Sam Echevarria

“The courtroom doesn’t have enemies. Just the law, the truth, and getting the two to meet.”

Shamia “Sam” Echevarra was born with a unique gift: hyper-intelligence. Rather than becoming an inventor, scientist, or super-detectives, she found that her aptitude was in law, language, and rhetoric.

Today she’s a full-time attorney. She often works pro bono on behalf of vigilantes or needy members of downtrodden communities. Her legal genius has led to brilliant courtroom strategies, ironclad contractual agreements, even model legislation that have promoted the heroes she supports, and done justice to the villains she’s encountered.

Her usual opponents are wealthy oppressors, soulless corporations, shadowy government agencies, even powerful villains. She’s helped thousands of families rebuild after a villain attack, when the insurance company dragged its heels. She’s even gone up against demons and the Fair Folk, deciphering the intricate terms of such cunning supernatural entities. Hermetic mages have occasionally wondered if she’d be as good a spellcaster as she is a lawyer, but so far nobody’s put that question to the test.

Thanks to grateful benefactors and being a top-drawer lawyer in a profitable profession, Sam is independently wealthy. She needs it. She’s a constant target due her activism, and her pro bono work still comes with considerable expenses. Still, heroism has never been about making money, and Sam is committed to wielding the law the way other heroes wield their abilities.

Using Sam Echevarria

Sam can keep heroes out of trouble, or advise them on a good course of legal action. Beyond that, she can give heroes a mission to gather evidence for one of her cases.

She might work with detectives like Moose O'Rourke and The Fractal, or other lawyers such as district attorney Amy Chen (one half of TAO).

Sam is inspired by characters like Jessica Jones or Daredevil aka Matt Murdock, except operating full-time in the court system rather than acting as a vigilante.

Plots

Help Sam in a court case, by gathering evidence or safeguarding a witness
Protect Sam from an old enemy with a grudge, perhaps with hitmen or henchmen
Obey Sam’s restrictions while dealing with a villain, so she can finally secure a conviction

Dialogue

“Objection, Your Honor. Prosecution risks violating rule 29 of civil procedure. May we approach the bench?”
“Getting evidence ethically isn’t the right thing to do. Losing on a technicality still sends an innocent man to jail.”
“I don’t need to see the face behind that mask. I’ve seen you through your deeds. That’s why I’ll defend you with everything I have.”

Comic Book Panels

Sam Echevarria standing boldly in court, denouncing the prosecuting attorney and their client for attempting to play a trick in order to win.

Sam sits at a late-night cafe, a half-empty cup of coffee beside her. Legal briefs and photographs are spread across the table in front of her, and she’s drawing connections with her eyes.

Sam sits in a jail cell, consulting with someone in need of her legal services. She’s studying her potential client, trying to judge their sincerity.

Variations

Other Powers

As written, Sam only has a focused super-intelligence.

What if she also has other powers - enough that she could function as a superhero herself? She might become a vigilante, but she could just as easily feel the risk to her legal career is too great, and act scrupulously within the laws governing heroes.
What if the hints about magic are true, and Sam’s genius has let her master spellcasting or summoning the way she knows mundane law? People coming after her might be in for a rude surprise if she has demons or curses at the ready - but would this negatively impact her otherwise-spotless public image?