Summer Associate of the Day: Alter Ego ‘Divljan Shatterhand Steele’
We heard through the grapevine that Judge Brett Kavanaugh of the D.C. Circuit gave ATL a shout out during a Federalist Society lunch earlier this month. According to our tipsters, “his biggest advice to any summer associates in the audience was ‘don’t show up on David Lat’s blog, Above the Law.’”
Well, the first summer associate tale of 2008 has made its way into our tips inbox from Atlanta. A summer associate at Alston & Bird decided to share his quirky sense of humor and alter ego with the rest of his summer class. Our tipster explains:
[This e-mail] was sent by an Alston & Bird summer… (as his cross-dressing alter-ego Divljan Shatterhand Steele) to the entire Atlanta summer class. The email, besides being super weird, is pretty innocuous. However, the pictures on his Facebook account could give him some serious trouble — besides the multiple pictures of him dressed in drag as his alter-ego, there is a picture of a pie with a gummy-bear swastika…Needless to say, the email has already been widely circulated. A&B has a progressive reputation, but this might be a bit much. Given the current state of the market, Alston might be regretting hiring such a huge summer class (look at the recipient list, which likely only includes the summers who are working the first half) in Atlanta. This guy isn’t doing himself any favors.
The bizarre e-mail, involving tarot cards and multiple personalities, is available after the jump. If you’ve been wondering about the history of neckties, you’ll definitely want to check it out.
We have redacted the SA’s name and ask that you not identify the person in the comments. Feel free to refer to him as “Divljan” only. Thanks.
Here’s the e-mail with the origins of the summer’s alter ego and of the neck tie:
From: REDACTED (Summer Associate)
Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2008 9:37 AM
To: REDACTED (A Whole Bunch of Summer Associates at Alston & Bird)
Subject: This week’s random (but very useful) informationHowdy all!
My name is Divljan Shatterhand Steele. I am one of many many quirky characters you will meet through REDACTED. People say we look a good deal alike, but I don’t believe it. Here is a picture of me, just so you can have an idea what I look like….
A bit more about me: I was created on December 6, 2006 while REDACTED was in his first semester of law school. You see, REDACTED learned to read tarot cards from gypsies in Croatia. However, these same gypsies predicted that REDACTED would die of a massive heart attack on his 25th birthday. REDACTED did not actually die, and with this failed prophecy, he lost all faith in the powers of the tarot. Therefore, he created me to store and act upon all that legendary mysticism. So now I’m a tarot expert, and I frequently do tarot parties around the Provo, Utah area.
Now, you may be thinking, “Divljan Shatterhand Steele, that’s an interesting name!” Well, REDACTED had a specific reason for each of my names. The Steele comes from my older sister, Magnolia Steele, the world-famous Dolly Parton impersonator, who was named after the Dolly Parton movie Steele Magnolias (the spelling is from Remington Steele) … anyway, since she’s my sister, I share her last name. My first and middle names (Divljan and Shatterhand) are after famous literary characters…see if you can figure them out. If not, maybe they will be the subject of a future mailing.
Anyway, I was talking to REDACTED, and he indicated that you may be interested in a few of the random bits of information I have locked away in my head. So he asked me to liven up your summer weeks with a weekly regular email addressing a topic that will certainly be of interest to all of you. If anyone is on this list who doesn’t want to be, please just tell REDACTED, and he’ll pass the word on to me. Also, if anyone is not on the mailing list who does want to be, please apologize for us and let us know! Also, feel free to forward this fascinating document to anyone who may care!
With the introduction out of the way, let’s get to the matter at hand. REDACTED told me that last week he was telling you about his Glagolithic Croatian tie. As the history of the tie is an interesting tidbit, he suggested I cover it this week. So, without further ado, I present to you the story of the necktie.
Have you ever wondered where the necktie comes from? I wouldn’t be surprised if the answer to this question is “No!” You may think it insignificant, but, as Sir Percy put it, a tie is “the apotheosis of all neckwear…[it] distinguishes the man of refinement from the merely ordinary; it sneers at the severity of the stock. It is the only item of dress that expresses true individuality. And whether is be made of lace or silk or the finest loom it thrives on ingenuity, on originality, and above all on personality down to the last skilled of twist of bow or knot”
The necktie plays such an important role in the wardrobes of so many of us. It is a magical item that turns “casual” to “dresser-up” or “relaxed” to business-like.” I feel an item of so much mystical, transformative power deserves a bit of explanation.
Well, it may surprise you to know that the tie actually comes from Croatia! That’s right, folks, it’s one of the many far-reaching inventions of that tiny country on the Adriatic!
You’ve heard of kilts, right? You may be familiar with Scottish clans having particular kilt patterns which represent their families. Well, the same was true with the Croats…the difference being that they didn’t wear dresses, they wore scarves around their necks. Whenever they went out to war (and that was a popular pastime in Europe in the Middle Ages) they would suit up with a fancy scarf around their necks to do honor to their family name.
Well, in addition to winning the “Best-dressed on the Battlefield” award, Croatian soldiers also garnered fame as great horsemen. Around the middle of the 17th century, since there wasn’t enough going on in Croatia, Croatian horsemen were hired as mercenaries to fight in the Thirty Years War (guess how long it lasted!). These mercenaries fought with valor, were commended for their bravery, and eventually made it to the Big Room, Versailles! Their mission, save King Louis XIV from a horrible fashion faux pas!
