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Summer Associates of the Day: Sapphic Summers in Lesbianic Lip-Lock?

Marissa Cooper Alex The OC girl girls lesbian kiss.jpgWhen we recently lamented the lack of summer associate scandals, in the New York Observer, did we speak too soon? Although we may be in the home stretch, law firm summer associate programs are not yet over -- and neither, thankfully, are the salacious tales they generate.

Here's a story we've known about for a while -- it happened late last week -- which has already surfaced elsewhere on the web. We've delayed on reporting about it because we wanted to get more confirmation and give the parties involved a chance to comment.

We reached out to numerous representatives of the firm -- managing partner Daryle Uphoff, chief marketing officer Greg Wolsky, recruiting director Lisanne Weisz, diversity coordinator Nancy Vollertsen -- by phone and by email, yesterday and today. We also contacted the two summers involved, via Facebook message. Nobody has gotten back to us, despite ample time to do so. We'll have to push ahead without them.

Since we've heard the story from multiple sources, all offering generally consistent accounts, we are fairly confident in its accuracy. But if you have any corrections or additions to offer, please email us (subject line: "Lindquist and Vennum Summer Associate Scandal").

Here are some of the versions we heard (many tipsters sent it in):

1. Word through the grapevine is that two female summer associates at Minneapolis firm Lindquist & Vennum were fired recently for getting drunk at a firm event and making out with each other.

2. I'm an associate at a large Minneapolis firm, and word is that two female summer associates at Lindquist & Vennum, another of the large firms in town, got drunk at a summer associate event and were making out with each other. They were fired on Friday.

3. [Two summers at] Lindquist & Vennum were fired over the weekend. Drinking was involved; however, the firm supplied it to them during a boat cruise in 90+ degree weather. Can you get this posted? I want more information.

4. I am a summer associate at a Minneapolis law firm. I can tell that you that two female Lindquist and Vennum summer associates were recently fired (within the last week). I could not tell you for sure why they were fired, but the rumor is that they were drunk at some sort of firm social event (one that had partners present), and started to make out with each other.

And they got fired for this? We're surprised the old-white-male partners didn't cheer them on.

Update / Correction: According to reports received after this post was published, whether the SAs were "making out" or merely kissing on the lips is unclear. Furthermore, the event in question was not the boat cruise, but a post-dinner gathering at a bar. For an update post containing additional information and corrections, see here.

One tipster pointed us to some corroborating evidence:

Lindquist has removed all photos/references of the two from its summer associate section on its website.

This is true. We verified it ourselves, by comparing the current summer associate page, which lists eight summers, to an older version, which lists ten summers. (But please do not post in the comments any links to archived or cached versions of the page.)

You can read more, if you want to -- if you don't, then don't -- after the jump.

Another source noted the unfortunate timing of the scandal, "a mere month after the firm -- renowned Minnesota-wide as one of the 'Top Five Corporate Law Firms in Minneapolis' -- won a case before the Supreme Court." This source expressed skepticism towards the story:

I cry b***shit. No way does a firm that does segway tours by a river get their summer associates tipsy enough to drop.

Here's our take. Segway tours notwithstanding, the story itself sounds legit to us (and has been confirmed by at least half a dozen sources). What's troubling is the firm's alleged response: firing two young female lawyers, just starting off in their careers, for getting a little frisky with each other -- after they had a bit too much (firm-supplied) alcohol.

Aren't we trying to encourage women to enter the legal profession? Whatever happened to respect for diversity, which Lindquist & Vennum touts on its website? One of our sources wonders:

Rumor has it this was a couple of girls who got wasted and, perhaps, a little raunchy. Still, though, might there be a slightly different standard at play for women than for boys?

The same-sex angle makes the firm's reaction even more troubling. True, it's quite possible (even likely?) that these two women aren't full-time lesbians -- by the way, that's once again an appropriate use of the term -- and were just "experimenting."

(Corporate, or litigation? Straight, or gay? If you can't experiment during the summer, when can you?)

But the girl-on-girl action aspect raises a question: Is a double standard at work ? Would a pair of straight summer associates, a male-female couple, have been fired for publicly expressing their affection while on a romantic cruise? Are lesbianic law students measured by a different yardstick?

