue that Ted and Harvey shared more than just matching “cocky” attitudes. 

Harvey Specter Uses His Connections at the DA’s Office

Fans wouldn’t learn just how deep the friendship between Ted and Harvey went until Episode 4, when Harvey popped up for the first time in a flashback to Ted’s days as a federal prosecutor in New York City. Over a drink of pricey whiskey, Harvey proved once again there was no problem he couldn’t get to the bottom of after using his former connections at the DA’s office to determine there was a mole in Ted’s office feeding notorious mobster Pellegrini (Anthony Azizi) info about Ted’s case. 

The plotline played homage to Harvey’s time as an Assistant District Attorney working under Cameron Dennis (Gary Cole) before he joined Pearson Hardman. By the time Suits began, Harvey’s days at the DA’s office were behind him, but the series made frequent references to his time as a prosecutor, including multiple occasions in the series where he went head-to-head with his former mentor, Cameron. 

Harvey Sets His Aim at Daniel Hardman

A legal hero is nothing without a worthy adversary. For Harvey, that role was often filled on Suits by Pearson Hardman’s calculating former managing partner Daniel Hardman (David Costabile). Harvey found one more opportunity to stick it to his nemesis in Episode 8 of Suits LA as part of another series of flashbacks that saw a determined Ted trying to put Pellegrini behind bars. Harvey stepped in to help strengthen Ted’s racketeering case against the notorious mob boss by secretly passing him the financial data from one of Hardman’s clients and then giving Ted the solution for how to get Hardman to unwittingly testify against his own clients.

It was just par for the course for Harvey, who spent much of the original series finding ways to outwit the manipulative Hardman.

Daniel Hardman Mentions His Wife’s Illness

Fans got another reminder of the rivalry between the two men at the top of Episode 9 as Hardman took the stand to testify in Pellegrini’s trial. Hardman mentioned that he hadn’t practiced law “in several years” because of his wife Alicia’s ailing health.

Alicia’s battle with cancer was what once gave Harvey and Jessica Pearson (Gina Torres) the ammunition they needed to oust Hardman from the firm in Suits. The pair threatened to tell his dying wife that he was having an affair—and had spent a fair share of money he’d stolen from the firm to keep his mistress happy—unless he agreed to step down from the firm. Hardman left under the guise that he needed time to care for his wife in an effort to maintain his reputation.

A Shout Out to Donna 

Harvey’s all-knowing secretary turned wife Donna Paulsen (Sarah Rafferty) may not have appeared in person in the spin-off, but she did get her own subtle shout out in Episode 9. As Ted and Harvey were preparing in the present day to go to New York to take Pellegrini down once and for all, Harvey took a jab at Ted’s sweatpants and Ted shot back “They’re Donna’s,” subtly assuring fans that Donna is still very much a part of Harvey’s life and, as we learn later, the couple share a son.

Mississippi Burning

Ted and Harvey planned to take Pellegrini down with a tried and true strategy Harvey first used in Season 1 of Suits. The strategy, borrowed from the film Mississippi Burning, centers on convincing the weaker of two guilty defendants to turn on the other. That’s exactly what Harvey and Mike Ross (Patrick J. Adams) did in Suits to get wrongfully convicted Clifford Danner (Neil Brown Jr.) out of prison. 

Ted even repeats the advice Harvey once gave him, using the exact words Harvey said to Mike in Suits: “Sometimes good guys have to do bad things to make the bad guys pay.” 

Nod to Suits’ Adversary Turned Ally, Sean Cahill

Attentive Suits fans likely also caught a reference in Episode 9 to Sean Cahill (Neal McDonough), Harvey’s frequent adversary turned ally at the Securities and Exchange Commission in the original series. While talking about how to turn Pellegrini’s second in command against him, Ted remarked that Harvey could then take the informant “to your guy, Cahill.” Although Harvey noted that wasn’t an option this time around, Cahill played an instrumental role in getting Mike out of prison in Season 6 of the OG series.

Marcus Specter’s Tragic Fate Revealed

After Ted and Harvey were victorious in sending Pellegrini back to prison, the two shared a celebratory meal and Harvey confided in Ted that he lost his brother Marcus Specter (Billy Miller) to cancer a few years earlier. Marcus—a recovering gambling addict and restaurateur—frequently popped up on Suits, particularly as Harvey tried to work things out with his mom (Brynn Thayer). 

Tragically, Miller passed away himself in 2023. Episode 9 of Suits LA was dedicated to his memory. 

Louis Litt Returns, Highlights Best Feuding Moments with Harvey

Harvey wasn’t the only Suits star to make an appearance in Los Angeles. Rick Hoffman’s Louis Litt faced off with—and later befriended—criminal defense attorney Stuart Lane (Josh McDermitt) in Episode 12. The pair aptly met at an “hostility mitigation program,” which saw each man trying to conquer their rage issues. 

Litt proved he was still the same petty and insecure, yet somehow endearing, attorney as the two men got into an argument during a group therapy session about who had suffered more ridicule from their best friend slash law partner. Louis was of course referring to Harvey, and tried to win the battle of who had it the worst by mentioning that Harvey slept with his “super hot” sister and threw him through a table. 

It was a reference to Suits’ Season 5 episode, “Hitting Home,” which brought the return of Louis’ sister Esther Litt (Amy Acker). Earlier that season, Harvey helped Esther—the owner of a Martha Stewart-like home and lifestyle company—negotiate her divorce, but he also couldn’t resist sleeping with her. In “Hitting Home” an enraged Louis found out about what he perceived as Harvey’s betrayal and confronted him, bringing up Harvey’s own family issues in the process. Harvey reacted by punching Louis and then throwing him through a glass table in a rare unhinged moment for Harvey.

Nod to Sheila Sazs

With the pettiness out of the way, Stuart and Louis eventually got serious in the group session about what really brought them to the anger management retreat and Stuart revealed he was living in fear after a dangerous client threatened his life and family. 

It was here that Louis dropped a subtle reference to the love of his life, no-nonsense college recruiter Sheila Sazs. Although he didn’t reference her by name, Louis told the group he had “everything I’ve ever wanted” including a beautiful wife, two children and his own law firm. Life wasn’t totally perfect, however. He did get sent to the anger management seminar after someone made fun of his family (more specifically his cat Alice) and he punched them.

Louis and Sheila memorably tied the knot in the Suits final episode, just as the heavily pregnant Sheila went into labor with their first child, daughter Lucy.

Louis Litt’s Mugging

Stuart and Louis finally found some common ground and bonded after Louis opened up  about his own past trauma getting mugged at gunpoint in Season 8 of Suits. 

Fans will recall Louis had been on his way to meet an important client, when his attacker forced him into an alley, told him to get on his knees and demanded he hand over his wallet and phone. When Louis resisted, the mugger began to beat and kick him. Louis tried to keep the incident a secret, fearing it would make him look “weak,” but the truth eventually came out and Harvey and his chosen family at the firm helped get him through it.

Louis Litt’s Love for Mudding

Any good Suits fan knows going mudding is Louis’ favorite way to relax and no reunion with Louis would be complete without at least one reference to it. 

Louis not only mentioned it in Suits LA, but he and Stuart enjoyed the spa treatment together while pledging to be “federale friends” for life, a term Louis used to refer to a friend who would drop everything to get you out of a Mexican prison.

Louis memorably had to give up his favorite pastime, at least temporarily, in Suits eighth season after learning it could be impacting his ability to conceive with Sheila. 

To relive all the glory of both Suits and Suits LA, stream episodes of both series on Peacock.