17 Harvey Specter 'Suits' Quotes That Could Charm A Jury

Episode: Season 1, episode 2 (“Errors and Omissions”)

After Louis twists Mike's arm into smoking marijuana to land a client, Mike tries to explain himself to Harvey who is disappointed in him being high at work. Mike claims that Louis forced him to do it because he failed a drug test. In response, Harvey asks if Louis held a gun to Mike's head, which Mike agrees is the right analogy for the situation.

Harvey turns to Mike and asks the following question: “What are your choices if someone puts a gun to your head?”

Mike claims it's either get shot or do what the assailant says. Harvey counters this, explaining how there are a number of possibilities and demonstrating to Mike how everyone always has a choice and isn't a victim of circumstance. 

Episode: Season 2, Episode 6 (“All In”)

Harvey deals in high stakes, and he isn't afraid to take mega-risks. He even takes the unconventional approach of playing a poker game to settle a case one time.

Even though Mike offers to step in for Harvey since he knows all the card odds because of his photographic memory, Harvey turns him down. Mike tries to argue, saying he's better suited for this game because of his abilities.

Harvey challenges his thinking, though, explaining that it isn't just about the game. He says, "I don't play the odds. I play the man." In this instance, he shows Mike his own superpower: knowing what makes people tick and how to get under their skin.

Episode: Season 1, episode 7 (“Play the Man”)

Mike finds himself preparing for a mock trial against Louis's protege. However, he finds himself out of his depth and reaches out to Harvey for advice on how to handle it. Harvey's suggestion? Don't go to trial.

Mike explains how that's not an option. So, Harvey quotes a principle from the Kobayashi Maru to Mike, who doesn't get it at first until Harvey reveals it's from Star Trek's Captain Kirk, adding: “He wins a no-win situation by rewriting the rules.”

Mike is stunned, realizing that Harvey is a Trekkie at heart. To be fair, no one at home saw this plot twist coming either. Harvey's a man of style and substance - who can't dig that?

Episode: Season 1, episode 5 (“Bail Out”)

After Harvey's chauffeur gets into a fender bender with a taxi driver who wants to turn the incident into a major deal, the story ends up in the press. Naturally, it looks like the powerful and rich Harvey is bullying a poor, defenseless cab driver.

Jessica walks into Harvey's office and shows him the headline, asking him if he feels that it enhances the firm's image. Harvey replies by saying, “I refuse to answer that on the grounds that I don't want to.”

It's a cheeky response to Jessica, who is his superior at the firm, but it isn't out of character for Harvey to say such a thing.

Episode: Season 1, episode 9 (“Undefeated”)

Mike realizes Harvey likes to present himself as an emotionally closed-off man. He wants to deal in facts and figures - not the warm and fuzzies.

When Harvey faces off against the cocky lawyer Travis Tanner, he decides to organize a meeting at a specific place that will rile up emotions for the opposition. Mike questions Harvey's tactics, pointing out how he supposedly doesn't believe in emotions.

Harvey replies, “I'm against having emotions, not against using them.” Oh, Harvey, always knowing which buttons to push…

Episode: Season 1, episode 5 (“Bail Out”)

After Harvey gets caught up in his fender bender drama, he sends Mike over to sort out another firm-related matter. Unfortunately, instead of helping the situation, Mike inadvertently makes it worse.

Now, Harvey needs to fix the issue after Jessica explains to him what happened. Mike offers to try again, but Harvey hits him with, “You don't send a puppy to clean up its own mess.”

Ironically, it's exactly the same analogy that Jessica used on Harvey years earlier.

Episode: Season 1, episode 8 (“Identity Crisis”)

Harvey's in a bad mood because Louis has poked his head into one of his cases and created problems. A while alter, Mike approaches his annoyed mentor to discuss information he's dug up. Since Harvey's grumpy, he snaps back, “I didn't ask you to explain the problem to me. I asked you to fix it for me.”

Mike sighs at Harvey's response, then turns the conversation over to a rumor going around the associates that Louis killed someone. It doesn't seem to improve Harvey's mood, but he quips about how Louis also tells everyone he's tall and has a full head of hair.

Episode: Season 3, episode 1 ("The Arrangement")

After Jessica's blackmail succeeds and Mike tanks a case in her favor for the merger to pass, Mike works hard to repair his fractured relationship with Harvey. However, Harvey doesn't take too kindly to Mike's betrayal.

Mike admits to him he had no choice, or else Jessica would have leaked his secret of not being a lawyer, putting him in prison. Harvey doesn't accept his excuse, saying, "You tell me everything. That's what goddamn loyalty is." 

Despite the fury, it's a powerful moment that symbolizes how much Harvey values loyalty and how he would have fought tooth and nail to protect Mike in this situation - even against Jessica.

