Lawyer of the Day: Peter ‘P’Ta Mon’ John
If the Nixon Peabody song were lawyer advertising — which, of course, it is not — it would be the best lawyer advertisement ever.
And this, which a helpful reader emailed to us, would be second best:
In case you can’t read the fine print at the bottom — which offers some helpful tips on staying out of trouble with the law, but which should NOT be construed as legal advice — here’s a close up:
Right now you’re probably thinking: This CANNOT be for real.
But it is, dear readers, it is. We confirmed the authenticity of this advertisement with Mr. Peter John himself.
You can check out our short interview with him, after the jump.
We called the telephone numbers on the advertisement. The toll-free one didn’t work from our area, but the 225 number worked just fine. This conversation ensued:
Hello, may I speak to Peter John please?
This is he.
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. You’ll see there a wealth of history and background about who I am, which will explain why things are they way they are.
Come again?
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.”
So how has this advertising been working out for you?
This advertisement has been very successful for us. The laws need to change to allow us to be more like doctors [in advertising], to go at our customers from a more specialized marketing perspective.
***************
Tell it to the people at Nixon Peabody!
After we got off the phone with Mr. John, we visited his website, www.ptamon.com, entitled “P’Ta Mon Reggae Bad Boy.” As you’ll see, it doesn’t have much to do with the law; it’s more about his career as a reggae musician. But it does make clear that Peter “P’Ta Mon” John is, as he claims, “a creative person.”
There’s only passing mention of Mr. John’s legal practice:
P’ta Mon is a Licensed Pilot, holds a Masters in Business, and has a Juris Doctor Degree. When he is not on tour he is writing songs, doing research. P’taMon states that he is a student of mankind, he enjoys studying people and the way we treat one another. His convictions about brotherly love and broad educational perspecitve help him formulate the profund, yet simple conclusions captured in his songs, such as: I can only love you so many ways…
Tell it to Sen. Larry Craig.
More about Peter John, from the bio section:
P’ta Mon (pronounced: Peeta Mon) is a native of St. Croix, V.I., one of the U.S. Virgin Islands, near St. Thomas. When he came to the U.S. he first settled in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps. His hobbies include dancing, fishing, jogging, and flying airplanes. All of his family is from the British West Indies. He has two brothers. He is single because he is very busy and focused on his music career. He believes that you can’t force love.
Amen, brother! We’re sure that many Biglaw associates can relate. When you’re billing 2500 hours a year, of course you’re going to be single (unless you marry a colleague).
P’ta Mon favorite food is fish. He claims to be a very good cook and likes to eat. He hopes one day to settle down with the right person. His ideal type of woman is physically fit…
P’Ta Mon, have you met Aquagirl?
When asked to describe himself the only thing he is willing to say is “spiritual and fun loving”. When describing his music P’ta man says the goal of his music is to make every body feel nice. “I make happy music.”
Happy music? Nixon Peabody should contact Mr. John and commission him to produce their 2008 anthem. How would you like to hear Everyone’s A Winner set to a reggae beat?
P’Ta Mon Reggae Bad Boy [official website]
(93) Comments
Comments
Looks like the back of a latino's truck
talk about pandering to the lowest common denominator.
first
"Lose the gold teeth and get rid of the rims"
Shit there goes my new ride and dental work
I work at BigLaw and I don't carry $750 around with me!
I'm confused about this don't carry guns, especially in the presence of drugs. Does that mean you should hide the drugs? Isn't that a no-brainer anyway? Shouldn't you hide the gun too? Maybe you just don't hide them in the same spot? Gosh this is confusing.
He actually seems articulate enough when ATL got him on the phone. More power to him. People need representation. And I know I don't want to represent people charged with minor criminal charges.
Does anybody else love the fact that this guy is a JD/MBA too?
Awesome. This guy is living the dream.
12:06: Do NOT call him "articulate."
I learned that lesson the hard way.
"He believes that you can't force love."
