JD Journal » Above the Law

Reema Bajaj, Attorney Facing Prostitution Charges, Has Trial Set for March

rebneely — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:34:50 +0000

Perhaps you recall Reema Bajaj – she is the Illinois attorney, just recently admitted to the bar, who is facing prostitution charges after police say they found emails that were “setting up trysts as part of an unrelated investigation,” according to the abajournal.com article, “Lawyer Is Charged with Prostitution, Allegedly Tells Police She Gave It Up After Passing Bar”.

Bajaj, of Sycamore, and a graduate of Northern Illinois University College of Law, is charged with three counts of prostitution. At the DeKalb County Courthouse in Sycamore, Circuit Judge Robbin Stuckert read the following charges against her: Prostitution within 1,000 feet of a school, a Class 4 felony punishable by up to three years in prison, and two counts of prostitution, a Class A misdemeanor punishable by less than a year in a county jail.

These charges are in connection with two separate incidents. One occurred on August 13, 2010, and the other in May, per court documents. Bond was set for Bajaj at $5,000. She psoted the $500 bail in order to be released from Jail. Apparently, Bajaj allegedly admitted being involved in prostitution prior to obtaining her law license, but then gave it up after becoming a laywer.

Bajaj will celebrate her 26th birthday next week, according to information posted at Above The Law.

In a June blog posting at Above The Law, entitled, “All Rise! Reema Bajaj’s Bajayjay Is Now In Session”, DeKalb Police Lt. Gary Spangler was quoted as saying “and it was quite obvious from the content of the e-mails she had arranged for encounters for money. There were pictures with the e-mails and we were able to identify (Bajaj). From there we were able to get other e-mails which connected her to other individuals regarding prostitution.”

A comment Bajaj she herself posted regarding her arrest reads: “I have been charged with prostitution. These charges are serious, and it has been a trying times for me. I have fought for the rights of my clients. Things happen for a reason, and although I do not yet know the reason this is happening to me, I am sure that one day I will. I have many clients who walk through my doors telling me: ‘They did not do it.’ I am one of those who believe what my clients tell me and I aggressively defend them in court. I will now be doing the same thing for myself.”

Also per the June Above the Law blog, David Camic, Bajaj’s attorney, David Camic of Camic Johnson in Aurora, Illinois, was quoted as saying in response to nude photos of Bajaj:

“You should be aware that there are persons who claim to have had a prior relationship or friendship with Ms. Baja who are attempting to exploit this prosecution for their own purposes. You should be aware that there may have been photos taken of Ms. Bajaj prior to her graduation from college.

A man or woman may experience a momentary lapse of judgment in their youth and years later discover that photographs, taken in a private moment, perhaps voluntarily or perhaps unknowingly photographed in a private setting, depict them in an unflattering mode. The depiction, taken at a young, immature time, was certainly never intended for mass distribution and may not have been intended for even private viewership.”

Working on Independence Day

EmploymentCrossing — Fri, 08 Jul 2011 10:26:51 +0000

A survey carried out by the Above The Law shows that on July 4, 35% of attorneys were working. Over half the people who worked said they did it even though nobody asked them to do it. Around one-third said that they had to work because an associate or a partner made them do it. Read up on other details and firm-specific data on Above The Law.

Read the original article here:

Career Center Survey Results: Who Worked on the Fourth of July?

New Round of Salary Cuts at Allen Matkins

joshua — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 18:23:54 +0000

Allen Matkins is having a rough year. Back at the end of March the firm let some attorneys go. First year associate salaries were cut, along with the salaries of some additional associates. Now it appears they are finishing the job with additional layoffs and more salary cuts.

Tipsters at Above the Law reported the new cuts, saying that associates who are low on hours will only be receiving 60% of their original salary with the other 40% to be paid at the end of the year if the hours are made up. How they’re going to make up the hours in this market is anyone’s guess.

If you have any further information about what’s happening at Allen Matkins, please fill us in here.

Update: According to our own tipsters, all associate and paralegal salaries have been slashed to 60%.