Episode: Season 2, episode 7 (“Sucker Punch”) 

During a mock trial to prepare the firm for the real deal, Jessica grills Harvey. She points out that he cares about his clients, even though he pretends not to. She touches a nerve and reminds him that caring makes him weak.

Harvey finishes her thought, repeating back what he learned from her: “They think you care, they will walk all over you.” Jessica suggests this is a different Harvey than the one who walked into her office all those years ago - the person who believed in winning at all costs. 

It's true - Harvey has changed. But it's also for the better, as he wasn't really in a happy place before in his life.

Episode: Season 2, episode 5 (“Break Point”)

The firm finds itself in a legal pickle and makes Harvey second chair to Allison Holt. Harvey fights Allison's decisions every step of the way as he feels undermined in the situation. In one conversation, Allison encourages a deal to be cut that same day.

Harvey disagrees with her, explaining the stark difference in their approaches. "You want to lose small. I want to win big," he says.

Undoubtedly, it's an unkind dig at Allison's risk-averse methods, but it also shows Harvey's inability to play well with others, since he wants to be in control at all times.

Episode: Season 3, episode 6 ("The Other Time")

Donna arrives at the office and sees the name "Pearson Darby Specter" on the wall. She walks into Harvey's office, half-congratulating him, but also scolding him for not telling her sooner. She adds that it must be every lawyer's dream to have their name on the wall.

In a sharp retort, he replies, "I don't have dreams. I have goals." While it isn't out of character to say something like this, it does carry a little venom, since he's still upset with Donna because of her relationship with Stephen Huntley.

Episode: Season 1, episode 7 ("Play the Man")

Mike panics for his mock trial since he feels unprepared and doesn't know what to expect. Harvey hits him with a truth bomb, saying a mock trial shows the two types of lawyers in the world: winners and losers. He says Mike needs to figure out which one he is.

When Mike begins to bemoan the unfairness of the situation, Harvey strikes again, saying: "Winners don't complain when the other side plays the game." In his own unique way, Harvey explains to Mike there's always an element of unpredictability which comes with being a lawyer, so it's important to be prepared for the unexpected.

Episode: Season 1, episode 10 (“The Shelf Life”)

In Harvey's office, Mike begins to have a crisis of faith and wonders why he and Harvey are keeping up the charade that he's a lawyer. The subject turns to the kind of lifestyle that people want to have and what working in the legal field brings.

Harvey looks at Mike and says, "Life is like this," while holding his hand at a low level near his chest. Then, Harvey raises his hand to his eye-line and says, "I like this." 

He leaves no ambiguity about the meaning of what he's saying. If Mike wants to have a better life than most people, he must get with the program here.

Episode: Season 1, episode 3 (“Inside Track”)

Harvey introduces Mike to McKernon Motors, one of the first clients he brought to the firm. They meet with the new CEO, Dominic Barone, and Harvey is left disappointed by Barone's plan for the company. In private with Mike, Harvey reveals to him that he believes Barone is making a major mistake.

Playfully, Mike makes a comment to Harvey about becoming emotionally attached to a client. Harvey replies, "I'm emotionally attached to me." While there's an element of truth to this, Harvey isn't being entirely honest here. He does hold a special place in his heart for McKernon Motors because of his love of cars.

Episode: Season 1, episode 6 (“Tricks of the Trade”)

Harvey and Mike meet with Gabby Stone, whom they have exonerated from insider trading allegations. She thanks them for their help and believing in her, to which Harvey replies, “Never doubted you for a second.”

When Gabby walks away, Mike asks Harvey if that's true. Harvey says, "I didn't doubt her for a second. I doubted her for days." 

In this moment, Harvey is technically truthful - the best kind, according to some lawyers.

Episode: Season 1, episode 3 (“Inside Track”)

One thing that Harvey doesn't like is people pandering to him. They need to earn his respect, not try and worm their way into his life by brown-nosing.

While walking through the firm, a young associate approaches Harvey and offers his assistance. Harvey replies, "Well, Allen…" 

The young man corrects him and says his name is Aaron. In turn, Harvey says, "I think that says it all, don't you?" Yeah, it's a major burn for Aaron, but it also shows how he has to work harder to make sure Harvey knows who he is, rather than acting like a sycophant.

Episode: Season 2, episode 16 ("War")

With the threat of the merger looming, Louis admits to Harvey he doesn't want it either. Louis reveals that he's scared about the future and asks Harvey to give him assurances they will win.

Harvey, though, is uncertain. He admits to Louis that their backs are against the wall. Then, Louis reminds Harvey of what he once told him: “What do you do when your back's against the wall?”

Harvey replies, "Break the goddamn thing down." All of a sudden, the fire comes back into Harvey's eyes as he mentally prepares for war.