As do the drafters of the criminal codes of most jurisdictions.
Tip: Instead of carrying your drugs in the glove box, smuggle them around in your bloodstream while driving
NOTE: Not legal advice.
Initial guess was New Orleans, so close.
So if I am drunk, high, carrying a kilo of cocaine in my backseat while cruising down slauson in my tinted out pimp ride sittin on 22" chrome and I smile up at the nice popo with my gold grillz and a gun in my glove, I shouldn't put out my joint and then try to bribe him with the $750 in cash I carry at all times? I may need Peetah Mohn more than I thought!
Who carries that much cash (outside of Vegas)? So $500 is ok??
Hey L2L, it's like looking into a crystal ball, huh?
Well, not really, I suppose. First you need to have the ambition to get a pilot's license and go to B-school. Better luck next time.
12:17 was afraid some of P'Ta Mon's clients might read this and take him seriously.
This guy RULES. Ditto to 12:11 PM.
P'Ta Mon to $190k (and a blunt)!
Uh, he forgot the most important rule...NEVER CONSENT TO A SEARCH.
And although this guy is walking a fine line (no convictions?), he made my day.
Who carries that much cash (outside of Vegas)? So $500 is ok??
Posted by: anon | August 29, 2007 12:25 PM
-------------------------------------------
Uh, drug dealers do, idiot.
@12:34 ... as do strippers. But P'Ta's advice is that you shouldn't carry around that much money "if you don't work."
Both drug dealers and strippers work, providing very valuable services.
I thought the same thing (New Orleans) when I first saw this -- it reminds me of the ads you see down here for musicians/performance groups. I wonder if they use the same ad agency? I bet this would work in certain parts of NOLA.
L2L--Maybe he's hiring?
I love this! no seriously. He's staying true to who he is an not getting caught up in taking himself too seriously. His ad is less ridiculous than those who think ny should go 190. now that's ridiculous. NY to 3000 (billables)
Pen and Pixel!
P'TA-MON IS MY HERO
@12:01,
CA has a separate criminal violation, Health & Safety code 11370.1(a), for people who carry drugs while having a firearm available for immediate use. so you're more screwed if you have guns + drugs in the same place.
Dogfighting?
Foot-tapping and male bathroom whore-mongering?
does anyone know if p'ta mon pays market for clerkship bonuses? i couldn't find his info in nalp.
P'ta-Mon/Sen. Larry Craig in '08!
Seems like a cool guy.
Who is O'Neil? You'd think it would be P'Ta Mon Legal LLC.
I think Morris Bart has the market cornered in NOLA.
has anyone found out where he went to law school?
Actually, I think P'Ta Mon might be in a bitter recruiting war against Baker Donelson for the top grads looking to return to Louisiana. http://www.abovethelaw.com/2007/07/a_bad_way_to_procrastinate_whi_1.php .
No evidence, no conviction! (wtf? isnt that usually followed by 'not a guarantee of a specific outcome' disclaimer?)
I think more criminal lawyers should be MBAs. Organizations are organizations, right?
Are we really sure this guy is even a real lawyer?
LSU law grad; http://appl003.lsu.edu/UNV002.NSF/(NoteID)/7572C683047DFFAA862568E0004E9000?OpenDocument; 9 years of active service to the legal community.
Damn, so much for the prestige associated with my LSU degree.
I think the feds also have a mandatory 5 year added sentence for drugs + guns (assumption being that you are not just a drug conveyor, but a nasty, Tony Montana-style kingpin prepared to have people say hello to your little friend as part of your drug business).
Geaux Tigers
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S A LAWYER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
man, i can nearly taste the crackerass emanating from the comments on this thread. all y'all need to remember that life isn't the nice cobblestone streets in your tony suburb.
most of his advice isn't shabby at all... even if his clients would never take most of it.
P'Ta Mon for Attorney General.
2:13
So...What does my "crackerass" taste like?