Staff Layoffs at WilmerHale

joshua — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 21:38:26 +0000

WilmerHale laid off 57 staff members across 4 offices today, with the biggest cuts coming in Washington DC and Boston. The company says the decision was made to be able to “respond to a changed business landscape and provide the highest quality legal services in a more cost-effective manner”. So far this year, WilmerHale has managed to avoid any large scale attorney layoffs, but has told some associates that they need to start looking for new jobs.

Above the Law was the first to report on the staff cuts, thanks to anonymous tips it received. Apparently WilmerHale’s attempt to stifle leaks was not as successful as it had hoped.

Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale & Dorr LLP has twelve offices across the US, Europe and Asia. It was created in 2004 through the merger of the Boston’s Hale & Dorr and the Washington’s Wilmer Cutler & Pickering, and employs more than 1,100 attorneys worldwide. As of 2008, it was the 23rd largest law firm in the world in terms of revenue.

WilmerHale Trying to Stifle Leaks

joshua — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 22:20:46 +0000

The legal blog Above the Law is reporting that associates at WilmerHale have been warned not to talk to them. Tipsters have reported that a memo was sent out that left associates with the impression that their jobs would be at stake if they leaked any information to the blog. No copy of this memo has surfaced yet, but Above the Law has an open thread on the subject. I’d like to take this opportunity to remind everyone that, like ATL, all tips you send us are completely anonymous. It goes without saying that every attorney has an ethical obligation to employers and clients alike to keep certain things confidential. Everything else should be fair game.

ATL: Major Layoffs Impending at Orrick

Erik Even — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 17:43:58 +0000

ATL is convinced that Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe will hold major layoffs next week.

At this point we’re hearing that at least 160 attorneys will be laid off sometime between the meeting on Monday and the meeting on Wednesday. And many people believe that number is low. Some reports suggest that there could be as many as 340 staff layoffs, in addition to the attorney cuts. We expect the layoffs to affect all offices and we understand that first years are not at all safe.

The firm has over 1,100 lawyers worldwide in 21 offices, with more than 200 attorneys in each of its two largest offices in San Francisco and New York. The firm’s day-to-day administrative operations are centralized at a Global Operations Center in Wheeling, West Virginia.

Via ATL.

ATL: Dewey & LeBoeuf Making “Performance Related” Cuts

Erik Even — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 00:58:33 +0000

Tipsters are telling Above the Law that Dewey & LeBoeuf is making performance-related layoffs this week.

As we understand it, legacy LeBoeuf (f/k/a: LeBoeuf Lamb) used to have only annual performance reviews. Legacy Dewey (f/k/a: Dewey Ballantine) had performance reviews twice a year. When the firms merged, the new management committee decided to go with the Dewey system instead of the LeBoeuf system.

Therefore, Dewey & LeBoeuf had performance reviews near the end of last year (which resulted in associate terminations) and are having them now (which is resulting in associate terminations). Obviously, the standards for those performance reviews are a little bit tougher than in previous cycles.

Know something about the layoffs? Send us a confidential tip!

aDewey & LeBoeuf is a white shoe law firm formed in 2007 by the merger of Dewey Ballantine and LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae. The firm has 24 offices in 14 countries.

Via ATL.

ATL: Dechert Lays Off 10 Staff Attorneys

Erik Even — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 22:13:07 +0000

Above the Law reports that Phillie’s Dechert, which recently announced that its profits and revenues are down, is laying off staff attorneys today.

Our sources tell us that Dechert will lay off 10 staff attorneys today. The number accounts for about 1/4th of the firm’s total staff attorney force.

Dechert laid off 19 attorneys two weeks ago [on Black Thursday], and 72 staffers back in December. So this news should not be particularly surprising.

Dechert LLP is an international law firm of more than 1,000 lawyers with top-ranked practices in corporate and securities, complex litigation, finance and real estate, and financial services and asset management. Dechert has offices throughout the US and Europe.

Via ATL.

Rumor: Buchanan Ingersoll Freezing Salaries

Erik Even — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 18:54:18 +0000

A tipster tells Above the Law that, four days after laying off staff positions, Buchanan Ingersoll is freezing associate salaries.