You see, some bright soul had decided that powdered wig was the way to do your hair in High Society in those years. I happen to agree, a powdered wig does have a certain je ne se quas that real hair just seems to lack. Well, unfortunately, someone else had decided that the large, serving-platter-sized starched collar was also in vogue that year. Unfortunately, wigs and enormous collars just don’t go together! All the fashionable m’lords were spending so much time and effort on their collars, and no one was complementing them, because their long, powdery wigs would hide all that work!
Enter the Croats. Not used to the Western style, the Croats didn’t know about the collar (though the wig had caught on even as far south as Croatia…there’s just no holding back genius). As they swaggered in to Court, the King was aghast! He was unable to listen as his aides described the valorous deeds of these fine horsemen; he couldn’t take his eyes off their neckties! As soon as the audience was ended, he sent his valet to bring him back a necktie a la croate.
Well, once everyone saw the Sun King’s New Clothes, it was only a matter of time before the starched collar got the axe and the cravat took over. Actually, the word used in many languages for “tie” today is some variation of “cravat,” which is based on the word for “Croat” (The Croatian word for Croat is Hrvat). It was brought to England by Charles II (who was hanging out in France while Oliver Cromwell was making alterations to the wardrobe of the English monarchy — heads were so last-season!). Once the English picked it up, it quickly spread to the far corners of the world. Though alterations have been made to its shape over the years, the necktie has become an irreplaceable piece of the well-dressed gentleman’s wardrobe ever since!
The Croats are VERY proud of their role in the development of world fashion. About the tie they say “It took a vast army for Napoleon to conquer Europe, but Croatia, with just a simple knot, has the entire world by the throat!” Just a side-note: the record for the world’s largest tie is held by the city of Pula, Croatia:
I hope you have enjoyed this week’s presentation. I welcome suggestions for next week’s topic. If anyone would like to contribute an interesting trivial tidbit, this is also welcome! Please just tell REDACTED, and he will pass them along to me. There is no subject too obscure or too trivial!
As always, if you liked this week’s topic, please tell everyone; if you thought it was lousy, please tell no one!
That looks like all I have planned for this issue! Farewell!
Divljan Shatterhand Steele
Crazy, but informative. We like it.
(213) Comments
Comments
FIRST....to be happy to not be the first S.A. to make ATL.
Farewell, indeed.
what?
FIRST to ask WTF?
This summer associate appears to be mentally ill and it is inappropriate to feature his actions on this website. This person should be getting the help he needs now. He should not be subjected to mockery on a widely read blog.
What a stupid summer associate. He or she has just deep sixed their chance for a permanent job. Would you want that kind of philosophical retard working in your section.
This again proves my point that a T14 law school does not make a competent lawyer (I just hope he is not from my alma mater).
First to say: He's on Youtube!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlm3goI6oE0
You start mainstreaming these types of kids in elementary schools and this is the ultimate result. No surprise here.
"Also, feel free to forward this fascinating document to anyone who may care!"
Famous last words.
Apparently, this guy is a Youtube allstar.....
Meet Florian von Schwulenheim...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR8TSqwdSWE&feature=related
Eh. Strange, but generally looks harmless. Definitely a bold way to go as a summer but probably not disqualifying.
This is the weirdest thing I have ever seen. Is he schizophrenic? Split personality disorder? Or just a freak?
i mean, is it really that hard? you show up, you act interested, you make small talk over expensive lunches, you quietly collect your ridiculous paycheck, and you get an offer. avoiding freakdom (or at least the exposure of your freakdom) should be close to the top of your list. apparently, this guy's whole goal was to end up on this website. i pity him.
Enjoy your (only) summer at that firm, fruitcake.
My momma used to tell me about boys like this. Stay away from them, that's what she said. So, ya know what, that's what I did--I stayed away from them. I think I know what will happen now. My momma said that law firms would not extend offers to summer associates such as these.
After I was an all-american at the University of Alabama (you know, that's where they said a bear used to coach--but I never did see no bear), there was a boy who went to law school and worked at a law firm. He tried reading some of these funny cards and started acting all funny like. Ya know what, a partner or some guy who makes all the decisions said he couldn't work there anymore. I think that will happen to this boy as well.
There are many videos made by him on youtube apparently.... they are quite disturbing.....just enter "Divljan Shatterhand Steele"
Oh, gracious, I know this guy from my law school which I will not identify. He would make comments in class like that he had a dream where he was a woman. In my employment law class he was indignant because Harrah's casino had different dress standards for men and women; he thought that men should be able to dress in skirts as well. He also walks from class to class with his books balanced on his head. An all-around freak show.
Here's Divljan Shatterhead Steele's "sister" Magnolia Steele:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FevPvf7kIVc
"y first and middle names (Divljan and Shatterhand) are after famous literary characters...see if you can figure them out. If not, maybe they will be the subject of a future mailing. "
There will be future mailings?! Please let this guy make it through the summer, so that ATL is filled with all of his future mailings.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1DP_rQJyvA&feature=related
Yeah, he's done after this one....
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=140186&id=507258539
Just by the by, "Schwulenheim" would be "something like House of Gays in German.
