In Better Call Saul, Kim Wexler prides herself in being one of the most accomplished attorneys in Albuquerque, having worked for prestigious law firms such as Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill (HHM) and Schweikart & Cokely. However, her relationship with Jimmy McGill, aka Saul Goodman, always places her in dilemmas regarding personal and professional choices.
Unlike Jimmy, Kim prefers to do things by the book. Her penchant for doing what's morally right is mostly what inspires her remarks, though, on occasion, she makes pronouncements that are driven by ruthlessness and the desire to achieve even more in her field. Nonetheless, whether she is questioning or ranting, Kim's quotes are always compelling.
"Either You Fit The Jacket Or The Jacket Fits You."
When Kim meets Kevin and Paige to cajole them to let her be the litigator of Mesa Verde Bank and Trust, they are impressed by her suit. She is asked whether she bought it or had it tailor-made and she says it's the latter. She then factors that into her pitch, arguing that just like suits, clients must get the right lawyer fit.
During the meeting, Kim low-key blows her own trumpet by equating herself to a tailor-made suit. Her belief in her own abilities is justified since she has racked up several victories in the courtroom. Despite the impressive pitch, Kevin opts to stay with HHM. It turns out to be the wrong decision for him since HHM doesn't represent his interests well, proving that he chose the wrong fit.
"You're Gonna Call Yourself 'Saul Goodman?'"
Kim can't believe it when Jimmy reveals his plan to legally change his name to Saul Goodman. Hoping he is joking, she seeks confirmation that he is indeed serious.
Jimmy's decision to change is his name is tied to the fact that he now wants to deal with cases from the Albuquerque underworld. After all, helping ordinary citizens has brought him nothing but migraines. He figures that a scammer or drug lord would never hire a lawyer named Jimmy McGill. Even though Kim is baffled, Jimmy is later proved to be right since he gets tons of new clients.
"Winning Doesn’t Always Mean Getting A Favorable Verdict At Trial."
Bernalillo County treasurer Craig Kettleman hires Kim as his lawyer after he is accused of embezzling $1.6 million. She advises him to not take his case to trial and accept a plea deal instead.
Having analyzed all potential outcomes, Kim comes up with the accurate conclusion that Kettleman is never getting a "not guilty" verdict. To her, the only victory he can get is 16 months in prison. A trial might just result in him getting more time. Unfortunately, Kettleman doesn't see things that way. His desire to remain a free man sees him reject Kim's advice and seek out other lawyers. It all proves to be a waste of time as all roads lead back to Kim, hence Kettleman is forced to accept the plea deal.
"Do You Want To Be A Friend Of The Cartel?"
When Lalo assures Jimmy that he'd become a "friend of the cartel" if he helps bail him out for murder, he doesn't exactly know what to do. He seeks Kim's counsel, who advises him not to do it.
Kim doesn't want Jimmy to get his hands that dirty, even if it means becoming a valuable associate to one of the most powerful characters in Better Call Saul. She knows that being a friend to the cartel means chaos and violence. Unfortunately, Jimmy considers it. To him, cash trumps morals and the amount of money Lalo is offering him is too much to turn down.
"You've Got Me, Just Not As A Law Partner."
When Jimmy decides to start his own firm, he asks Kim to be his partner but she is hesitant. She insists she'd rather stick to being his partner in romance rather than business.
Kim is hesitant to get into business with Jimmy because of their extremely different work styles. She believes his penchant for taking shortcuts might bring them both down. It's a good stance for her, though she does agree to share an office with him.
"If You Don’t Trust Your Men With Your Money, You Have Bigger Problems Than If You Trust Saul Goodman."
Jimmy's desert trip to collect Lalo's $7 million bail money doesn't go particularly well. When the drug lord finds Jimmy's bullet-riddled car, he comes to the lawyer's apartment to seek answers. As intimidating as Lalo is, Kim gives him a dressing down.
Kim puts up a courageous front because she is aware that any sign of fragility, coupled with the wrong answers, might just get her and Jimmy killed. Lalo doesn't like to be lied to, and Jimmy did indeed lie to him, but Kim can't help but wonder why Lalo doesn't use his own men to pick up cash instead of bothering a lawyer.
"Nepotism? Your Firm Is Hamlin, Hamlin & McGill, Right? Who's The Other Hamlin?"
Kim confronts Howard Hamlin when he refuses to hire Jimmy at HHM. Howard cites nepotism since Jimmy's brother Chuck McGill is a partner, but Kim calls him out for his hypocrisy.
Since Howard's father is the one who hired him, it makes little sense to deny Jimmy a job because his brother Chuck is one of the partners. What Kim is unaware of is that it isn't Howard who is pulling the strings. Among the reasons Chuck McGill is a terrible brother is that he always sabotages Jimmy's efforts to make it as a lawyer, and he does the same here.
"This Is Really None Of Your Damn Business."
Jimmy isn't too happy when Kim makes one of the most questionable life choices in Better Call Saul by quitting the Schweikart & Cokely law firm and leaving the lucrative Mesa Verde case with them. He thinks she is making a mistake but she shoots him down.
With her bold remarks, Kim finally lets it known that she is tired of always compromising for Jimmy when he doesn't do the same for her. Jimmy is normally not one to back down, but since he is afraid of losing Kim, he does so this time.
"Put On Your Big Boy Pants And Face Reality. No One Is Mistreating You Here."
Despite all his neighbors having sold their Tucumcari land, Acker refuses to sell his to Mesa Verde, who wants to build a call center there. Kim is sent to convince Acker, but the man calls her out on moral grounds. This angers Kim, who reminds him that the world isn't fair so he should stop crying when he is being well compensated.
Kim is normally more empathetic than she is ruthless, but on this occasion, she refuses to be on Team Acker because Mesa Verde means a lot for her career. Rooting for a man who's not willing to sell his land might be the morally right thing to do, but it doesn't benefit her career in any way. Part of her is also fed up with how long the compensation case has dragged on.
"This Is The Plot Of 'The Verdict.'"
Judge Munsinger once offers Kim a case in which a mother was given the wrong anesthesia while giving irth. Kim immediately recognizes that the details of the case sound like the plot of the 1982 Oscar-nominated movie, The Verdict.
There are several movies referenced in Better Call Saul. Plenty of shows have reference problems where characters often refer to things they don't seem like they would be well-versed with, but a legal drama is right in Kim Wexler's wheelhouse.