We raised these concerns about gender and sexual orientation discrimination with the firm's designated diversity contact, partner Nancy Vollertsen. She never got back to us. Since this is not a criminal proceeding, we draw an adverse inference from her -- and the firm's -- silence.

But let's be fair; in the firm's defense, the devil is in the details. Just how naughty did the summers get?

If it was just a friendly smooch between an existing couple, you should kick the s*** out of the firm....

If it was a "girls gone wild" kind of thing, query whether the girls were really the only summers involved. I'd imagine at least some of the males in attendance were .... supportive. In which case query whether the firm has appropriately handled them as well.

(Query, as well, why I keep saying "query.")

Lots of queries, not enough answers. As always, if you have more info, please email us.

Some people object to our coverage of summer associate scandals. We view it as a public service.

Covering the misadventures of summer associates is valuable. When the summer associate is in the wrong, the story is a cautionary tale that educates future summers about what NOT to do. When the firm is in the wrong, the story raises red flags for law students thinking about working for that firm. Either way, additional information is empowering.

If you enjoy reading summer associate stories, please do your part, and tip us off when you know something. Don't be a free rider! This is a shared enterprise.

You shouldn't feel guilty about having an ATL story come up whenever a featured summer associate is Googled. We have an anonymity policy for the subject of summer associate stories here at ATL. If you ever see a summer mentioned by name in the comments, please email us, and we will remove the comment (and ban the commenter's IP address from future commenting).

Consistent with that policy, please do not name the summer associates in question, mention their law schools, or provide any additional identifying information about them, in the comments. It's especially true in this case, where there is a decent argument that the fired summer associates are actually the victims. Thanks.

Update: Here are some interesting (and amusing) reactions from the readers of Jezebel.

Further Update: For additional information about this matter, please see The Sapphic Summers: An Update.

In addition, partner Nancy Vollertsen issued a brief comment to the City Pages of Minneapolis. See here.

Tart Reform! Facing Heat, Legal Ladies and Laddies Stay Buttoned [New York Observer]

Comments
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1 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:19 PM

first!

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2 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:19 PM

Outstanding. It's a shame they weren't summering in Houston, they'd get a raise.

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3 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:19 PM

It is so sad that this site has been waiting for a story like this all summer, in order to trump up readership. This site has jumped the shark.

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4 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:20 PM

xxxxx

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5 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:23 PM

3 - Then go away and stop reading. Leave those of us who enjoy ATL in peace.

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:23 PM

Seriously. It is so clear that the identity of the summer associates in question will be revealed in these comments, nothwithstanding the "policy" discussed in the post. Is it the harm to these law students really worth the benefit of additional site traffic?

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7 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:24 PM

boring & lame. get a life.

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8 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:25 PM

Lat:

Your restraint in waiting for corroboration to post this story is admirable.

I can only assume that, if it had involved John Edwards, you would have posted it as soon as you first heard about it.

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9 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:25 PM

Yes. Please stop posting stories like this. They serve no public benefit, and simply hurt law students.

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10 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:28 PM

John Edwards = Public Figure

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11 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:30 PM

I love how lat cares about anonymity of summers, but not when those same summers go back to law school and become 3Ls. He's such a hack.

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12 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:31 PM

Would it be possible for that O.C. picture to be posted with every story? Please.

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:31 PM

What's really interesting is that, without naming the women, they are two of the three who go to decent schools (one Big Ten school, one Ivy).

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:32 PM

I love the fine line that one must walk at a law firm. You better throw back drinks with the boys so you'll fit in and not be "anti-social"...but don't you dare get wasted.

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15 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:32 PM

see what happens when you let legacy students in.

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16 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:33 PM

The girl who's name starts with M looks hot, well, the picture is small, but from that tiny picture she looks hot.

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17 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:34 PM

This is absurd.

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18 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:34 PM

http://www.nalpdirectory.com/dledir_search_results.asp?fscid=f057701&yr=2007&orgtypeid=F

Interesting - Lindquist & Vennum has no openly LGBT female attorneys - this story probably won't help that number.

