The showrunner was inspired by his own life.

In an interview with Collider in 2016, showrunner Aaron Korsh revealed that the series was based upon his own experiences. He told the publication, "I worked for a guy named Harvey, I had a good memory, and I had a dalliance with marijuana."

Even though Harvey is inspired by a real character, the premise of Suits evolved a lot while the show was in development. As Korsh told Collider: "I went to business school. I was a finance major. I worked on Wall Street as an investment banker." His unusual route to TV writing built the groundwork for the hit series.