What the Stroock Is Going On?

Apparently something weird is going on over in the New York office of Stroock & Stroock & Lavan. Something really weird.
A source at another firm advised us:

Something has happened at Stroock. Rumors floating around that an associate flipped his s**t and emailed all personnel with something odd. I can’t find out more than that.

Use your powers. Find the answer.

After invoking said “powers,” we learned a bit more — and got our filthy paws on the email.
Check it out, after the jump.


The following email was sent at 2:02 a.m. EST to all firm personnel:

If you are currently working on a matter for either [REDACTED] or [REDACTED], I advise and request that you stop your work immediately.

I have information suggesting that this firm’s dual representation of these clients will harm them to a degree and in a manner which the clients may not be competent to assess.

All legal and non-legal personnel are now on notice of this potential conflict of interest and breach of duty to your client.

The potential for harm is immanent [sic] and could be occurring now.

Do not wait for me to provide additional information. You have enough information. Please contact the client and any authorities you deem appropriate at your first opportunity, for the sake of the interests of the clients. I intend to do the same. I will consider anyone who fails to report this to the client and to the appropriate authorities at the first possible opportunity, to have breached moral, professional and legal duties and I will report you.

[redacted]
Awaiting Admission to the Bar
Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP
180 Maiden Lane
New York, NY 10038

Not surprisingly, the firm has been buzzing the whole day about this email. People seem to think that the sender has completely lost it.
Now, we are all in favor of reporting unethical conduct to the appropriate authorities. And we don’t know all the facts here.
But the sender of this email, as reflected in the signature file, is pretty junior — not even admitted to the bar. Shouldn’t this individual have raised his or her concerns with the powers-that-be, before shooting off an email to the ENTIRE FIRM?
Obviously, as noted, we don’t know all the facts and circumstances. Maybe this individual made unsuccessful efforts to raise the issue before sending around this firm-wide email. But the whole situation still seems very fishy to us.
P.S. Stroock is one firm that still hasn’t raised its non-New York offices to the $160K scale. C’mon, Stroock, get with the program!
Update: After a veritable comments clusterf**k, and for the reasons set forth here, we have decided to release the name of the individual in question. The email was sent by Maury Saiger.
We do now know whether Saiger sent this message in earnest, or whether it was some prank pulled by a colleague who commandeered his computer. We welcome additional info by email (subject line: “Stroock”). Thanks.
Further Update: To read about what happened next, click here.
Maury Saiger bio [Stroock & Stroock & Lavan]

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