What a freak! the self-pwnage here is unbelievable
it's je ne sais quoi
It's always funny when creatures like 2:19 pop up. So when a single crazy guy shows up on the Internet, 2:19 and his ilk comfort themselves by reminding us that "a T14 law school does not make a competent lawyer". Talk about a huge inferiority complex just eager to prove everyone else wrong.
Not to mention that we don't know if this guy is from a T14.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FevPvf7kIVc
Diversity recruiting at its finest.
good job on posting the kid's name with the youtube and facebook links. stellar comprehension skills, mates!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FevPvf7kIVc
EEEEEEEE! I CAN'T STOP! There's a cliff! AAAAAHH! And your summer associate's screaming "Oh my God, i'm burning alive!" "No! I can't feel my legs!"
Here comes ATL. And the readers get on and say, "Oh my God". New guy's around the corner puking his guts out. All because you wanted to entertain your fellow summer associates. And to me, it doesn't make sense.
2:19 obviously went to GULC as no other schools' grads would bother with such an obviously meaningless term like "T14"
Doing BYU proud!
im all for individual expression within reason and personality wise im a bit right brained as well and i do think law firms are up tight and need to loosen up - BUT this crosses the boundary of what is suitable and not suitable in displaying your own freak flag at work or publicly and having it reflect on you professionally.
I bet he wears magic underpants
This guy has to rank in the top 5 of the weirdest SAs ever. And that's quite an accomplishment!
Youtube-okay. It matches the alter ego
Facebook- yeah, that was over the line.
His youtube profile says he's "interested in European girls; any takers?" hello? anybody?
He goes to BYU? This guy would be a freak show amongst the left wing nuts at AU, but can you imagine him in the middle of Mormondom?!
related note: I wonder if anyone, maybe even DSS, could do a memo on the origins of WGWAG?
unrelated note: who is SEN?
he's removing all his videos .... i feel bad for this guy, but shouldn't you have learned to be a bit more discrete by this point in life
looks like he's taking down all his freak-videos from youtube...
that email is made of fail
mormon boy gonna get nixed.
more "discrete", and insular too.
2:19, the guy is from BYU. Looks like you shot yourself in the foot trying to bash T14 students.
T11 to T14=TTT
This guy is one of the sweetest folks you can meet. What you do on your own time is your own business.
2:58- he clearly is now, hence no more youtube.
Somebody's about to get expelled from BYU.
Get over it UCLA or Vandy-troll. It has always been T14 and it will always be T14 as long as GULC is ranked # 14.
Lat dresses in drag and starts blogs.
From his Youtube channel:
"I love living the uninhibited life. "There's no crime in giving over to pleaure."[sic] Learn to cast away common sense and social restraint like so many old clothes and be free. I tell people I sold my inhibitions for $200. I can turn my feet backwards.
The myspace page is equally terrifying, but I won't post link. Can't believe that there are still law firms that hire without searching you tube, my space, and facebook. 30 seconds of investigation would have outed this freak show.
Wow - I kinda feel bad for this loon.
302- no one cares about George Mason Law Center
this is actually quite impressive:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mBxHc4Pm7E
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=150625&id=507258539
Looks like this guy met Lat.
I think it's hilarious -- he obviously doesn't care what people think, least of all prospective employers.
He made it to A&B, I'm sure he's not totally insane. This thread is fair play. Continue...
I saw the videos and thought "don't quit your day job," then I realized he just did.
It's a good thing word doesn't travel fast in a cross-dressing-friendly legal market like Atlanta. I mean, my brother is only the managing partner of the other major shop in town.
-A&B managing partner (currently in a meeting)
Seriously... it turned out to be a joke, right?
Well, it is pretty amazing that he made it through the interview process. Perhaps he is not cut out for life as a Big Law associate. Perhaps some sort of entertainment law?
This just in! It's TTT to tout the fact that you went to a law school that's ranked #14. Pass it on.
Why does everyone assume that he wants an invite back and just didin't think that this email would affect it? He knew exactly what he was doing. Now he's gonna be collecting his fat paychecks for one summer, then moving on to doing something that he enjoys more.
Please fire this freak show.
3:10 is probably right.
3:00(1)pm: Agree that what someone does on own time is his/her own business. However, this freak used firm's email system to send this particular gem to firm's SAs. Can't believe that some SAs are still this oblivious.
3:10 - don't you think that, simply as a matter of common sense, you'd wait till the end of the summer to send such an email?
This just in, 3:09: only douches start out lame jokes w/ "this just in." (the exception being mockery of these douches)
For those who are surprised that someone like this could ever make it through the interview process, remember that the interviewers are lawyers, not exactly the sanest bunch. He also could have obtained the SA gig through a connection, in which his "quirks," if readily apparent, were overlooked. He also could have straight A's in law school and was taken with the hope that he would "keep it together" at the firm. I'm just saying there are many ways that a freak can be hired...
If 3:10 was right, he would have left the videos up.
Further proof that gays should not be allowed to marry.
2:33(3) has summed this up most accurately. No way this idiot survives the summer. A&B got what they deserve . . . with YouTube, Facebook, etc., it was foolish of them not to google every SA before hiring.
This guy is a freakshow; an attention seeker hiding the repressed memories of being touched by a bad uncle. Keep your kids away from this one.