"no evidence, no conviction" - isn't that almost just a statement of law?
lighten up guys, he seems like a good guy
Old Guy- ask your wife.
He undoubtedly possesses significantly more trial experience thatn your average "BIG LAW Litigator".. All those guys do is litigate on the phone, exchange truckloads of paper, then settle.
Why? You're the one that can "taste it"
Guy has obviously read his Foonberg and probably turns a brisk business. Power to him.
Yep, 5 years mandatory in the federal system for possessing a gun in furtherance of a drug trafficking offense. I don't know about other Circuits, but the 4th Circuit has a very loose interpretation of "in furtherance." 7 years if you brandish the gun. And heaven help you if you get 2 of these, because after the first, it's 25 years mandatory for each additional one, all of which must be consecutive to any other sentence.
Old Guy is obviously not at a V100 firm, given his reading comprehension skills and the inability to understand the qualifier "nearly."
Love the ad. Just a sign of the sad state of our profession: upon showing this to another associate, their comment was "He says 'No Evidence' 'No Conviction.' Those are promises and this ad violates the rules of profesisonal conduct."
That's great - he is committed to criminal defense and he's right, he is creative. He had a pretty good rationale for this ad also.
I think that P'ta mon should have his office in the back of a pita pit. Catchy, right?
I like the ad, I do. But I can't resist point out that he is not the "The Thug's Lawyer," but rather, "The Thugs Lawyer."
I've never quite learned the proper use of the apostrophe. I understand Mr. Johns typo, but would "The Thugs' Lawyer" be acceptable?
"no evidence, no conviction"
definetly a statement of the law, i challenge anyone to cite a case where there was "no evidence" AND a conviction.
it can also be read as a promise, but one that could always be kept.
"I understand Mr. Johns typo." Ha. You sure?
In this context, I think "The Thug's Lawyer" would mean "The Lawyer for Thugs (Generally)." "The Thugs' Lawyer" might be used in the same context to get the same meaning, but it looks wrong to me.
LOL, we truly are a bunch of geeks, having a grammar argument on a blog
my two cents, "The thug's lawyer" implies he is the lawyer for THE thug ie there is only one thug.
"The thugs' lawyer" states he is the layer for the mulitude of thugs which run rampant in baton rouge.
"The thugs lawyer" is just plain wrong. As written "thugs" reads as an adjective which serves to modify the noun "lawyer" but the context makes clear that he is fact the lawyer for the thugs
thug life baby
There is a drugs & firearms case where the dealer sold drugs to undercover agents, then they all went target shooting in a nearby field. The additional sentence was pretty steep. Best not to mix the two (cause I'm sure lots of us here need to worry about that).
If ATL was trying to make fun of this guy, they did not succeed. He is providing a great service to his community. He's also seems to have figured out the whole work/life balance thing.
I agree with the 3:27. It should be:
The Thug's Lawyer: I rep "the Thug"
The Thugs' Lawyer: I rep "thugs" generally
or
The Thug Lawyer: I am a lawyer and I am a thug.
It should never be "The Thugs Lawyer."
don't why i didnt think of this sooner,
regardless of the puntuation, it really should be THUGZ with a Z
JTYRSJ: True.
"The Thug's Lawyer" is correct -- like saying "The simple man's coffee".
can't. stop. laughing. best read all day!
It really should be THUGZ. But, technically, I believe it must read: "The Thugs' Lawyer."
So what if he has a Juris Doctor Degree?
I got me a P.H.D: Playa Hatah Degree
Thugs dont use apostrophes. Theyre for bitch ass snitches like Mike Vick.
i've seen another dude from da N.O. with a commercial on the same angle. i haven't seen it in a while, but.. if i can find it i will put it on youtube.
Jealousy is a bitch. You all can't stand to see a black man with a JD/MBA/pilot license. I am sure most of you would rather see him locked up in prison. ASSHOLES, STOP HATING. P'TA keep on doing your thinG.
Who's hating, 3:05? This is great. The ad is tacky, though.
