Montana Lawyers Do Things Differently
Remember this attorney, who announced the dissolution of his law partnership in most unorthodox fashion? We sure do (and so does "Tim from Anaconda").
Our friends out west are idiosyncratic when it comes to office decor, too. From a piece by Debra Cassens Weiss for the ABA Journal:
A Montana lawyer said his decision to put a shark tank in his office started out as a joke.“I said, ‘What would it take to put a shark in a lawyer's office?' and it just kind of took off from there,” lawyer Christopher Gillette told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
Workers hoisted the 1,000-gallon aquarium through the second-story window of Gillette’s new office in downtown Bozeman on Monday. He plans to fill the tank with a blacktip reef shark and other saltwater fish, including a venomous lionfish.
Forget mediation. Nothing brings about settlement as quickly as the prospect of being devoured by a blacktip reef shark. With a venomous lionfish on hand to clean up any leftovers.
Gillette, who practices family law, says he thinks clients will find the tank to be relaxing. “People seem to be comfortable with fish,” he told the newspaper.Others will get a chance to watch the marine life, too. Gillette plans to install a camera and broadcast video of his fish tank beginning in February at www.cjgillettelaw.com and www.ccaqua.com.
No word yet on whether Bob Link of Cadwalader -- official holder of the "shark tank" nickname, courtesy of the New York Law Journal -- plans to install an aquarium at One World Financial Center.
ABA Journal [ABA Journal]
(30) Comments
You mean I really have frickin sharks with frickin laser beams attached to their frickin heads?
Overrated: This pathetic excuse for a story.
Underrated: Just letting the morning pass without posting any "news."
I don't get the whole shark thing. Why are lawyers who are fierce advocates for their clients belittled as such?
In a lot of ways, "shark" lawyers are like those at the forefront of the civil rights movement. The amount of cash they bring home at the end of the day simply reflects their worth to society.
i'm guessing a shark tank would be a rather tasteless accoutrement for my office, as i will only be a first-year associate next year? i should at least wait until i make partner?
"Mr. Smith, if you don't sign the papers, little Timmy goes in the tank."
I have a little stuffed animal of a shark. I think intimidates support staff...
This post somehow works even better than the ABA J post.
As for "pathetic excuse for a story", not only did the blog legal pad also do a post on it yesterday, it was one of the top 5 most read posts on the ABA J on 1/2/08.
Great post.
Love the Montana angle with the linked meltdown e-mail (worth the post alone).
Welcome back!
Sharks don't kill people.. people that swim in their mouths kill themselves.
[Insert generic comment bashing Lat and ATL.]
Guys in my high school... Aw, who am I kidding. I'm not really him. I think he pretty funny though.
Do one about the shark tank, pleeeeaaaassseee?
--Seriously Lame Fan
You're gonna need a bigger boat!
when did atl jump the shark?
when lateral link began sponsoring?
when lat began inserting his right wing politics in every other post?
when the first posts started appearing at 10:30?
Thoughts? Suggestions?
I think it was Lat's asian bias in advertising...
11:06 - If you think ATL has jumped the shark, then stop reading.
Saying that ATL has jumped the shark has jumped the shark.
11:06 - All three.
Christ, Lat, is this the best you can do? Cut & paste jobs from the ABA Journal and Lateral Link, and a trio of posts extolling the fact that you got a Facebook poke from an accused kidnapper?
Sophisticated, cross-border... oh, never mind. Even the memes here are becoming unfunny.
Here's some advice I wish I'd got when I was young.
Live every week...like it's shark week.
"As for "pathetic excuse for a story", not only did the blog legal pad also do a post on it yesterday, it was one of the top 5 most read posts on the ABA J on 1/2/08."
Is that kind of like being the tallest short person?
Those things can grow up to six feet. Squeezing one into an aquarium is just cruel, which perhaps says more about the firm than the shark itself.
It's also like being voted the best-looking person in law school.
My personal estate attorney had a parana tank. Sharks are wimpy!
Judge Kozinski has a pet snake in his chambers.
Only a lawyer (11:39) would feel sorry for a frickin’ shark.
No doubt some form of simpatico or professional courtesy.
Little furry creatures I can understand. But sharks?
"Gillette, who practices family law, says he thinks clients will find the tank to be relaxing. “People seem to be comfortable with fish,” he told the newspaper.
Others will get a chance to watch the marine life, too. Gillette plans to install a camera and broadcast video of his fish tank beginning in February at www.cjgillettelaw.com and www.ccaqua.com."
privilege waiver...
"Judge Kozinski has a pet snake in his chambers."
If you think he meant that literally when he told you, you may have missed something.
"Is that kind of like being the tallest short person?"
No, actually the ABA Journal's readership dwarfs that of this site.
Don't get me wrong--ALT has created a phenomenal buzz in just over a year and is the go to site for BigLaw salary news and gossip, but it’s the new kid on the block compared the WSJ Law Blog, the ABA Journal, or even Legal Pad.
Dear 12:48:
I don't think the privilege covers law firm pets; nor is the shark talking at the moment. (If it starts talking please let us know immediately.)
My boss, who fights ERISA claims, has bought the remains to the tiger that mauled that kid in California. Now that's intimidating, and, boy, what a conversation pience.
My boss, who fights ERISA claims, has bought the remains to the tiger that mauled that kid in California. Now that's intimidating, and, boy, what a conversation piece.
Kids from my school used to commit suicide in shark's mouths all the time . . . it was no big deal.
I'm surprised none of the NYC biglaw douchebags have expressed surprise that anyone would want to work in Montana.