Further proof that you should only hire T-14. The schools weed out the wackos for you.
The youtube vids and facebook have been removed
to 2:49 -- diversity hire?? -- the one youtube i managed to see seemed to show a white guy
SEN = Sharon Eliza Nichols, or something. guest blogged here a while back. blond hottie.
Forest Gump -- loved the post. brilliant.
Paging Baton Bob!
http://www.batonbob.com/
315- this just in-- you are a lame douche.
Wow. K&S = sweatshop. Paul Hastings = heartless firm that hires competent attorneys and fires them assholishly without warning 5 days after a miscarriage. A&B = inviting firm with unsustainable partnership structure that hires weird idiots and keeps them (even if the corporate associates have to do med mal since there's no corporate work there)?
Thanks goodsness that google has caches, otherwise I'd be missing out!
What's next , a discussion about his sponge bob square pants
Frat stud is sad, he wants to dress up like a woman, read Tarot cards, and have it be no big deal.
Frat stud is sad, he wants to dress up like a woman, read Tarot cards, and have it be no big deal.
Frat stud is sad, he wants to dress up like a woman, read Tarot cards, and have it be no big deal.
3:02: enjoy the GULC TTT JD FACTORY
Vandy will take you out in the rankings sooner than you think, past prestige boy.
GULC is for people who can't get into Cornell. Sad, really.
3:35,
Tell me if I'm wrong, but I sense that what you are trying to say is that Frat stud is sad, he wants to dress up like a woman, read Tarot cards, and have it be no big deal. Do I have that about right?
I don't think guys at my high school ever did anything like this.
FRAT STUD
At the firm I worked for, there's a tradition of associates and other summers getting on to people's accounts when they're away from their desk and forget to lock their computer and sending it out.
Ami I missing something?? Isn't it pretty clear that that is what occurred here????
No one would voluntarily write an e-mail like this. This must be some type of hazing.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qlm3goI6oE0
$1 million + PPE is sustainable, I'd say.
3:40: Seems pretty erudite for a "prank email.' I mean, I'm all for a good laugh, but this seems like a whole lot of effort.
Who would go to Cornell? Ithaca, NY? I've been there. It sucks. People only go to Cornell if they get rejected from schools in decent cities.
TTIWWOP
3:39
That is correct. Frat stud wishes to dress like lady, perhaps gypsy lady, read Tarot cards, and have his bros accept him for who he really is.
FRAT STUD.
3:40, no way. Browse his MySpace page and find a whole litany of weird $hit re: Croatians and his fascination therewith. Also, the cross-dressing tarot card thing is the theme of most of the YouTube vids (though there was one where he dressed in a towel and did the hula that bucked this trend). Not sure whether this guy wanted to torpedo his career, or if he is just so lacking in common sense as to not figure out that this would do the trick, but I'd bet my last $40 lunch allowance that the email was all of his own making.
And, to those espousing the "you can do whatever you want in your own time" theory of law firm life---no, no, and no. Your public persona, your public reputation, and your perceived integrity are all you have in this business, within the firm and outside of it. Especially in a small legal market. This guy has just proven that his judgment is ZERO, and that he spends a LOT of time creating videos that are frankly nothing less than deeply disturbing. No way I would ever staff him on a project--talent notwithstanding.
Finally-- WE ARE ONLY 9 DAYS INTO THE SUMMER, and most folks took Monday off. WTF is next?
3:46 - Congrats on learning a big new word. Please never use it again. And stop being such a jackass and supporting people who hate attorneys because they are self-righteous a-holes who love big words. Douche.
clusterfuck!
This guy is toast---Security is probably getting ready to escort him to the door at the end of the day.
3:52
I applaude your completely appropriate use of "bros."
Philo-FRAT STUD
I'd like to kick him down a staircase- just sayin'
I'm voting for naive.
Experience is a hard teacher.
4:05 -- erudite isn't that big of a word. And at least it's relevant (I could have said germane) to our so-called "learned profession."
Can someone at Alston & Bird let us know what is happening with this?
He went to UVA. Nobody really noticed him there because everyone else at UVA acts the same way.
That seems pretty harmless other than being spam. I wouldn't doubt it if the kid did it solely to get on ATL...
2:49: "Diversity recruiting at its finest."
LOL!
3.47 - where do Cornell rejects like yourself end up? hmmm maybe AU? twit!
4:22- That might get a laugh from a few W&L/W&M people like yourself if he hadn't gone to BYU.
Fail.
This guy's just imitating Lat. Doesn't anyone remember Underneath Their Robes? Croatia, Philippines - it's all the same in the world of cross-dressing, multiple personalities.
I know this guy. He's my brother. "Innocuous" is an appropriate description.
As is "wholly unsuited for the practice of law at a large law firm."
Is this kid trying to get fired so he can pull the gay discrimination card on the firm????
Part of me thinks this wasn't just for "exposure" because his Youtube videos have gone private or been removed. Looks like the shit is hitting the fan.
This just in, erudite is now being classified as a "big word." Douche
A little quirky, but I don't see what the big deal is. As long as he's capable of restraining this side of his personality when he wants to, he'll be a fine lawyer.
@4:34- Whoa man. "Classified?" Well if it ain't Mr. Webster himself. Stop using big words, douche.
