For Daredevil and She-Hulk, crimefighting doesn’t stop when they take off their costumes - they also make sure justice is served in the courtroom. Matt Murdock and Jennifer Walters are among the best lawyers in Marvel Comics, but if the two were ever on opposite sides in a trial, which one would win the case?
A graduate of Columbia, one of the top law schools in the country, Matt Murdock gives a new meaning to the phrase “justice is blind.” The same childhood accident that left him unable to see also drastically enhanced Matt's other senses, enabling him to master the martial arts and acrobatic skills needed to become Daredevil. When Matt isn’t moonlighting as the Devil of Hell’s Kitchen, he’s often helping other costumed heroes with their legal troubles as one half of Nelson & Murdock, a law firm that he started with his close friend Foggy Nelson. Nelson & Murdock may not be the biggest firm, but they have provided legal services for Spider-Man, Human Torch, and other high-profile clients. However, one of their most notable was Black Widow, who is wrongly accused of murder in Daredevil #81 by Gerry Conway and Gene Colan. Given the stigma around Russians in the US at the time, proving Natasha’s innocence is a significant challenge, but Matt and Foggy still manage to get the charges dropped, showing they have some serious skills in the legal arena.
Long before Jennifer Walters was taking down bad guys as the Jade Giantess, she was taking them down in the courtroom as a lawyer. It was only after Jennifer received an emergency blood transfusion from her cousin, Bruce Banner, that she became the superhero She-Hulk. Jennifer's transformation is different from Bruce in that she retains mental control in her Hulk-form, allowing her to continue her legal career despite her newfound abilities and appearance. Walters typically works for the law offices of Goodman, Lieber, Kurtzberg, & Holliway, a large firm specializing in superhuman law. As such, Walters has worked some pretty noteworthy cases, like the libel lawsuit launched by J. Jonah Jameson against Spider-Man in She Hulk #4 and negotiating a deal for Speedball in Civil War: Front Line. However, one of She-Hulk’s toughest cases was representing Starfox, Thanos’s younger brother, who has the power to influence others’ emotions. In She-Hulk vol 4 #7, Starfox stands accused of using his powers to take advantage of a married woman, which makes Jennifer think he may have done the same thing to her during their relationship. However, she later discovers that Thanos is behind the entire plot, thereby exonerating Starfox.
Daredevil's ability to know if someone is lying using his heightened senses gives him an almost unfair advantage in the courtroom, though knowing someone is lying doesn’t necessarily help him prove it. On the flip side, She-Hulk’s firm has far more resources than Nelson & Murdock, which could give her the advantage in a trial. Fortunately, Marvel actually provides an answer as to which lawyer would win in 2014’s She-Hulk #8 by Charles Soule. In this issue, Jennifer operates from her solo-firm, meaning she doesn’t have the advantage of a larger firm’s resources. When a wrongful death claim is filed against the retired, old Captain America, Jennifer agrees to represent him, but the prosecutor is none other than Matt Murdock. Cap is eventually deemed innocent, after which he reveals that he wanted Matt to take the case against him because he wanted someone who wouldn’t hold back. However, Steve chose Jennifer to represent him because he “didn’t want to lose,” showing that Cap ultimately has more faith in She-Hulk’s legal skills.
While Captain America’s opinion shouldn’t necessarily be taken as fact, his reasoning is pretty solid. Moreover, Matt often has help from Foggy, whereas Jennifer works her cases alone. Daredevil is no slouch in the courtroom, but ultimately, She-Hulk is the better lawyer.