Buchanan Ingersoll announced a salary freeze for 2009 for all associates except “unusual” cases, e.g., laterals who were brought in at what is now perceived to be slightly undermarket salaries last year may get bumped a little. Several other raises on a case-by-case basis, but they will be few.

If you have any details about this salary freeze, please let us know!

Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney PC is a law firm and lobbying group based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The firm has over 500 lawyers in sixteen offices nationwide, and was ranked 82nd on the National Law Journal’s 2008 list of the 250 largest law firms in the United States.

Via ATL.

ATL: Latham & Watkins to Lay Off Up to 150 by Friday

Erik Even — Wed, 25 Feb 2009 17:08:46 +0000

Tipsters are telling blawg Above the Law that major layoffs are going down at Latham & Watkins this week.

We’re hearing that 70 – 150 people will be laid off from Latham. We believe that it is all going to go down this Friday.

The layoffs will primarily affect the offices in New York, Chicago, D.C., Los Angeles, and San Francisco. Conference rooms have been booked in all of those cities for Friday the 27th. The conference room schedule, which is available online for all Latham associates to see, is how most people are finding out about the layoffs coming at the end of this week.

If you have any info about these rumored layoffs, don’t tell the guys at ATL. Tell us instead!

Latham & Watkins LLP is one of the largest law firms in the world, currently employing more than 2,100 attorneys in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was founded in Los Angeles in 1934.

Via ATL.

ATL: Paul Hastings Layoffs in L.A.

Erik Even — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 22:27:26 +0000

First LA’s Paul Hastings announced the layoff of 10 Atlanta associates.

Now tipsters tell Above the Law that the firm is holding stealth layoffs today at its Los Angeles HQ.

I just wanted to let you know that stealth layoffs are ongoing at Paul Hastings. Rumor has it that the grim reaper is making rounds to many offices [in California].

There are also rumors of layoffs in the firm’s Shanghai office.

If you know anything about layoffs at Paul Hasting, please send us a confidential tip!

Founded in LA in 1951, Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker LLP is a leading international law firm with over 1,300 attorneys and 18 offices worldwide. Paul Hastings serves a diverse client base that includes many top financial institutions and Fortune 500 companies.

Via ATL.

ATL: Kaye Scholer Lays Off At Least Five Attorneys

Erik Even — Mon, 23 Feb 2009 21:45:50 +0000

Tipsters tell Above the Law that at least five lawyers were laid off from Kaye Scholer on Friday, including some first- and second-year associates.

The firm conducted layoffs in the Corporate and Finance department on Friday. The number of affected attorneys is not known, but is believed to be at least five…

Kaye Scholer has been utilizing the “stealth layoff” approach quite heavily since December / January. I was given notice to look for another job a few weeks ago, and I personally know of about 10 others that [have been] “asked to leave” since then.

At the associate meeting, [managing partner] Barry Willner told everyone that associate numbers would be “about the same” in 2009 as in 2008. Given that there has been almost no attrition and a sizable incoming class, you can do the math to figure how many people had been told to leave.

Via ATL.

Breaking: Pillsbury Winthrop to Lay Off Attorneys

Erik Even — Thu, 19 Feb 2009 22:18:22 +0000

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman has confirmed online rumors that the firm will be laying off an undisclosed number of attorneys in the near future.

Legal blawg Above the Law quoted a tipster who overheard a cell phone conversation on a train. On the call between Bob Robbins, head of the Corporate and Securities practice, and COO Rick Donaldson, Robbins named 15 to 20 attorneys who would be laid off in four offices by the end of March.

Pillsbury issued this statement:

“It is an unfortunate fact in today’s economy that no business or law firm can rule out adjustments to their overall workforce levels. This includes Pillsbury, and among other cost cutting measures, we will be implementing reductions to assure that our resources are aligned with our business needs. We apologize for the unfortunate manner in which our deliberations about reductions have become public.”

Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP is an international law firm with offices located throughout the US and globally, including key financial centers New York, London, Tokyo and Shanghai.

