"pro bono rainmaker"

oxymoron.

That's not rain.

First to point out that it's risky for a relatively senior associate like him to take time off for a political campaign.

2 = get here and i'll show you some real 'rain.'

"First to point out that it's risky for a relatively senior associate like him to take time off for a political campaign. "

At least until the Obama campaign offers him an Art. III gig.

sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth.

sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth.

sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth.

sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth.

sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth

Cue the tedious UPenn = Penn State troll
Yawn.

James Clark, soon to be assistant WH Counsel? Federal judge?

Maybe not "selfless" probono work after all.

BTW, whatever happened to former Obama front man, and HLS grad Jamal whats-his-name?

Why is Jamal not front and center any longer?

idiot

I would have fired him as soon as I heard "..2 months off".

HTH.

I love the spineless comment by # 3 !

Shows in full regalia the risk-adverse wussiness of lawyers.

While parts of Bucks County are still rural, it' heavily suburban in the southern, more densely populated parts. Clark and the Obama campaign lost there because it's full of Hillary voting soccer moms, now turned PUMA McCainiacs.

I'd prefer to work for a firm that would politely tell Mr. Clark not to let the door hit his ass on the rear as he left his billable work to rot for Change We Can Believe In.

"pro bono rainmaker" lol

He will be dinged in an evaluation for two months of no productivity, don't worry.

No federal clerkship for him in a 2009-2012 GOP administration.

While parts of Bucks County are still rural, it' heavily suburban in the southern, more densely populated parts. Clark and the Obama campaign lost there because it's full of Hillary voting soccer moms, now turned PUMA McCainiacs.

I'd prefer to work for a firm that would politely tell Mr. Clark not to let the door hit his ass on the rear as he left his billable work to rot for Change We Can Believe In.

Really Ellie, how the hell can you SUCK THIS MUCH? Please have at least one worthwhile post in a day. PLEASE.

16 and 19 here- let me be the first to make fun of the redunant phrase "hit his ass on the rear." Point remains the same though.

20 - stop the hatin', Ellie's alright.

Isn't he a fourth year? He graduated in 2004. Someone's cooking the books.

This one was OK. Would not read again and would not read if I knew its quality ahead of time, but it is still OK.

This is unpaid leave. I don't see how Cleary did this guy some huge favor here.

5, 12 -
Precisely. Taking time off from practicing law to volunteer on a presidential campaign is hardly new or different - it is the time-honored way of getting rewarded with a political appointment in the next administration. He's probably a little young for a judgeship, but a spot in the WH counsel's office, or a schedule C post at DOJ, is the typical reward for people who do this sort of thing. It is only risky in the sense that if Obama loses, he gets nothing. But even then, he probably will have made some contacts and will be in a better position for the next campaign.

While this post is a lot better than your earlier post regarding something about Harvard (I still have no idea what was going on there), I don't see how this is newsworthy--at all. At least the writing is pretty decent here.

Honnymoon over so soon?

Is the real Elie vacationing in Bratislava or something? Please provide us with some worthwhile posts!!

I love how he's a fourth year and refers to "junior associates" as if he's been practicing for years.

wow Cleary should really pat itself on the back for giving him 2 months of *unpaid* leave.

*rolls eyes*
just shows what slaves lawyers are. guys in my line of work took unpaid leaves of absence all the time, it was no big deal.

Whats with all the Bratislava references these days? Do we have a Bratislava Frat Stud hanging out here now?

16/19:
You are a repulsive human being.

33: aren't you going a little overboard in your zeal there?

Two months of unpaid leave is truly no big deal.

So you're telling me that Clearly junior associates are as dumb as the average Obama campaign volunteer? Sounds about right.

35: this comment makes no sense, idiot. You fail.

Yawn.

That's nothing. My firm sent me to our Bratislava office for three months to do pro bono work with Gypsies...

11: UPenn State trolls are about the only funny thing left on ATL...

18 - wrong on both points. well done.

35 - wow, that's dumb.

This is hardly worth a post....more evidence that ATL has Jumped the Shark

A guy I know at a different firm did the same thing--about two months. Then he RESIGNED FROM HIS BIGLAW JOB to join the campaign full-time.

This Cleary associate is dickless compared to that guy.

HTH = idiot

41 -- the term "Jumped the Shark" has jumped the shark. Get with it.