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19 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:35 PM

I agree with Lat:

"Covering the misadventures of summer associates is valuable. When the summer associate is in the wrong, the story is a cautionary tale that educates future summers about what NOT to do. When the firm is in the wrong, the story raises red flags for law students thinking about working for that firm."

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20 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:35 PM

Have you no shame ATL? Has it really come to this?

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21 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:35 PM

18 - I don't think the line between not being anti-social and making out with one of your peers is that fine but I've been wrong before.

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22 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:36 PM

Under Minnesota state law, employment discrimination on account of sexual orientation (or perceived sexual orientation) is forbidden.

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23 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:40 PM

"Don't be a free rider! This is a shared enterprise"

uh lat fyi - we are not freeloaders. without us you get no ads and then no.....

so now how much you paying us for each story we send in

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24 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:40 PM

In these troubled economic times, firms need to start firing hot female summers for NOT making out with each other in public.

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25 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:41 PM

Mr. Lat - On behalf of all AMLAW 100 associates sitting in their office today doing mundane, boring work and contemplating the purpose of their existence, I say THANK YOU for providing ten minutes of joy.

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26 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:42 PM

can anybody teach me how to do a google cache search....... pronto?

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27 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:42 PM

It took me about 30 seconds to get their names using cache, and another 10 seconds to check out their pics on facebook. Only the first girl has a pic up, but she looks hot enough for me to want to see her kiss her coworker. Just sayin'.

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28 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:42 PM

2:40(1) - Lat isn't saying you are "free riding" off of ATL. I think he is saying you are "free riding" off of the people who do bother sending stories in.

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29 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:43 PM

26,

But that raises precisely the question that needs to be asked -- would they have been let go if one of them had been male?

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30 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:43 PM

ATL is great for some stuff. But shit like this is heartless.

Anyone who gives a crap about this needs to get a life.

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31 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:44 PM

Nice work, 2:41(2).

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32 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:44 PM

I agree with 2:41(1). This post is a gift.

If you don't like it, then don't read it. Capice?

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33 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:44 PM

ATL, for the benefit of these law students, please, please, please remove this post.

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34 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:45 PM


This is a great ATL story.

I just wish our summers acted like that...all the cute ones we have already got BFs.

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35 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:45 PM

Post #30 has to go.

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36 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:45 PM

I think most firms would fire summers for making out at a firm event, gay or straight...but girl on girl is a better story

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37 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:45 PM

10

Stories like this don't hurt law students.

Law students hurt law students.

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38 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:47 PM

THIS IS WHY I WOULD NEVER LIVE IN THE MIDWEST

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39 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:47 PM


Post #38 has to go.


I bet all the people who think this story is pointless/a waste/whatever are females.

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40 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:47 PM

So what will become of these ladies? Did they pwn themselves for life?

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41 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:48 PM

43-- Something tells me they'll have no trouble finding work. Hell, I'll make them both an offer right now.

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42 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:49 PM

If the story is true, I suspect that a partner or partner's wife saw the lip-lock (or whatever it was) and had the pair fired.

Would not the same thing have happened to a girl-guy twosome who got drunk and started making out at a firm party?

Do large lawfirms typically have written employment agreements with summers and/or a written firm policy and procedure incorporating codes of summer conduct?

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43 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:49 PM

"And they got fired for this? We're surprised the old-white-male partners didn't cheer them on." - Replace "white" in that sentence with any other race and people would be crying racism. Which it is, really.

And #40, this story DOES hurt law students. If this hadn't been posted, these girls would have maybe been able to find jobs somewhere else. Maybe the firm would have cold offered them. But now the entire world knows about it. Why? so Lat can giggle and loser lawyers and law students can feel superior to somebody.

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44 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:50 PM

Oh yes, don't out these girls in the comments because I am sure it would completely tarnish their TTT resumes from some TTT fly over school.

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45 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:51 PM

43-- If they got fired, then ipso facto they were not cold offered.

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46 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:51 PM


I dont feel superior to those girls in the least. I admire them actually.

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47 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:53 PM

5 summers from William Mitchell College of Law = TTT

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48 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:54 PM

Wow, just found both of the ladies' pics online. I go to school with one of them but can't click on her facebook profile without friending her first. WORTH THE RISK?