Know anything about these layoffs? Send us a confidential tip!

Via LegalPad and ATL.

K&L Gates Freezes Salaries

Erik Even — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 17:30:46 +0000

Above the Law reports that K&L Gates held a meeting Friday to discuss, amongst other things, salary freezes.

Earlier today, associates at K&L Gates attended a town hall meeting with Peter Kalis, chairman and global managing partner. Kalis provided an overview of where the firm stands and announced steps that will be taken to deal with the recession…

Kalis said management would consider the possibility of layoffs at the end of this month.

Salaries are now frozen for all associates, with a review to take place in July.

Incoming first-year associates will have their start date deferred to January 4, 2010.

The firm will be raising billing rates.

ATL: Bryan Cave Laying Off 58 Attorneys

Erik Even — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:24:25 +0000

A tipster to Above the Law reports that major layoffs are taking place today at Bryan Cave.

The firm had a meeting, and then told associates they would be getting calls in the next 20 minutes if they were to be let go. After that, those laid off have to wait until 330 to find out about their severance package.

Other tipsters reported that 58 attorneys have been sacked.

If you know anything about what’s going on at Bryan Cave, please let us know.

We’ll update this post as information becomes available.

Via ATL.

ATL: Morgan & Finnegan Bouncing Cheques?

Erik Even — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 17:52:17 +0000

Tipsters are telling Above the Law that dissolving law firm Morgan & Finnegan is unable to cover cheques issued to departing employees under the WARN Act.

Morgan & Finnegan severance checks were sent to fired employees. They were drawn on an account that is frozen. The checks are not good. The signature is illegible.

And…

M&F… can’t even pay the attorneys and staff they laid-off the first 2 weeks of WARN payments otherwise known as severance/pay in lieu of notice. Their checks are bouncing all over the tri-state area.

About 30 Morgan & Finnegan are jumping ship to Locke Lord Bissell & Liddell.

Via ATL.

Partners Deserting Akin Gump

Erik Even — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 21:55:56 +0000

The American Lawyer has been piecing together the evidence, and finds that Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld has lost more partners than any other firm the site tracks.

From Above the Law:

Akin lost 17 percent of its partners to competitors, small firms, in-house positions, and government jobs. Some of those defections were anticipated–fallout from strategic shifts in the firm’s practice groups and management structure. But others were a surprise…

While losing 59 partners hasn’t been easy, [Bruce] McLean, who has been Akin’s chairman for the past 16 years, expects that the slimmed-down practice areas will pay off. In 2007 the firm saw profits per partner fall nearly 7 percent to slightly more than $1.2 million, putting it sixtieth on The Am Law 200 partner profit charts.

But in early January he predicted that profits per partner grew as much as 10 percent in 2008 as a result of the shake-up, “What we are seeing is a slimmed-down firm generating more profits,” says McLean. At least, that’s the plan.

Via ATL via AmLaw and The BLT.

ATL: Stealth Layoffs at Latham?

Erik Even — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 00:04:03 +0000

Above the Law is getting numerous tips about “stealth” layoffs at Los Angeles-based 2,100-lawyer firm Latham & Watkins, but the world’s fifth largest firm denies there are any layoffs, except for ordinary firings in the wake of year-end reviews.

Consistent with our standard practice at the end of each year, we have completed our associate review process. We counsel our associates at the completion of our review process each year, and in those conferences discuss topics such as job performance, compensation and career tracks. Our decisions relating to associate departures were performance related and part of our usual year-end process, not part of an economic layoff.

K&L Gates: No Bonus So Far — And We Need Some Money Back

Erik Even — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 00:10:52 +0000

Above the Law hears about all the best nonsense first. For instance, K&L Gates associates have not yet heard about 2008 bonuses or 2009 raises. After all, who’d want to plan ahead or anything?

But now it seems the firm has compounded their reticence to make decisions with a royal payroll f*ckup:

Please see the email below regarding an error with the direct deposit of the January 22nd payroll. In short the issue is that your payroll appears to have been deposited 3 times and the firm is in the process of request [sic] 2 of those be returned. So, please be careful not to spend more then your normal pay until you see that they [sic] corrections have been made to your account.

