A new project entitled Lawless is in the early stages of development with ABC and Shonda Rhimes (and her production company, Shondaland), according to Indiewire.
Lawless will be a drama series which was inspired by the incredible true story of a trucker-turned-lawyer named Wynona Ward. Ward created the Have Justice Will Travel organization, whose mission is to “to end the generational cycle of abuse in rural families by bridging the legal, cultural, geographical, psychological, and economic gaps that exist for victims of domestic abuse,” according to the organization’s official website.
As reported by Indiewire, Deadline described Ward’s story: “…[Ward was] a former victim of sexual abuse at the hands of her father […] Ward got compelled at age 41 by the news of another child in her family getting sexually abused by relatives to go to college and law school and start a group that provides free legal representation and support services to victims of domestic violence in rural areas.”
The legal drama will be written by KJ Steinberg, who is currently involved with ABC’s Mistresses drama. Rhimes is the creator of other popular television series on ABC including Grey’s Anatomy, Private Practice and Scandal.
In 2011, ABC ordered a pilot for a period drama series called Gilded Lilys, in which Rhimes and Steinberg worked together. The show never made it to series, noted Indiewire.