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49 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:54 PM

2:49(2) - ATL is not read by the "entire world." Most of its readers are people with no hiring authority.

If Aquagirl can get an offer, then so can these two.

Get off your high horse. Sanctimonious people should not read gossip blogs.

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50 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:54 PM

I kissed a girl and I liked it

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51 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:54 PM

I kissed a girl and I liked it

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52 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:54 PM

Dear 43:

There has been so much written on these pages and elsewhere about the pitfalls of drunken indiscretion by summers that the two where on reasonable notice that one of the many reasons for conducting his/herself in a reasonable manner during the summer includes being written up here.

BTW, does anyone know of what became of Aquagirl? Last I heard she was completing a judicial clerkship.

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53 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:55 PM

If I had a dollar for every summer associate lesbian kiss I've witnessed, I'd have, like, three dollars.

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54 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:57 PM

2:42(1) -- No. You're too stupid to live if you can't figure out how to find the answer to your question on your own.

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55 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:57 PM

#48

I don't really see much of a risk in friending her. She probably won't accept though, especially when she gets 1500 friend requests today.

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56 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:57 PM

Everyone should still use posting times to refer to earlier comments.

The numbers are thrown off when Lat removes comments (like ones identifying the women).

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57 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:57 PM

So, one of the girls has pulled her picture from facebook. The other's picture is AMAZING! What senior partner wouldn't want a girl like that at the firm, knowing she gets a little loose when drunk? That's why I'll be an associate for the rest of my life - I would have hired that girl AND stocked her office with a mini-bar.

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58 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:59 PM

21, I didn't say that there was a fine line between being anti-social and making out with your peers. Learn to read, bro. I wrote that there was a fine line between being anti-social and not drinking with your firm and getting wasted.

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59 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:59 PM

this isn't nearly as embarassing as aqua girl ..

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60 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 2:59 PM

Oh for God's sake. These women are not unemployable. One goes to [an Ivy League school]. I'm surprised she was slumming it at Lindquist & Asswipe. The other goes to a top 50 school. They'll both be fine. I actually DO have hiring authority and this is just not that big a deal. No way we would refuse to consider a woman who once kissed a girl. That'd wipe out most female lawyers under 30, right?

Those Mitchell kids should be glad they didn't get fired. They are screwed as it is.

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61 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:01 PM

Same thing happened between two summers during my SA program a few years ago, but it was girl-guy hook-up. The firm (AmLaw top 20/NYC) had reserved a trendy lounge-type space with an open bar after the summer 'mock trial' program ended.

The two SAs got hammered, and made out for quite some time in a corner. Several people watched (including, i think, partners). There was no fallout, other than the inevitable embarrassment/regret to follow the next day. Both accepted offers with the firm, and the incident was just remembered as one of a few amusing episodes that summer.

But Minnesota is not NYC. . .

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62 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:01 PM

56 makes a good point. Hey Lat-- how about simply removing the content of a comment (e.g., replacing the text with "Deleted") rather than deleting it entirely, so as to not throw off the numbering? Otherwise the numbers are useless.

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63 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:02 PM

Oh yes, don't out these girls in the comments because I am sure it would completely tarnish their TTT resumes from some TTT fly over school.

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64 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:02 PM

this isnt troubling at all. of course they get fired. what planet are you from. you have some messed up social agenda.

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65 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:03 PM

To 13 & 44: cut the crap re calling William Mitchell a non-"decent" and "fly over" school. Chief Justice Burger went to William Mitchell. If you got out of Manhattan once in a while, you might realize that there's a whole big country out there between the Upper West Side and Westwood.

-East Coast native with a fancy East Coast/ Ivy education who's sick of snobby ill-informed comments.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Law_Schools_by_United_States_Supreme_Court_Justices_trained#William_Mitchell_College_of_Law

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66 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:06 PM

The Japanese do not trust a person who will not drink at a business function on the theory that the ‘true character’ emerges under the influence.

Maybe that is why firms continue to host summers at alcohol fueled events; as kind of a test of character and judgment.

If a candidate gets drunk and stupid, better to find out sooner than later.

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67 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:06 PM

Man, this story is off the hook... good work Lat.