Guys at my high school used big words all the time and cried on the shoulders of their bros. It was no big deal.
-FRAT STUD
Calling the videos "disturbing" is just a bit prudish. Your average CSI is more disturbing than that.
There is no such thing as a BYU.
Pass
4:40,
Can I get your contact info?
Thanks,
Divljan
what the hell is wrong with law students?
440 said "As long as he's capable of restraining this side of his personality when he wants to, he'll be a fine lawyer."
Yeah, but um, spamming the entire summer class at your law firm about Sir Percy and the Croatian Horsemen is not restraining this side of his personality.
It's letting that side of his personality run rampant and drag him through the mud like a crazed Croatian horseman.
Hipster internet abbreviations, acronyms, etc. (e.g. TTIWWOP, WGWAG, etc. from above) are pretty lame. Go outside and meet some women.
-Sorority Chick
4:32- I doubt this guy is shrewd enough for that. Not even "You like that" Charney was that shrewd
WGWAG is a "hipster?" Maybe now he can finally get laid by a white girl.
So WGWAG is a hipster? Cool, maybe he can finally get laid.
Girls at my high school used to sleep with hipsters all the time. It was no big deal.
-SORORITY CHICK
WGWAG (the guy) is not a hipster.
WGWAG (the acronym) is a "hipster abbreviation," as in, it is an abbreviation that hipsters use.
This just in, reading comprehension in the learned, some would say erudite, law profession has been classified as germane to said profession.
Maybe it's the video and facebook stuff, which I have not seen, that's making everyone freak out. While on the unusual side, I don't really see anything wrong with his e-mail. It was sent just to summers, after all. So he's interesting and different--what's the big deal?
I am too a hipster.
WGWAG WHITE GIRLS WITH ASIAN GUYS WGWAG
If this summer used the SA list, this email was not just sent to summers. As I recall, the entire recruiting committee is on that email list.
Why is different so often considered interesting? I didn't think that was interesting at all. Informative? yes, but not interesting in the least.
What was interesting was how massively this guy blew it with that e-mail. That is why we comment; that is what is interesting.
5:15: Different is often interesting b/c otherwise we're stuck with a bunch of ridiculous and sad bores like you whose only happiness in life is hoping to witness (and help) someone's career take a nosedive.
5:20 = crossdresser
Maybe he should go clerk for that judge that got the DWI while cross-dressing?
I would like to get on his email list for future emails.
Seriously, what's the big deal? It's not like he was wearing a dress to the firm! Why do people make such an issue out of nothing? I feel bad for the poor guy; he probably feels betrayed.
5:48 -- you obviously missed the banana in the chocolate pudding video
At least he still has that clerkship lined up with Janice Rogers Brown, which is nice.
And it gets picked up by Newsweek.com. Scroll down to "Related Blogs."
http://www.newsweek.com/related.aspx?subject=Atlanta
For the last time it's White Guys With Asion Girls! Although I did see evidence to the contrary at dinner the other night.
Not a big deal? In the real world, you're right. In the Biglaw world, there's no bigger deal. If there's one thing I've learned in my short time as an associate, it's that firm lawyers can get away with practically any deviance or vice provided they are capable of discression.
Divljan Shatterhand Steele lacks this skill completely.
I think he sounds like a genuinely sweet guy who was just trying to entertain his fellow summer associates and encourage SA bonding.
I suspect that the vindictiveness of the comments here is not reflective of the ATL readership or that would be a sad commentary about the close-mindedness and bigotry of the legal profession.
The chance that this guy (and his alter-ego) is actually a BYU law student is really slim. A&B doesn't interview at BYU See www.alston.com/careers/lawstudents/oncampus/
I think he wrote Provo, UT just for an extra laugh.
7:59, you obviously haven't been reading this blog for very long. Of course these comments reflect the ATL readership.
And of course this guy was just trying to entertain his fellow summer associates. That's not the point. The point is that he did so in a way that displays horrible judgment. He very well may be a "genuinely sweet guy," but he's certainly not cut out for working in a large law firm.
ROFL! I will take this as additional proof that A&B is a complete toilet. In its defense, pretty much every firm headquartered in the southeast is a toilet.
Every firm not Cravath is a toilet.
You go into some of these law firms in New York, and like a lot of law firms, the jobs have been gone now for six months and nothing's replaced them. And it's not surprising then the associates get bitter, they cling to guns or religion or antipathy to cross-dressing summer associates with multiple personalities as a way to explain their frustrations.
BTW It is wonderful to be back on ATL. Over the last 15 months, we've traveled to every corner of the United States. I've now been in 57 states. I think one left to go!
Who cares?! There are WAY more interesting things to write about. He just wanted to bond with the other summer interns, so I just can't understand why you jackasses are trying to ruin his career by rubbing his face in this harmless fun. Seriously, you should be ashamed of yourselves.
For everyone's information, this summer associate told other summer associates the week before that he would be sending out this email. He is quite the lucid human being, and he just might amaze you with how intelligent he is. I'm sorry for him that this thing forced him to remove YouTube videos and Facebook pictures. I'm sorry that when you walked through the halls of the firm yesterday, you heard attorneys talking about the email. I'm sorry that when you walked through the halls of the firm this afternoon, every associate was on YouTube. This was meant to be entertaining (and perhaps informative). If the summer associate who passed this along to attorneys on Tuesday (and perhaps to ATL) did so with malice, shame on him/her! It's a shame mostly that you will be shielded by the anonymity of being one of the 50+ summer associates.
