Denise Bauer-Chase is a fictional attorney on the American legal series Boston Legal, played by Julie Bowen.

She is a lawyer at Crane, Poole & Schmidt, introduced in the first episode of season 2. Unlike many new members of the cast, she was not hired during her debut the show implied that she had been a lawyer at the firm since before she first appeared on air. In Bauer's initial storyline, she was in the process of divorce from her first husband.

Bauer's love life has been a frequent storyline on the show. During the middle episodes of season 2, she had a conflicted relationship with Daniel Post (played by Michael J. Fox), whom she loved but who was terminally ill. When his character left the show, she struck up a "friends with benefits" relationship with fellow lawyer Brad Chase. Daniel Post re-entered her life at the end of season 2 and proposed to her. Near the middle of season 3, Daniel Post is revealed to be deceased. On Halloween, Denise embarks on a search to find Daniel's body to pay her respects to him.

Bauer was thought to be a fairly safe bet to make partner on the "Spring Vote" of 2006, but as a result of her conflict with "the Squid" and her relationship with Brad, she was told that she would not attain partner status at that time. Shirley Schmidt later told her that she would make partner, "when you're good enough".

Shortly after Daniel's death, Denise entered into a "friends with benefits" relationship with both Brad Chase and Jeffrey Coho. She soon discovered she was pregnant and Brad was the father. She later married him.

She is currently on extended maternity leave. It is unknown if or when she will return to the firm.

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