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68 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:07 PM

I'd like to point out that when Lat posted a picture of two guys kissing when the story broke about gay marriage in California, people were up in arms about how the picture was not appropriate for work and how it was disgusting. Nobody has said one word about the picture of two women kissing. What a double standard...

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69 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:07 PM

For everyone who thinks this story should not be posted- this is a real issue. And it could be discrimination. Unlawful discrimination based on sexual orientation. This is a legal blog!!!

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70 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:08 PM

Lindquist & Vennum is clearly hurting; I hope everyone sees through their BS. If they can’t afford to hire someone they should do it the right way instead of looking for quite possibly the lamest reason ever to terminate someone. Blackball Lindquist.

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71 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:09 PM

65: What's Westwood? A subdivision in Westchester?

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72 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:09 PM

3:07 - It's not a double standard... butt-sex, and more specifically butt-sex between two guys, is completely different than mutual-vaginal-fisting. Male-on-male butt-sex is gross.

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73 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:09 PM

FYI to L&V::

http://www.straffordpub.com/products/tlsnta/

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74 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:10 PM

3:03 - graduating a Chief Justice almost 80 years ago doesn't change the fact that Mitchell is currently a 4th tier school

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75 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:11 PM

58 - Sorry. For some reason I thought you were commenting on THIS story.

21

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76 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:11 PM

Stop blackberring from church 64

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77 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:11 PM

3:09 - Male on male sex versus female on female sex is very different than two guys kissing versus two women kissing. Nice logic skills. Get a clue.

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78 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:11 PM

Stop blackberring from church 64

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79 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:12 PM

This is a joke of a law firm. I haven't even heard of most of the schools these idiots went to. William Mitchell School of Law? What the f is that? Freaking St. Thomas? I know Mpls is cold, but do they have to dip this low? People who go to these kinds of schools do not deserve to make a lot of money. In normal states, people who go to on par law schools end up as public defenders, DAs, or low rent ambulence chasing lawyers.

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80 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:12 PM

68- that is bc guys kissing is gross, and two hot chicks kissing gives people boners.

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81 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:14 PM

First, what's with all the people who read ATL, a gossip blog, and get upset when Lat posts gossip?

Second, I love the fact that the firm scrubbed its summer associate group picture from its website, but left up the "Segway Tour" (guffaw!) picture which presumably includes...wait for it...the associates in question. Nothing beats a sloppy cover-up.

Third, I'd love to be a fly-on-the-wall at that firm today.

Fourth, I feel ambivalent about the associates in question. On the one hand, it's a little obtuse of this firm to serve alcohol and then be shocked, SHOCKED when people behave inappropriately. On the other hand, getting that drunk at a firm function displays pretty poor judgment. There are more lawyers than good legal jobs in this country, and it's hard to work up a lot of sympathy for law students who shoot themselves in the foot like this.

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82 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:14 PM

3:11 - It's the end-game of each, so it's a matter of what is being represented (and/or inferred to also be occuring) by the act of kissing. So each act represents two different factual end-games. It's totally relevant.

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83 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:15 PM

I am a man who would like to lock lips with "Segway Boy" (tall thin guy in last pic):

http://lindquist.com/index.asp?Type=GALLERY&SEC={83572DCA-E236-4550-BE82-184EE9CEFD4F}&DE=

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84 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:15 PM

2 girls kissing = TTT, unless of course there is a dude present...

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85 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:15 PM

70: Agreed. There must be more to the story. No sane firm would fire summers for kissing after investing all that money in them.

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86 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:16 PM

Well said 80... that's reall what I meant...

- 72 & 82

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87 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:17 PM

If these girls are not truly lesbians or in a relationship, then it's obvious this was just an attention stunt - and it's understandable that a firm might not want that kind of attention. For, among other reasons, the fact that it's now on abovethelaw.

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88 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:19 PM

3:03, thanks but no thanks. Here in the Midwest (aka Flyover Territory) Mitchell is considered a crappy school. Warren Burger . . . mmmmm Burger . . . is not enough to save its reputation. He wouldn't go there now.

