One of the 12 young attorneys competing on David E. Kelley's new reality show, "The Law Firm," which debuts tonight on NBC, is a University of Texas graduate.

Deep Goswami, 29, graduated from UT in 1996 and Baylor University Law School three years later. He's in private practice in Los Angeles now, specializing in criminal and entertainment law, which often are one and the same there.

The new show has lawyers tackling real cases, from dog bites to wrongful deaths, with binding results. Trial attorney Roy Black will wrangle the contestants, with one getting bumped each week and the winner getting $250,000.

"It's a high-pressure situation," Goswami said via phone. "We're not trying to lose weight or eat bugs."

The show was fimed in August and September of 2004, and a year later, Goswami has kept a sense of humor about it.

"Reality shows are guilty, beyond a reasonable doubt, of turning average Joes into quasi-celebrities who will do anything to ride their 15 minutes of fame," says the Odessa native. "I hope to be able to count myself among such an esteemed group of individuals."

In the meantime, Goswami, who has many friends in Austin, can always practice law.