Elliott Gould didn’t “quit” The Lincoln Lawyer so much as his character was written out for story reasons, and there’s no public indication that he left due to behind‑the‑scenes problems or a feud with the production.

What Happens to Legal in the Show?

In Season 4, Gould’s character David “Legal” Siegel dies of a heart attack while riding a bus, shortly after a warm conversation with Lorna about one of her cases.

Mickey learns about the death while he is in serious legal trouble himself and has to choose between accepting bail so he can attend the funeral, or staying in jail to protect his case; he ultimately chooses to remain in jail and misses the funeral, which deepens the emotional impact of Legal’s death.

Why the Writers Killed Off Legal

The decision to kill Legal was a creative one driven by the showrunners, not framed as Elliott Gould wanting out.

Co‑showrunner Ted Humphrey compared the choice to a “Luke Skywalker and Yoda” situation: for Mickey Haller to truly grow, the wise mentor figure eventually has to be taken away so the hero can stand on his own.

How Elliott Gould and the Team Felt

Reports from set describe Gould’s final day as very emotional, with the cast and crew giving him a standing ovation and cheering when he shot his last scene.

Humphrey has also said that Gould loved being part of the show, and that his classic film The Long Goodbye even helped inspire the tone of The Lincoln Lawyer, which added a meta layer to casting him as Mickey’s moral compass.

Could Elliott Gould Ever “Return”?

Even after the death reveal in Episode 6, the following episode opens with Legal visiting Mickey in prison in a dream sequence, showing the writers are willing to bring him back in non‑literal ways.

Because of that and the mentor–student dynamic they’ve established, future seasons could still feature Gould in flashbacks or dreams, even though Legal is canonically dead in the present‑day timeline.

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