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Honorary Lawyer of the Day: Ted Frank

Friday, June 27, 2008 3:41 PM - By David Lat

Ted Frank.jpgWe can’t make Ted Frank, of AEI and Overlawyered, our Lawyer of the Day. First, we just bestowed that prize on George Bush. Second, since he’s a former ATL guest blogger — see his celebrated posts on the Obama tax plan (here and here) — there might be a conflict of interest.

Third, ATL Lawyers of the Day usually do stupid s**t embarrass themselves, while Frank is doing some good. As reported earlier this week, by Jonathan Glater in the New York Times, Frank is objecting to the highly dubious Grand Theft Auto class action settlement. In recognition of his efforts, we’d like to name Ted Frank our Honorary Lawyer of the Day.

Earlier this week, Ted trekked up to New York for the fairness hearing before Judge Kram. We caught up with Ted the other day. He described for us his mishap-laden trip to the courthouse:

The hearing is scheduled for 10:30. I decide to time myself to arrive at 9:30. Good thing, too: the 6 train sits at Bleecker for 5 minutes, and then at Canal for 10 minutes (during which time I read the entire NY Times Business section twice, especially pages 1 and 4) before they tell us to switch trains. I mistakenly switch to the J rather than simply going above ground and walking from Canal Street, and then try to find my way to the courthouse from the Chambers Street stop.

Ok, I know I’m going to 500 Pearl. I’m on Centre Street, going North, I see the big marble facade of the US Courthouse, on the corner of Centre and Pearl, so I assume I’m going there. I absent-mindedly walk past some construction as I think about my argument, and go up the steps of the first courthouse I get to. Long delay through security, and then there are no signs anywhere. I ask a guard where Judge Shirley Wohl Kram’s chambers are. He says there’s no such person there. I say yes there is. No there isn’t. Of course there is, I impatiently respond, I have a noticed hearing at 500 Pearl in front of Judge Shirley Wohl Kram. The guard, with pure New York sarcasm dripping from his voice, happily informs me that thank-you-very-much I’m in the middle of the state courthouse at 60 Centre Street. D’oh!

I run back outside, and cross the street to where the construction is. I circle the building, but don’t see an entrance not blocked off. I ask another guard. The U.S. Courthouse is not in the building labeled U.S. Courthouse, but is further down Pearl Street, I am told. I make it through security, and even make it to the right floor on my second try reading the directory. Fortunately, I wasn’t confused when Judge Kram’s courtroom had a big sign on the outside saying “Judge Leonard B. Sand,” and I safely entered at 10:10.

This is why law firm partners need associates.

Thankfully, the hearing went better than Ted’s trip did. Check out his firsthand account over the fairness hearing at Overlawyered. The upshot: Judge Shirley Wohl Kram has taken the matter under advisement.

We wish Ted luck. We’ll keep you posted on the progress of his challenge.

Hidden Sex Scenes Draw Ho-Hum, Except From Lawyers [New York Times]
Grand Theft Auto: Class Action - the argument [Overlawyered]
Fame: SO edition [Prettier Than Napoleon]

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