Who says "John Grisham" mentions the inspirational source for movies like The Pelican Brief, The Client and of course The Firm. The 1993 movie is directed by Sydney Pollack (Oscar for Out of Africa) and features Tom Cruise, Gene Hackman (The French Connection) and Holly Hunter (The Piano).
Cruise plays the role of Mitch McDeere, a brilliant, recently graduated lawyer who starts at a rich law firm. Mitch really likes it until the FBI pays a visit. They tell him that his colleagues are guilty of corruption and murder. Mitch does not believe this but is asked to gather information. Which of course he does and which of course leads to a moral dilemma.
Tag line: "Power can be murder to resist".