@4:32 A&B is the most gay-friendly law firm I've ever heard of so if he's trying to pull that, it will be a hard-sell.
Lat:
You should hire this guy!
9:14 - That toilet happens to be a pretty sweet place to work. Far better than the other "toilets" in the Southeast.
Attack the poster in 3...2...1...
(Yes, I work there, but not in ATL)
(No, I am not Richard Hayes or John Lowe)
(No, I did not attend a "TTT")
(Yes, you are a douchebag)
Like others I am wondering how our recruiters in ATL did not pick this up before extending an offer. No idea how this will play out, but it's fair to say the email and youtube stuff calls the SA's judgment into question. Didn't see the facebook stuff. The gummi bear swastika (if true) is more likely to cause problems than the videos or alter-ego email rants.
someone should take this guy to the zoo. i hear people like him like to see the animals.
www.muskrat.wordpress.com
10:49, Cheers to that.
I am guessing 10:33 is Divljan- even the writing style is similar.
A bit eccentric, but I don't think this is that bad.
Compared to some of the "X-Summers" last year this is tame. It seems like it was at least done in good humor, and not offensive to anyone's sensibilities.
8:07 - he is a BYU law student. Mormons everywhere are wishing this guy didn't exist.
As a profession lawyers tend to be moderate to liberal in belief. When you work for a big firm your clients generally aren't. Most lawyers reading this probably would scratch their heads.
10:33 Think about what a middle-aged corporate executive is thinking. Maybe you should keep your future clients that have to pay your hourly rate in mind. Also- you sent it was sent out over a firm email account jackass- people besides your recipient have access to and do read them.
i think it's awful that our community has a site like this. I will not do business with any of the parties advertising on this site. I urge anyone who agrees with me to do the same. Lawyers aren't celebs and we don't need a tabloid that posts material knowing it will likely embarrass and potentially harm the career of some kid that made a professional mistake.
11:59 -
No one on this site agrees with you. You obviously don't agree with yourself because you came to this site enabling Lat to use you as one of the hits he pitches to his advertisers. Your visit and comment ensure that this site will continue to grow and have an even greater impact on the legal community.
A&B needs to fire a SA and it's not Divljan Shatterhand Steele -- its the clown that forwarded the email to ATL. This poor kid sent an out an email (albeit a slightly twisted email) in an effort to entertain his fellow SAs and make some friends and this tool passed it on to ATL. It's time for A&B to teach its SAs a lesson in what it means to be part of a firm. Rule No. 1: A firm is like a family and you don't shit on your family (no matter how funny people outside the firm think it is).
1:09 - a firm is like a family? Did you seriously just type that?
After the divorce and the inability to actually make it to any of my scheduled weekend visitations with my daughters (you know how work piles up), I must say that the firm is indeed my new family.
I get that sunshine is a "disinfectant," and airing things out might make people act better (Lat's arg on his new blog). But in a case like this, some weird kid will lose his job. The kid is a tool. But openly publicizing things can be pretty brutal. Airing it out won't help freaks. Freaks are undeterrable.
This is a sheer sign of immaturity. It may have been interesting -- or even "funny" -- to send an e-mail like this a bunch of buddies, but not to a bunch of colleagues at a place of employment. Poor decision-making will cost this kid a job now and will likely cost him more down the road. I'm all for individuailty and diversity -- but your job is not a place to parade your personal life. Grow up, kiddo -- you have caused yourself a lot of unnecessary heartache.
I agree with 10:01. I get the publicizing of mistakes that, in my view, SHOULD result in no-offers (like Skadden lunch e-mail "reply all" a few years back--which actually resulted in an offer). But this e-mail tells me nothing about whether this kid is going to be a bad or lazy lawyer (unless he wrote that monster e-mail on company time). Granted, he needs to learn discretion, but so do a lot of summers whom I've seen over the years who don't end up on this blog.
lol, 11:47, "company time"? Are you serious? There's no such thing as "company time" when you're a lawyer (you're probably not one). Lawyers are responsible for their own time. If I'm not billing for what I'm doing, then It's my own time.
And this email tells us a LOT about what kind of lawyer this kid will (would?) be; one with horrible judgment. He's not at summer camp, he's in a 12-week interview.
12:07: Point well taken. But you can't be arguing that this blog did A&B a service by exposing this. Even if he has poor judgment (which he most assuredly does), "outing" people has human costs. I wonder how this kid is taking it. The fact that he was frantically ripping everything off of Youtube and Facebook isn't a good sign.
2:16, you're right. This kid is probably suffering right now, and suffering is always a sad thing. However, in the grand scheme of things, the consequences that this kid will face are pretty minor. So he might not get an offer at A&B. So he might not end up being a big firm lawyer. Is that so bad? A few years from now, if he didn't end up fired, he would have ended up miserable. He's not cut out for a work environment that requires its professionals to know when to turn the volume down. I'm eccentric, and most of the people in my office know it. However, I demonstrate that I know when and how to feign normalcy. I don't feel badly for him except for the embarassment he might be facing today.
