A skilled senior associate at a prestigious law firm in Philadelphia is abruptly dismissed from his job after a misplaced file incident, which he suspects is a pretext for his firing. The real reason for his dismissal is that the partners at the firm have discovered he has contracted AIDS. Despite his deteriorating health, he resolves to fight back against this injustice and sue his former employers for discrimination. Battling societal stigma and overwhelming odds, he is determined to prove that his termination was solely due to his diagnosis, constituting a blatant violation of his civil rights.

With no lawyer willing to represent him, he finally teams up with a reluctant and initially homophobic attorney who runs a small personal injury practice. The attorney's initial discomfort with his client's homosexuality and condition is evident, but as the two men work together on the case, mutual respect develops. Together, they prepare to take on a formidable legal battle against the powerful law firm. The case not only challenges their personal ethics and prejudices but also places them at the center of national attention on the issues of AIDS discrimination and gay rights in the workplace.