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89 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:19 PM

MA is hawt!
just sayin

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90 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:20 PM

82, by your pathetic logic, a straight kiss represents the end game of straight sex, images of which are not appropriate for work either, and therefore pics of a man kissing a woman is inappropriate. How are you even a lawyer?

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91 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:20 PM

How come nobody has asked the really important questions, like: What were they wearing? and Was there any breast-fondling?

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92 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:20 PM

If you are an alcoholic, are you not protected by the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act)?

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93 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:21 PM

William Mitchell may or may not be a crappy school.

But at least its SAs had the sense not to make out during a firm event.

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94 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:21 PM

I am way too late to this party, but I have to claim responsibility for getting our hottest summer to make out furiously with our hottest recruiter back in the fine, carefree summer of '03. It was debauchery of the highest, finest caliber folks - oh, to be young again!

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95 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:23 PM

There's no reason to put this firing on the "Gay Agenda" or to sneer at Minnesota for being a legal and cultural backwater (though it certainly is). Some summers got drunk and made out. No one would fire them for that if they were on there own time, but it shows a lack of judgment and maturity to do that kind of thing in front of co-workers at a employer sponsored event.

The details are what matters to this story and we have very few.

Was it 2am on a Saturday at a dance club in front of a couple of 2nd year associates? Or was it during a pitstop on a family-attended Segway tour in front of a 75 year old partner and his grandchildren? Was the hand over the shirt or under the shirt? Did the nipple make an appearance? Those kind of details would seem to make a big difference as to whether the firing was reasonable or not.

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96 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:23 PM

Do you think the firm knows what's going on right now? If anyone knows any of the people who are currently summers there you should tell them. I feel like the firm should take the pictures of the summers off its website. THis is very, very embarrassing.

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97 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:23 PM

Do you think the firm knows what's going on right now? If anyone knows any of the people who are currently summers there you should tell them. I feel like the firm should take the pictures of the summers off its website. THis is very, very embarrassing.

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98 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:24 PM

69 (heh, 69),

Are you aware of some MN state law that prohibits sexual-orientation discrimination in the workplace? Cause Title VII sure doesn't.

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99 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:27 PM

segway tours of the riverfront!!!!
how TTT

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100 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:27 PM

I bet an ugly female partner witnessed the make-out and the attention it got and had them fired out of envy.

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101 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:29 PM

Minn. Stat. § 363A.08 bans employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.

Sorry to inject law into the discussion.

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102 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:30 PM

"If you are an alcoholic, are you not protected by the ADA (Americans With Disabilities Act)?"

I believe that recovering alcoholics may be protected -- ie., they could get accomodations like being able to phone their sponsors or go to AA meetings, and you can't fire them just for being an ex-drunk. But you can still be fired for being an active drunk if it affects your job performance. I'm not sure if you can be fired for being a purely off-duty alcoholic, if it doesn't affect your job performance.

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103 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:31 PM

Summers,

No one (except really stuffy old EPs and their wives) cares if you date unmarried attorneys or other summers. No one cares if you have a one night stand with said parties. But for god sakes, don't make out with the other person at one of the SA events. All that is being asked is a little discretion and common sense. As much as the attorneys try to make these social events seem like a scene from the old undergrad bar, it most certainly is not. You are being watched, especially this year. It is not fun, but that's part of the process. I promise, when you are a permanent associate, you can get away with a fair amount if you do good work.

I think this firm overreacted though. Just let them finish out the summer and then no-offer them per SOP instead of going through all the pomp and circumstance of actually firing them.

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104 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:31 PM

Did they break out a strapon?

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105 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:32 PM

Everyone, there is more to this story. Note the update from Lat:

"We have received, and are continuing to receive, additional information about this situation. It appears that the firm may have had other issues with these ex-summer associates. We will post an update in due course."

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106 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:33 PM

Minn. Stat. § 363A.08 bans employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.

But...these were not gay women, they were presumably two hetero girls kissing. Does Section 363A still apply?

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107 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:35 PM

To 96: "There's no reason . . . to sneer at Minnesota for being a legal and cultural backwater (though it certainly is)."

Are you talking about the same state that has more theater seats per capita than any American city but New York, has an independent music scene to rival Seattle (from which sprang the likes of Bob Dylan, Prince, Semisonic, and Soul Asylum), is traditionally among the most progressive states in the nation, and is home to better museums and cultural institutions than virtually every other non-coastal city, perhaps even Chicago?