At the same time, one of the highlights of my professional year is hearing about the antics of summer associates who are so naive, clueless, or lacking in social intelligence that they become legends in our profession. Summers are given a free ticket into the upper middle class, and these legends fail in spite of themselves. ATL doesn't owe any services to A&B or this kid. ATL owes services to us.
2:54 - The reputational effects on this kid will be large. And will likely constrain the scope of his opportunities. Maybe at Biglaw, maybe at more. The only question in my mind, is whether it was inevitable (I mean, he did post this stuff on youtube on his own).
Its hard to have sympathy for jackasses that get too drunk and botch offers. But this kid is just an f'ing weirdo. And weirdos need love too.
There are many nuts out there in this world. I guess this is one way of making them behave. However, as long as you don't have to go to lunch with him, I am sure that he can still do good work.
True, 4:03, the reputational effects wouldn't be this big but for ATL. But my guess is that if this blog entry hadn't occured, he would have found some other way to screw up his chances in the not-too-distant future. I mean, this email went out a mere NINE days into the summer program. This is the equivilant of bringing up one's sexual kinks on the first date. Imagine what would have happened once the alcohol started flowing.
It's just too clear to me that the psychological effort required to keep himself employed in Biglaw would make him unhappy. He was going to learn this lesson eventually, so It doesn't make me feel bad that ATL sped up the process.
4:08, the practice of law involves a lot of lunches.
Fair enough. But it seems awfully presumptuous to know how happy this kid would have been in big law. Maybe this fool was like Jerry Espensen ala Boston Legal. The only thing clear to me is that he's redonkulously weird. But I have no basis for speculating about how happy he would have been otherwise.
I agree that I'm being awfuly presumptuous (it's easy to be when there's no way of confirming or disproving my theory), but I don't feel too badly about it.
4:49,
Seems safe to say he's Mormon, but either way, his Myspace page said he doesn't drink (alcohol, coffee, tea).
I feel bad for him because he quite clearly was reading all the comments (as evidenced by the fact that he took down everything specifically mentioned in posts, even if it wasn't really that problematic in and of itself). Which means he was exposed to all the anonymous jackasses who like to post mean and spiteful comments for their own amusement. Not that people should stop, it's what makes ATL so much fun. Just that I'm sure it's rough for him.
Law school, high school, not much different. And not much better once you get in the profession. Kid, if you're still reading, don't mind the assholes, you gotta let your freak flag fly.
7:10 -- I pretty much concur. Law firms at bottom are an assortment of awkwards who have rarely spent a day in the corporate world, trying to act like corporate employees. Even my firm's HR staff are burned out associates, which says a whole lot . With an imagination like that, the summer should go into advertising or something.
A&B is a cesspool. The SA's are the same backstabbing freakshows as are any SA's, so I'm sure they don't magically turn into well-adjusted people after they get their offers. The firm is capitalizing on its reputation for being a good place to work, but it's just as miserable as any other firm. One of the SA's who got an offer in my class went around bragging that the guy who took his measurements for a tuxedo fitting (and does it every year for A&B for their casino party) was trying to feel him up. He made lots of comments about the tailor being flamboyantly gay, which wasn't even true. He got an offer, so I wouldn't even say that it's a great place to work if you're gay. It's certainly no better than K&S. One of the associates got into a physical altercation at the casino party. The recruiters were obnoxious; they spent hours lecturing the summer class about how lucky we were to be at A&B. Almost everybody was working on the Nokia litigation. Now that they're moving their Nokia work to Texas, I don't know how their litigation associates are going to stay busy. I'm surprised there haven't been layoffs yet.
This guy is probably the best thing going on at A&B. He's better off anyplace else. I hope he split his summer.
I want to know where the first and middle names of his alter ego come from.
I think this is funny. Maybe innapropriate for big firm culture, but hey, we law students don't always know these things.
I want to know where the first and middle names of his alter ego come from.
I think this is funny. Maybe innapropriate for big firm culture, but hey, we law students don't always know these things.
Did anyone hear that Bob Dole just sent Scott McClellan a flaming email? So maybe A&B was a good choice for this SA after all.
1:07. Don't be so gullible to believe everything that you hear or read. It is usually not true--have they stopped teaching that in law school?. Work is what you make of it. By the way, it sounds like you yourself have some unresolved anger issues you need to address. Have you considered professional counseling?
4:44,
Sounds like I hit a nerve. Was my comment too truthful for comfort? I'm speaking from first-hand experience, not word of mouth. Have fun drinking the A&B kool aid in "Hotlanta."
Best regards,
1:07
4:44 I take it that you did NOT get an offer. Probably best, I hear the Public Defenders office has a real need for someone like you.
If A&B can't appreciate someone who truly enjoys life, and looks for some entertainment, then they are the big losers. The real villain here is the anonymous traitor who cast a fellow clerk in a bad light. If someone at A&B needs something to do, try teaching the villain a lesson about ratting out family members.
Someone at A&B is jealous and insecure. Don't worry--A&B may be full of paranoid people who think they improve themselves by harming others. How many summer associates have had an article (not a student piece) accepted for publication at a law review? This summer associate has done exactly that. How many summer associates have taught themselves five foreign languages? This fellow has done that, and can speak like a native. Admittedly, some of the facebook material is a bit over the edge, but this summer associate is a creative genius who has a passion for life. The only thing he is guilty of is being a bit naive. By now he has learned the real world lesson and won't repeat his mistake. He will be an amazing success.
