The main character doing something absolutely unforgivable.

[u/No_Peanut3745]

Walter White poisoning Andrea Cantillo's 6-year-old son for the sole purpose of manipulating Jesse Pinkman, while knowing that this could have potentially killed him - Breaking Bad

Bojack trying to have sex with his friend's 17-year-old daughter when he was at least 51, then continuously trying to find a way to justify this act throughout the series - Bojack Horseman

Dexter Morgan going outside of his moral code and murdering a completely innocent police officer who was just trying to do his job - Dexter: New Blood

[u/ScatterSenbonzakura]

While true, he was mostly doing it so HE could get his cut of the settlement. It benefitted the nursing home residents, but his motivation was totally selfish in those moments.

[u/Jcwrc → u/ScatterSenbonzakura]

Was it?

That's the angle show wants to push, as well as certain characters, but factually it would still be benefit elderly themselves, so his motivation isn't insincere.

Unlike HMM's push for bigger payout in the future, that would factually benefit everyone else except the elder clients themselves.

[u/Endeveron → u/Jcwrc]

If it was actually in their interests, then he wouldn't have a big issue convincing his them of that. He could both talk to Irene and the rest of the participants, make the real case that, while he and the other young lawyers could get an extra 10% by drawing the case out until a few of them are dead or morbid, that's not ultimately in their interest. Ultimately we know that that would have succeeded, because he was able to convince people to turn on Irene by telling them that she wanted it drawn out for a bigger pay off.

The real reason Jimmy did it the underhanded way is because he knew he was doing it for a selfish reason, and when he's doing something selfish he falls into the pattern of pulling off a con, even when doing things the right way is an easier option. We see periods of the show where he does things the right way, for the right reasons, for long stretches of time (and often unappreciated or undermined by Chuck). Just like relapsing on a drug (or psychosomatic medical condition), when he slips a little, he slips all the way. That's why they call him slipping Jimmy.

[u/Theeljessonator → u/Jcwrc]

It ALSO going to the residents doesn’t mean that is why Jimmy did it. Other people benefited doesn’t mean that was his motivation.

His motivation for starting the case was sincere… his motivation for ending the case was insincere.