42: I'm guessing this Cleary guy either didn't have enough money in the bank to join the campain and make the pittance of a salary, or the campaign was just not that impressed with him to let him stay (at least not paid).

44: Your mom jumped the shark. Get with it.

- 41

this blog jumped the shark . . .

More risky: Cleary allowing someone two months' leave to work on a campaign, or Weil giving someone two months' leave to be on Survivor?

41 -- actually, you have.

41 is my bitch

More risky: not taking any risks with what you want to with your life for a desire to please "the firm"

I want to slap that smug smile right off of James Clark's face. I'm not saying I will, just that I want to.

Useless, useless post.

Black suit??? with a Blue shirt and a Black tie???

I never see any cursing in these posts; is that because they are monitored or are we a self-censuring bunch?

Lat/Mystal (But moreso at Lat)-GO BACK TO THE OLD WEB LAYOUT.

Anyone know if Cleary has started giving out offers yet?

isn't he with some woman in HR at Cleary?

That's nothing. My firm sent me to our Bratislava office for three months to do pro bono work with Gypsies...

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=8b5_1219507341

Since when is working on a campaign considered pro bono? Campaigns can certainly afford to pay for legal services.

That guy just looks like a dick.

Actually, this guy was a stealth layoff from the Obama campaign due to his lackluster performance in Pa. They didn't want to give a bad impression, but he was quietly asked to leave and return to the dungeon of BigLaw life.

It's called a map, try searching the internets to find one so you can get your rural/urban/suburban references correct.

That is all.

He's getting married to the Manager of Associate Reviews.

why are you doing a story on this?? who gives a crap about a guy taking time off to s*ck obama's d*ck?

Don't care about the story, but the post is MUCH better. No sudden movements is a subtle, nice touch. Better job.

64 - holy crap .... talk about an unfair advantage - bet he knows the gossip about everyone at Cleary!!!!!!!

So Cleary juniors and Obama volunteers are retarded? At least according to this DB, I guess. What a condescending jerk. That comment will fly around and nobody will take him very seriously. Why do people not think before speaking to the press? He just shot his career.

In my high school guys had way more than two months of pro bono rainmaking. It was a really big deal.

I swear I saw that douche at UVA softball game with a popped collar and a mint julep.

Pro bono rainmaker LOL. It takes a lot of talent to give away free legal services.

Lol @ pro bono rainmaker. I'm gonna go way out on the limb here and say that's a self-made title. He's never going to live that down at the office...

It's almost like saying "crippled track star" or "mute opera singer." There's a big difference between making rain fall out of the sky and putting a bucket underneath the gutters to collect what is going to fall anyway.

A mid-level at my firm did the same thing. It's not a big deal.

" I was one of 10,000 people across the country who applied for the fellowship and I was one of about 3,000 who got it."

WOWOWOWOWOWO MANY WILL ENTER FEW WILL WIN WOW!

"Community organizers have to work with what they have. Your mind is your biggest resource. Working without those resources only helped to make me a better lawyer. Campaign work was just an extension of the advocacy element of working as a litigation associate."

LULUZ

"I've still got my law school loans and I'm getting married in October. So it was a leap of faith to go out on my own and spend two months unpaid, even though I still had a job waiting for me."

Pro bono rainmaker is obviously (and intentionally) oxymoronic, but its not as stupid as some of you think. He's not talking about attracting those random dudes who's social security benefits were denied for some routine reason. He's talking about prestige carrying impact cases and important work for the various non-profits out there. When [name your favorite non-profit] wants to challenge [name assinine or unconstitutional law], they don't just start randomly dialing junior associates. They call people they know and trust and work through connections to get someone who is not going to fuck it up for them. People who are in with political activists, party leaders, and watchdog groups help to bring their firms the kind of sexy pro bono work that the firm can brag about.

He volunteered to work in Penn AFTER the primaries. Did they teach you to read at HLS, Mr. Mystal?

the writing is ok but the content is completely pointless today - why do i care about things that happened months ago (such as some guy taking off work and his firm being ok with it or a random discussion of satire and harvard...) get with the times

I hope Obama wins. I want more taken out of my paycheck. Apparently, I'm rich, despite the cost of living in NYC. That said, can I kick this smug douchebag in the head for each dollar that comes out of my pay?

"Pro bono rainmaker"? What a tool. Not to mention an idiot for saying something like that in public. The shit-eating grin is good, too.

Obama = TTT