TARAJI P. HENSON TO JOIN THE CAST OF "BOSTON LEGAL" AS A SERIES REGULAR

Gail O'Grady and Saffron Burrows Set to Guest Star on Early Episodes

Rene Auberjonois and Mark Valley Reprise Their Critically Acclaimed Roles

An exciting array of familiar and new faces are set to guest star on early episodes of "Boston Legal" this coming season, and a new cast member will join the series, which began production last week on fourth season episodes.

Taraji P. Henson ("Hustle & Flow," "Talk to Me") will join the cast as a series regular later in the season. She will play a high powered corporate litigator out of the New York office whom Carl Sack (John Larroquette) brings in to help him wrestle for more political sovereignty within the firm.

Amongst the guest stars, Gail O'Grady once again plays Judge Gloria Weldon, who is in a heated relationship with Alan Shore (James Spader). Saffron Burrows ("Deep Blue Sea") will appear in a multi-episode arc as a sexy, sophisticated commercial litigator who once had a passionate affair with Alan, the chemistry of which still lingers and distracts. Rene Auberjonois returns to Crane Poole & Schmidt, reprising his role as Paul Lewiston, a senior partner in the law firm. And Mark Valley returns as attorney Brad Chase, who goes up against one of the firm's lawyers in court.

"Boston Legal" stars James Spader as Alan Shore, John Larroquette as Carl Sack, Christian Clemenson as Jerry Espenson, Gary Anthony Williams as Clarence/Clarice Bell, Tara Summers as Katie Lloyd, with Candice Bergen as Shirley Schmidt and William Shatner as Denny Crane.

"Boston Legal" was created by David E. Kelley. Kelley and Bill D'Elia are executive producers. The series, which premiered October 3, 2004, is produced by David E. Kelley Productions in association with Twentieth Century Fox Television.