On the downside, K&L uses an inept payroll company. On the upside, the firm’s cash flow must be nice and healthy if it can afford to triple pay all of its associates.

I don’t know how this kind of stupid mistake affects the associates at the world’s 10th largest law firm. But I’ve had friends who were overpaid, and then had to return the money — and it really, really screwed them financially.

Via ATL.

It’s Official: Mayer Brown Freezing Salaries

Erik Even — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 18:43:31 +0000

Above the Law reported two weekends back the rumor that Biglaw colossus Mayer Brown would freeze salaries for 2009. Now it’s official.

As most of you know, we have instituted various prudent and significant cost-cutting measures in recent months. As part of this effort, we have decided to keep base salaries for associates progressing to the next class year at 2008 levels for 2009. As the year progresses, we will evaluate whether to provide class increases. [emphasis ours]

The good news is:

Eligible associates will be receiving bonuses for 2008; we will be announcing bonus decisions in February for those who have not received their bonuses already.

ATL has more quotes, including this amusing triple-negative you can spend a few hours parsing:

The fact that THIS year you don’t have an increase yet WITHOUT any firmwide announcement (which has NEVER happened, btw) doesn’t mean anything.

Ah, English. If only there were some free school you could attend for 12 years, and learn to speak it.

Cooley Godward Lays Off 52 Attorneys, 62 Staff [Update]

Erik Even — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 22:32:20 +0000

Tipsters to Above the Law are telling the legal tabloid blog that “Cooley Godward has decided to make significant layoffs today.”

Tipsters report that Tipsters that work at the firm place the numbers as high as 10 percent of associates and staff. That could put the overall number of layoffs into the fifties. The laid off employees will have to be out by the end of the week. They’re being given a 3 month severance package.

Cooley Godward spokespeople could not be reached for immediate comment.

If you work at Cooley or know someone who does, please send us a confidential tip. We’ll update this post as details emerge.

Cooley Godward Kronish LLP is a law firm that represents entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, and emerging growth companies in major technology fields. The 650-attorney firm is headquartered in Silicon Valley’s Palo Alto, with offices in New York, San Francisco, San Diego, and Seattle; plus Broomfield, Colorado; Reston, Virginia; Washington, DC and Boston.

Via ATL.

UPDATE:

A JDJournal tipster just forwarded to us this email:

MEMORANDUM HIGHLY CONFIDENTIAL DO NOT COPY OR DISTRIBUTE

TO: All Hands
FROM: Joe Conroy
DATE: January 21, 2009

RE: Headcount Reductions

Today, Cooley is implementing a firmwide reduction in force of 52 attorneys and 62 staff personnel.

I can assure you that the decision to undertake this reduction was not made lightly and that we are providing comprehensive severance benefits as well as career counseling services.

Given the continued slowdown we have experienced in pockets of the Firm over the last five months and the forecast for continuing global economic turmoil in 2009, the Executive and Management Committees concluded that a reduction is necessary at this time. At all levels throughout the Firm we strive to provide an opportunity for everyone to grow professionally and at an appropriate pace. It was the collective judgment of the Firm’s management that in the current environment we would compromise our ability to achieve that goal without reducing the Firm’s headcount across the board.

Notwithstanding the difficult steps we are taking today, the state of our Firm is strong and I am confident about our future. The stability and shared vision of our partnership, the talent of our attorneys and staff, the diversity of our client base, the breadth of the legal services we provide and the health of our balance sheet will enable the Firm to compete effectively and prosper in these challenging economic conditions.

Through these times, we will work together with our world-class clients to strengthen and institutionalize our relationships with them. We will continue to grow and strengthen our partnership and find new ways to apply our tremendous talents to solving the myriad of challenges faced by our clients in this economy. Many of our clients need us now more than ever.

I realize this is a difficult day for everyone and I know that I can count on you to support your departing colleagues and to ease their transitions. I thank you in advance for your understanding and professionalism.