Tacky, 9:27? Yes, but delightfully so. Thugs need attorneys, and Mr. Mon fits the bill to a T. Were I such a thug, I would avail myself of his services forthwith.
Cheeri-o.
The condescension in this post and most of the thread is just preposterous. The guy sounds cool, he knows what he’s talking about, and I’d much rather hang out with him than the smug contingent that is making fun of his fonts and worrying bout his use of apostrophes. Do you "biglaw" wankers ever stop to realize that you, too, are a cliche?
Pure genius, if you ask me.
Why would anyone raise a stink over PTM?
He's doing his job. Serving aslice.
Thank you all'z for your interest and commentary. Please see my other indulgences at www.myspace/ok2gutta. for all the haterz' Yall making me rich. Go to Billboard.com and type in 2Gutta and see how many timez my artist charted on billboard. You see the streets have taken over the board rooms and all the limits we forced into as a people have been compromized. Now you are spending your time elevating my ideas and making it possible for me to represent more drug users who want to shine and become legit businessmen. I believe in the worth of the drug dealer. I also believe in our system of justice. Thank you for your comment the person who commented about the LSU Law degree that I am some how tainting. I am not tainting anything I am painting the constution BLACK! P'Ta Mon: oneallegal.com oktopusgroup.com www.ptamon.com Thank You for your honesty!!
I came across this site by mistake and I have to comment towards some of the ignorance. Fkng Idiots
Hating azz people. The brother is doing his thang. Why is it that the black brother have to be scrutinized when he is working hard and doing the right thing?
Cutting Deals behind your client's back
Makes you feel like you know where it's at
Your nose is so high up in the air
Country Club living is all you care
It is time you jump off your High Horse
Not everyone lives on the Golf Course
Remember guys, it's not where you live
It's the kind of Service that you Give
Salutes from sunny Monte Carlo
P'ta Mon you're my kind of fellow
G's up H's down
It is clear next to none of you have practiced criminal law. If you have over a certain amount of money on your person and are unemployed, in certain jurisdictions they use it as evidence that an individual has sold drugs, as they do with drug paraphernalia even if you don't have any drugs on you. If an individual has over 10 small plastic bags, such as the type used to sell small quantities of crack cocaine, that is evidence of an intent to distribute even if there is little or no drugs on the individuals person. PT is just trying to provide some helpful advice. An FYI if you will.
The funniest thing about this blog is the comments. But I guess there are no good comments without excellent topics. Good job Lat.
this dude is clearly not real. Not buying his cheap slogans
Check out ABA Model Rule 7.1...he's running a very fine line, but I think it's legit
Check out ABA Model Rule 7.1...he's running a very fine line, but I think it's legit
Check out ABA Model Rule 7.1...he's running a very fine line, but I think it's legit.
Yo P'Ta Mon, are you taking on any summer associates? I am white, but I am from Detroit and have been shot at before.
wwww.myspace.com/ptamon
www.youtube.com [search thugs lawyer]
www.photobucket.com/ptamon
and you will get the whole pic. This is America: Live your dream. Dream, do, live.... From P'Ta Mon
Thank you all for your attention.
& David Lat. Thank you for taking time to look at my way of doing things.
Keep at it P'ta Mon. You're doing good. Yeah, the MS Paint needs to be upgraded but it gets the job done. I didn't believe this was real at first, but you indeed have a creative way of living life and I appreciate you doing your thing out there. Let them cluck at it, I know you're better than that. It's at the point where those of us who know what we're doing don't even care what these negative-minded people have to say anymore. Peace and love
Definitely a real attorney, admitted since 1998.
http://www.lsba.org/2007MembershipDirectory/MemberDetails.asp?ID=656267&Menu=MD
hahaha so this piece of sh*t managed to dig himself out of the gutter and get some degrees. the shear amount of human feces floating around would make it likely that an anomaly like this would happen eventually. f*ck him. he's trash and his clients are trash.