‘Partner Track’ Ending, Explained: How Does Netflix’s Legal Drama Wrap Up Season 1?

If you’re looking for a legal drama with a rom-com twist, Netflix’s new series Partner Track is the perfect show to add to your watch list.
Created by Georgia Lee and based on Helen Wan’s 2013 novel, The Partner Track, the first 10-episode season premiered on Netflix on August 26. It follows a group of young lawyers who are hustling to make partner at their firm while navigating office politics, career challenges, friendships, family, and romances.
Our protagonist, Ingrid Yun (Arden Cho), has to decide if she wants to become a powerful, successful lawyer at any cost or fight to uphold justice even if standing up for her morals isn’t the easy or personally advantageous path. Does Ingrid make the right choice in the end? Read on for Decider’s breakdown of the Partner Track plot summary and the Partner Track ending, explained.
Warning: Major Partner Track spoilers ahead.

What is Partner Track About? Partner Track Plot Summary:

Ingrid is a driven, meticulous lawyer who’s been working towards partner at her New York City law firm, Parsons Valentine and Hunt, for years. When we meet her it’s crunch time and she’s trying to stand out from her male colleagues, including an insufferable, privileged, problematic attorney Dan Fallon (Nolan Gerard Funk) and her dream man and former one-night-stand Jeff Murphy (Dominic Sherwood).
With a little help from her best friends Tyler (Bradley Gibson) and Rachel (Alexandra Turshen), Ingrid sets out to get the promotion she so clearly deserves. She puts in overtime and consistently helps the firm avoid snafus. She even snags lead on a crucial SunCorp deal. But is it enough?

Throughout the series we see Ingrid search for love; navigate the expectations and pressures of being a first-generation Korean-American; and question her boss, morals, and future. In the end, she isn’t awarded partner, but through a series of bold choices she rights her wrongs and sets up a hopeful career. While her professional life is back on track in the closing moments of the Season 1 finale, her love life seems more complicated than ever when she learns her seemingly flawless man Murphy may actually be a snake.

Partner Track’s Season 1 Ending, Explained:

In the penultimate episode of Partner Track Season 1, we learn the shocking news that neither Rachel or Ingrid made partner. Episode 10, “Dawn Rain” follows the aftermath of the crushing partner announcements and shows Ingrid turn her massive setback into an opportunity for some positive, long-overdue change.
The 45-minute episode opens with shots of the city and leads to Ingrid’s apartment. We pan from her Christmas tree to a messy living room littered with takeout containers, ice cream cartons, and empty bottles of wine. Ingrid is asleep on the couch with a blanket over her head and clearly hasn’t recovered from the news.

She gets a phone call from an angry Zi-Xin “Z” Min (Desmond Chiam) who asks when she knew that SunCorp CEO Ted Lassiter (Fredric Lehne) was going to shut down Green Tech. An ashamed Ingrid apologizes, but he hangs up on her. Then Murphy shows up, says her normal two-week mourning period is over, and lets her know that Tyler got a job offer from another firm. Murphy also leased an apartment in the city and plans to stick around. He kisses Ingrid and wishes her “Merry Christmas,” which is when she realizes she has to go home and break the news to her parents. Her father doesn’t take it well, especially after Ingrid’s sister’s plans to pursue a Cirque du Soleil career. The Yun girls take comfort in each other and finally make up after their fight.

The day after Christmas, Rachel is dealing with the aftermath of Justin’s (Robby Attal) mortifying Reply All email. He’s been moved to a different floor and she’s clearly missing him, but she gets a much-needed distraction when Wujay, who now goes by Wanda Jean (Meghan Leathers), visits the office to ask for her legal assistance. Someone’s blackmailing her and she stands to lose the farm.

Meanwhile, Tyler’s all moved into his new apartment and embarking on a fresh start. Like Ingrid, he has some wrongs to right, and when he sees an article about a designer declaring bankruptcy after a legal battle with Luxe, he feels guilty for the role he played in protecting the brand. Tyler gets a text from Ingrid asking if he’d be open to meeting with her, and they finally make amends before hatching a plan to take down Ted Lassiter.

Rachel heads to Times Square and successfully convinces Wujay’s blackmailer to stand down. On her way there, she sees a sign for playwriting classes and workshops and pauses to consider.

Ingrid pays a visit to Z, who has her escorted out of the building, but after she convinces him to talk to he agrees to help take Lassiter down. They plan to get a majority of shareholders to agree to a vote of no confidence, then oust him. They start placing calls to reach a 50.1% majority goal, but efforts are slow-going until Tyler bursts through the door with pizza and four friends, including Rachel. Even Justin shows up to help.

When Murphy calls to check up on Ingrid, she tactfully keeps the plan from him. After finishing the calls the group realizes they’re down 2%, so Rachel reaches out to Wujay and convinces her to buy 2% when the market opens.Once they get the majority, Ingrid and Z pay his dad Franklin Min (Kelvin Han Yee) a visit and try to get him on board, while Rachel and Justin share a heartbreaking exchange outside. He says he wants to be with her and she says she “maybe” wants the same. That’s not good enough for Justin, so he says goodbye.

Tyler visits Valdo (Alejandro Hernandez) and suggests he join together with other designers Luxe bullied and form a fashion collective. We later see Tyler hooking up with someone he met at the gym. While in bed, Tyler and his new man — who runs a startup — each get texts. Tyler learns he just got a new job, while the new man learns he just got a new hire. Guess Tyler’s done with the law for now.

Ingrid and Z convince his dad to vote and everything is set, until the day of the shareholders meeting when they lean shareholders with 2% or more have to vote in person. Thanks to some expert stalling they manage to get Wujay to the meeting on time and successfully hold and win their vote of no confidence for Ted. Franklin becomes Vice Chair, and he motions to remove Ted as SunCorp CEO and replace him with Z.

Murphy finds Ingrid after the stunt and tells her he loves her. Rachel reveals she signed up for the playwriting course, then gets a text from Justin. And Marty curses Ingrid out, threatening to tank her career. Z interrupts his rant and says, “That would be a shame. I’m SunCorp now, and if Parsons Valentine wants our continued business then I want Ingrid as our relationship partner.”

Ingrid adds that the firm needs “to implement a real diversity and inclusion program,” and Marty tries to bury her by revealing she’d recently been bailed out from jail, which backfires. When Z leaves, Ingrid asks Marty how he knew about her arrest. “A partner puts the firm first, Ingrid,” he says. “I thought I could trust you but you didn’t tell the firm you’d been arrested, you didn’t tell the firm you went to jail, and you didn’t tell the firm you needed to be bailed out…but Jeff Murphy did. I hope the two of you have fun together on SunCorp.” A shocked Ingrid stares across the room at Murphy in horror. He looks at her as if he knows she just learned the truth, then looks away and the end credits roll.

Will There Be a Partner Track Season 2?

Netflix has yet to officially renew Partner Track for a second season, but the show just premiered on August 26, so there’s still hope. Considering Season 1 ends with a number of cliffhangers, Partner Track would have a lot to explore in a second season. Decider will update this article if the show is canceled or renewed.