Beginning the last week of February and into the first week of March, Mark Pitchford, Lisanne Morales and I will be making presentations to attorneys and staff in each of our offices regarding our 2008 results, our plans for 2009 and the state of the Firm more generally. At that time we can certainly address questions regarding the reduction, among other things. If you have questions, comments or concerns prior to those presentations you should feel free to seek out members of the Executive or Management Committees, your office Partner-in-Charge, Director or manager – our doors are always open.

ATL: Blank Rome May Lay Off Up to 50 Associates

Erik Even — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 00:30:12 +0000

Above the Law, always the first to hear about law firm layoffs, informs the blogosphere that Philadelphia’s Blank Rome is kicking at least 12 associates to the curb:

As we continue to focus on helping our clients manage through these challenging economic times, and in order to position the Firm for continued success in 2009, it is important that we take the necessary steps to adjust our attorney and staff complements in the context of our clients’ current and anticipated needs. These are purely economic decisions – this is a group of talented attorneys and staff who have made valuable contributions to our Firm.

Our tipsters report that at least 12 associates and staff have been let go so far. But:

Also, there is an unconfirmed report that when this ends the total of layoffs will be 50. Good lord.

Blank Rome LLP is the 84th largest law firm in the US according to the AmLaw 100. It employs about 500 at its eight offices in the US and Kong Kong.

If you know anything about layoffs at Blank Rome, or about layoffs in general, or about anything at all, let us know!

Are Biglaw Firms Freezing Salaries Without Telling Anyone?

Erik Even — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 00:35:45 +0000

Anonymous sources are telling Above the Law that their 2009 paychecks are identical to their 2008 ones — with no actual announcement of a salary freeze. Which is really pissing people off.

ATL identifies the culprits as Biglaw firms Mayer Brown of Chicago, DC’s Steptoe & Johnson and NYC’s Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP.

Today was the first pay day in 2009 for Mayer Brown NY. In the past, our first pay check of the year automatically reflected salary increases. No such increase today. Smells like a pay freeze?!? With the added courtesy of letting ADP announce it instead of management.

But…

I work at Mayer Brown. Every year they raise salaries in March and retroactively pay associates what they would have gotten since March. Definitely getting sick of panickers here. These people need to get a life.

Hmn. Does that last guy really think he’s getting a raise this year, with the entire industry freezing salaries? The only question here seems to be, will the partners announce the freeze like professionals, or go all passive-aggressive?

Read the original post.

No Bonuses? Pay Freezes? How About Having to Pay to Work?

Erik Even — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:15:46 +0000

Above the Law quotes an unnamed source at Clifford Chance, that partners will have to actually pay the firm to keep their jobs:

[A]s a Christmas “bonus” this year, partners at Clifford Chance were each required to make a capital contribution of £100,000 (roughly $150,000). Ouch.

So far, ATL is the only source on this. If you know anything, please contact us!

Other firms have required their non-equity partners to buy into equity status, as a way of raising money.

Clifford Chance LLP is the largest law firm in the world, both by number of lawyers and by revenue, and one of the UK’s “Magic Circle” firms. Its headquarters is at Torchwood Tower Canary Wharf in London.

Via ATL.

Lawyer of the Day: P’Ta Mon

Erik Even — Wed, 31 Dec 2008 00:14:11 +0000

I discovered this ad via Digg, and immediately decided to see if it was legit.

It is. P’Ta Mon (pronounced “peeta mon”) is a real attorney [UPDATE: I'm not sure if he passed the Bar, or if he just has a JD.).

Of course, just as "The Simpsons already did it," well, Above the Law already did it:

I'm calling about this, umm, ad of yours.... It reads, "The Thug's Lawyer?"

What agency are you calling from?

No agency, no agency! I don't work for any agency.

What do you want to know?

This ad -- is it for real?

Yes. You need to see this ad in context. Go to my website, www.ptamon.com [warning: audio]. You’ll see there a wealth of history and background about who I am, which will explain why things are they way they are.

