In New York, in the late 1880s, the miracle of electric light is still in its infancy and untold riches and glory await the man who can power the nation with this new technology. Thomas Edison has won the race to the patent office for his electric light bulb and is now suing his one remaining rival, George Westinghouse, for infringement for the unheard-of sum of a billion dollars.
To defend himself, Westinghouse makes a surprising choice in his attorney: he hires untested 26-year-old Paul Cravath who is fresh out of law school. The task facing Cravath is truly daunting - win. And the stakes are immense: the winner of the case will illuminate America. 'If Paul could not break the patent claim, Thomas Edison would have a monopoly on light itself...'
