Bobby Donnell

Bobby Donnell is a fictional character, a self-made lawyer and head of a law firm on the former American Broadcasting Company TV drama, The Practice (1997-2004), set in Boston, Massachusetts. Donnell was played by Dylan McDermott.

Early Life and Practice

His father, Stephen Donnell, was a janitor. (There is some confusion in the firm over what profession Bobby's father has. In season two, Lindsay mentions that Bobby's father is a janitor; however, in season 3 [3x01 - Passing Go] Bobby implies that his father works in a large law firm and is quite affluent. Statements by Lindsay at the same time corroborate the implication that she, and perhaps others in the firm, believes Stephen Donnell is indeed an affluent lawyer in a large law firm. It is revealed in the episode, however, that Stephen is indeed a janitor.) Bobby's relationship with his father is mentioned throughout the early seasons of the show to imply, in various ways, the reason why he is opposed to the firm's expansion. Bobby was raised in a Roman Catholic household and remained a devoted - if often conflicted - Catholic throughout the series. His parish priest would be a lifelong friend and counselor for him, especially in the days following the death of his mother, something that affected Bobby deeply. Donnell obtained his J.D. from Boston's Suffolk University Law School. Growing up, Bobby also met and befriended Jimmy Berlutti.

Personal life

Bobby was secretly involved with his colleague Lindsay, but ended this affair in order to be with DA Helen, with whom he had had a love/hate relationship. This soon fizzled out however and he eventually got back together with Lindsay whom he later married.

Lindsay soon becomes pregnant, while simultaneously being threatened by a psychopathic pseudo-serial killer named William Hinks, that Bobby Donnell arranges to be intimidated by one of his former clients, in hopes of scaring Mr. Hinks away from his pregnant wife, but instead the client ends up cutting off Mr. Hinks' head and placing it in the freezer, in an apparent homage to Mr. Hinks' brutal reign of criminal terror, and Bobby Donnell is arrested as a co-conspirator in the felony murder charge.