Look, I am close to the streets. And the streets have been good to me. Because people on the streets see me as one of them, there’s a trust factor [when they seek to retain me as their lawyer]. I come from the Caribbean, where we don’t have much opportunity.

The message I’m trying to send [with this ad] is that even if you’ve done something wrong, you are still entitled to representation. That is what our Constitution provides.

My advertisement has been so abused and misused that it’s almost comical. It’s better to give background on myself, so people understand that I’m a creative person, trying to reach clients in creative ways.

I’m telling them: “You’ve been labeled as a thug. But I am your lawyer, and you are innocent until proven guilty.”

Here’s the man’s website (warning – plays music that can’t be turned off). He’s a lawyer AND a singer. Actually, the reggae’s pretty good.

ATL’s Law School Students of the Year

Erik Even — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 19:48:57 +0000

Above the Law has announced its Law School Students of the Year, although the accolade is clearly a sarcastic one.

The ATL guys don’t seem to like Phil Telfeyan or the Harvard Law Review. (Maybe they couldn’t get into Harvard.) Telfeyan’s crime seems to be that he is a liberal, and is using the Review to disseminate the scandalous notion [PDF] that lawyers should be good people. I know!

Apparently there was a kerfuffle on the Tubes this year about a note in which the anonymous author, apparently Telfeyan, suggested that when people fail to act to help the poor, destitute and homeless, that this is a bad thing. You know, like the Christian Bible says. And the Hebrew Bible. And, well, every code of morals and ethics since the Spartans lost at Thermopylae.

But we all know that people, especially lawyers, shouldn’t help people, because… um… well, I’m sure it has something to do with lower taxes or Ayn Rand.

ATL’s other Law School Student of the Year is Kumari Fulbright, who is known for being (1) a beauty queen, (2) a U of Arizona law student, (3) kidnapping and torturing her boyfriend, and (4) taking the worst mug shot in human history.

She also writes snippy posts on blogs that mock her story, which is a great way to get bloggers to leave you alone.

Read the original post.

ATL Readers Choose “Lawyer of the Year,” and It’s Exactly Who You’d Expect

Erik Even — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 23:52:08 +0000

Above the Law has announced its Lawyer of the Year, based on a reader poll. And it’s exactly who you’d expect.

The lowest tally of votes? I would have expected Marc Dreier (485 votes), but it was Rod Blagojevich with 96 votes. One hopes Blago’s voters were either joking, or else bucking for a US Senate seat.

There was no mention of my favorite disgraced lawyer, Jack Thompson, who was finally disbarred this year.

So who won? Which runner up from last year got the top vote of 753? I hope you can figure it out — but if not, check out the original post.

Congrats to the winner! Your Lawyer of the Year prize? A free house to live in, and the responsibility of repairing the economy, defeating terror, restoring civil liberties, halting global warming, and repairing 300 years of racial tension. Good luck!

Rumor: More Layoffs Looming for DLA Piper? [Update]

Erik Even — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 00:04:09 +0000

DLA Piper, the world’s largest law firm (by number of lawyers) which employs more than 3,700 counsel in 28 countries, may have to make more substantial layoffs.

The firm has consistently denied it is looking at redundancies, and has accused those claiming the contrary of spreading “malicious” gossip.

At the beginning of this month, DLA Piper announced that forty staff in the United Kingdom will be cut; half of them will be lawyers.

The question now is where those cuts will be made. DLA Piper said the redundancies will be spread across its UK offices, in real estate and finance practices. But the rumor mill says the firm’s regional offices are most likely to feel the pain.

DLA Piper was formed as a result of the 2005 merger of San Diego’s Gray Cary Ware & Freidenrich, Britain’s DLA LLP , and Piper Rudnick. In 2007, the firm had more than $2.1 billion in revenue, making it one of the highest grossing law firms in the world.

Via The Lawyer.

UPDATE:

Above the Law reports the rumor that Thacher Proffitt is shutting its litigation department, and that department head Richard Hans will jump ship to DLA Piper, his former firm. Word is that he will be taking a few attorneys back with him.