For the record, there is no one out there who could 'touch' this SA's intelligence and wittiness. He is extremely hardworking and clever. Although he comes across as a bit eccentric and different, he is one of the most remarkable people you will ever meet. It takes more to succeed than just a stiff shirt and being robotic. I congratulate him on keeping his head held high and not taking the majority of these nasty posts to heart. The wise man learns from his mistakes and becomes a genious from his experiences! I applaud his integrity and sincerity in all that he does. A & B will be rewarded ten times over if they remain loyal to such an outstanding, brilliant young man. He will not let them down.
You misspelled "genius", genius
I don't know if Mr. Steele is a genius, but his email wasn't that out of line. As far as I can tell, it's historically accurate. I can't think of anything more appropriate at a law firm than sharing the history of the necktie. I didn't see his Facebook, but this email alone shouldn't be sufficient to no-offer the guy.
I hope A&B does the right thing by its nice guy image and extends and offer to this guy, but I don't have high hopes for him. He's better off doing something more rewarding than Biglaw anyway.
The SA who turned this guy in a worthless scumbag. He'll probably get an offer, though.
Hey, 7:15- He has already let them down!
7:15- No one that could "touch" his intelligence? I guess that intelligence failed him when he decided to send a WACKO email to all the SAs at A&B. Hello??
6:32, from someone that works at A&B, I can promise you we aren't a bunch of "paranoid people who think they can improve themselves by harming others." In fact, A&B is full of amazing, and well-grounded, attorneys. Whether someone who sends an email like this, on company email, to all the SAs (not to mention the interesting Facebook page and Youtube videos) would fit in at such a firm? I think you know the answer to that.
So 6:32: Are you the one who ratted out the family member? Since you work at A&B, how is Divljan doing since he received all this publicity?
oh boo-freakin'-hoo for the freak whose insane e-mail got forwarded around and now is suffering! he had to take down his facebook AND his myspace AND his youtube.
anyone who sends an e-mail like that, personal or work, can expect it to get forwarded and mocked. pack your bags, go back to planet fail and stfu.
OK, all I can say is WHAT A TOOL BAG!! If those jerk-offs at A&B don't terminate this fool, then they are just as backwards, retarded, and assinine as ol' divljan himself (and his poor excuse for a law school, BYU, uggghhhhhhh......)
Hmm, I wonder why people are commenting on this post all of a sudden. A&B is going to no-offer the guy, they see that most comments support the SA, and they want to throw some propaganda out there. It's crap.
The guy forwarded a silly email that's mostly about the HISTORY OF THE NECKTIE! I can't think of anything more appropriate for BIGLAW than the history of the necktie! The fact is, A&B likes to pretend that they're a lifestyle firm and so much nicer than the rest of BIGLAW but the sad fact is that they're K&S with lower salaries.
I want to work at the firm where the SA's have enough free time to write this (which seems more thoroughly researched and assembled than most 1L briefs.)
When you have to try this hard to seem whimsical or wacky, you only prove that you are anything but whimsical or wacky. The email was probably inappropriate, even by A&B standards (which I don't think are anywhere near as loose as some people seem to suggest; this is Bible Belt territory, for God's sake), and it was definitely annoying and attention-starved. I guess this is what happens to Drama Club rejects if they choose to go to law school.
When you have to try this hard to seem whimsical or wacky, you only prove that you are anything but whimsical or wacky. The email was probably inappropriate, even by A&B standards (which I don't think are anywhere near as loose as some people seem to suggest; this is Bible Belt territory, for God's sake), and it was definitely annoying and attention-starved. I guess this is what happens to Drama Club rejects if they choose to go to law school.
I'm with 2:45 on this one. Seems like he tried hard to be entertaining, and didn't really succeed. All of that alluding to future e-mails and offering to remove people form the list--kind of overreaching, and kind of sad.
But I think there is a lot of over reacting going on here. He's not mentally ill or anything, just a little eccentric, with maybe a lapse in judgment. If this e-mail had been a little better, it'd probably make the corporate rounds as an innocent history of the necktie. As it is the mediocre writing and insecurity overshadow the entertainment value.
This kid needs a blog so he can post whatever he wants, and no one has to read it.
havent thrown this around since my days on XOXO but....
DING!
Wow! What a bunch of bitter bastards you folks are! A&B is the best firm I have worked for. Honestly, I don't give a rat's ass if you like the firm, me or the others who work here. Bottom line is that I enjoy what I do and get a pay check regardless of assholes like you.
Wow! What a bunch of bitter bastards you folks are! A&B is the best firm I have worked for. Honestly, I don't give a rat's ass if you like the firm, me or the others who work here. Bottom line is that I enjoy what I do and get a pay check regardless of whether assholes like you approve of the firm.
Does anyone else think this guy just has a very developed and entertaining sense of humor?
Last!
Second to LasT?
So... Did this guy get an offer?
Inquiring minds want to know. Offer or not?
Offer in ERISA litigation
he did get an offer, but it was in ERISA compliance work, not in ERISA litigation
he did get an offer, but it was in ERISA compliance work, not in ERISA litigation