The same state that is home to West Publishing, which dominates the global legal information market? And whose legal market has the most Fortune 500 companies per capita of any city in the world? The same state that is one of the larger and faster-growing markets for IP law?

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108 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:35 PM

this is one heck of a sexy story to chase after :-p

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109 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:35 PM

On what do you base that 107?

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110 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:36 PM

how do you get qualified as a gay woman? one, two maybe 3 female lovers?

is being bi-sexual an orientation?

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111 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:36 PM

The policy to remove summers' names is a joke when you provide instructions to find their names in the article.

The instructions should be removed. ATL should not encourage the spread of their names, especially, as the article notes, it is the beginning of their respective careers.

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112 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:36 PM

Not one summer associate from U of Minnesota? That drop out of the top 20 must have really hurt the school.

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113 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:36 PM

I think it's pretty disingenuous to try to justify stories like this as serving the public good. LAT's basically Perez Hilton with a law degree, and if he's going to be a gossip mongering bottom feeder, he ought to revel in it.

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114 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:37 PM

Not clear that the ADA protects alcoholics:

http://www.abanet.org/genpractice/magazine/2006/mar/labor.html

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115 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:37 PM

What is the appropriate course of conduct if a late night summer event ends with the junior associates urging you to a bar for jello wrestling (more accurately: watching big, drunk girls not associated with your firm jello wrestle)? Safer to be cool, tag along, excuse yourself before things get out of hand, or casually back out?

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116 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:38 PM

107-- I'm not a labor law expert but my understanding is that it's generally a violation to take adverse action against an employee on the basis of a *perceived* characteristic (e.g., firing someone because you think he's black when in fact he just has a dark tan). So my uninformed speculation would be that it would be illegal to fire someone for engaging in homosexual activity regardless of whether they self-identify as gay.

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117 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:38 PM

And the same state that has the highest literacy rate, the highest health care coverage rate, and the highest voter participation rate? Again, people need to get out of their little islands and learn about the rest of the country before they go knocking it.
-East Coast guy (again).

118 Posted by Dr Gonzo | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:38 PM

108:

"Are you talking about the same STATE that has more theater seats per capita than any American CITY . . ." (empahsis added)

Nice.

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119 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:38 PM

simmer down 108, go make some cheese or fish from an ice hole. or drive down a collapsing bridge.

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120 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:38 PM

"But...these were not gay women, they were presumably two hetero girls kissing. Does Section 363A still apply?"

Why would you make that assumption? But anyway, 363A certainly applies to "perceived" sexual orientation as well as actual orientation. The full definition is: "sexual orientation means having or being perceived as having an emotional, physical or sexual attachment to another person without regard to the sex of that person or having or being perceived as having an orientation for such attachment, or having or being perceived as having a self image or identity not traditionally associated with one's biological maleness or femaleness."

So the only question here is -- would a hetero couple have been similarly treated because of the kiss, regardless of whatever other shennigans these two got up to during the summer?

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121 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:38 PM

"mutual-vaginal-fisting"?

What fantasy world do you live in?

Moreover, the "double standard" claim was made in reference to ALT reader reactions to a photo of two me kissing vs. two women kissing--not anything else, anal, vaginal, or otherwise.

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122 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:39 PM

Ok 108, we get it. You're from Minn. and it's great.

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123 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:40 PM

I went to law school in NYC and now work at a Top 5 firm here and I think Minnesota is a great state. Not everyone is as silly as some of these commenters. Minnesota gave us Paul Wellstone!

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124 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:40 PM

OMG, 108: defensive much? Non-coastal = not worth talking/thinking/writing about.

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125 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:40 PM

If you look at the cached page of the Segway tour, it looks like there were three pictures that they also removed from there. They probably had some of the summers in question in them. Is there a way to get those out of the cached pages? It seems that google doesn't cache the graphics.

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126 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:41 PM

Tell me the two summers do not hale from Dildo, Newfoundland.

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127 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, July 23, 2008 3:41 PM

What is it about boat cruises in Mi