Lucas Hodge

“	Lucas: Honest about what? About how there are nights I'm afraid to close my eyes and days I never get out of bed? [...] I went to an MD. I begged him not to put it in my record. He put it down as anxiety and gave me pills. And they kept me going through my tour. Samantha: And once you got out? Lucas: I thought it would get better. Samantha: But it didn't. Lucas: No. It got worse.	”
—Lucas Hodge and Samantha Wheeler, Special Master

Lucas Hodge is a veteran and friend of Samantha Wheeler who made his sole appearance in "Special Master".

History

Lucas Hodge is a veteran that served in the Armed Forces. Serving two tours with Samantha Wheeler, whom he befriended, he asked her to continue to do more tours while she refused, opting to return to civilian life. While Samantha followed a track that led to her being a corporate attorney, Lucas served two more tours. During one of these later tours, he developed post-traumatic stress disorder. Not wanting it to be on his record, he begged the medical doctor not to list it, prompting the doctor to list it as anxiety and prescribe him pills.

After an honorable discharge from duty, Lucas went into the workforce, being employed at Tom Daly's company. Due to his PTSD, he often attacked other employees and missed many workdays without calling in. After footing the medical bills for an employee Lucas injured, Daly's company elected to fire him, but having a soft spot for Lucas, Daly told him that he was being let go among a few others due to the company's failure to secure a contract from the Department of Defense. However, Lucas found out that he was the only one in his department who had their employment terminated. Learning that Daly's son-in-law was not fired, Lucas sought out Samantha to file a nepotism and wrongful termination lawsuit on his behalf, believing that Daly would rehire him instead. However, Lucas insisted that she charge him for her legal services, not wanting her charity, although Samantha insisted that she handle it pro bono since they served together, with Samantha privately admitting later on to Katrina Bennett that Lucas could not afford them.

Lucas was confronted by Samantha shortly after she discovered he had PTSD. Lucas informed her that he did not want it listed on his record and that he did not want professional help either. Samantha then attempted to subpoena military records, although during a deposition with Daly, he reminded her that if he admitted on record he knew about the PTSD, it would be on Lucas' record; Daly then offered Lucas a $25,000 sealed settlement.

Later that night, Samantha invited Lucas to her office, notifying him of Daly's settlement. Lucas lashed out, stating that he didn't want the money but rather his job back. Samantha then revealed that she created a corporation called SW Industries that, while existing only on paper, would give Lucas legal employment so that he wouldn't have to be publicly unemployed and that the yearly pay was $100,000. Lucas initially refused the offer, not wanting her charity as he was being paid for not actually working, although Samantha stipulated that the employment contract would be null and void unless Lucas sought professional help. Samantha disclosed to him that she had been beaten as a child and required professional help to get through it, and that Lucas, who had been through a war in comparison, needed it as well. Lucas replied that he thought he could handle his disorder himself, prompting Samantha to reply that he could, but that he couldn't do it alone.^[1]

Appearances

Suits, Season 9
#01	"Everything's Changed"	#06	"Whatever It Takes"
#02	"Special Master"	#07	"Scenic Route"
#03	"Windmills"	#08	"Prisoner's Dilemma"
#04	"Cairo"	#09	"Thunder Away"
#05	"If the Shoe Fits"	#10	"One Last Con"

References