How To Get Fired (or Asked To Resign) from Sullivan & Cromwell (Part 2)
Yesterday we introduced you to DB (not his real name — please keep it that way), formerly an associate at Sullivan & Cromwell. At S&C, and in law school before that, DB became notorious for bragging about his wealth and making politically incorrect remarks.
We collected some of his impolitic quips in our prior post, and other anecdotes surfaced in the comments (e.g., here and here). For your reading pleasure, here are a few more stories:
In law school, at a firm reception in the Time Warner center, DB got drunk and started going on about how he was wearing crocodile shoes that cost thousands of dollars and how his brother drove a more expensive car than the partners at the host firm. At an S&C firm retreat, the same one where he made his comments about the ballet, DB was placed in charge of entertainment for one evening. This included brainstorming for the “S&C Superlatives” contest, which is supposed to feature innocuous, yearbook-style items like “Miss Congeniality,” “Best Smile,” or “Most Athletic.” The items suggested by DB? “Sluttiest Partner” and “Partner Most Likely To Sleep With His Secretary.”
DB once said, to a highly attractive summer associate he encountered in the hallway, “You really aren’t that hot. Everyone thinks you are, but outside of here you really aren’t.”
In fairness to DB, he has his defenders and positive attributes. One tipster describes him as “a bright guy,” and another as “nice in a weird way,” as well as unusually generous and thoughtful at times. A third raves about his hotness, including “six-pack abs and amazing arms.” As for the sexist (and homophobic) quips, they may be best attributed not to malice, but to personal issues that DB is probably still working through.
His colorful comments, however, aren’t what got DB in truly hot water. Find out what did, after the jump.
As you can imagine, DB was already raising eyebrows around 125 Broad Street. That was before the summer, when DB appointed himself the unofficial cruise director for Sullivan’s summer associate program.
At first, DB would organize these massive, expensive summer events, on his own initiative. He coordinated a yachting trip, a wine tasting, and a bumper-car excursion, inviting something like 30 summer associates to each event. He put in for, and received, reimbursement from S&C.
After a few of these events, the recruiting people told him to stop organizing these things, since they were distracting from the firm’s official events. So DB started organizing smaller, more intimate events — but even these scaled-back outings were expensive. After submitting a few more receipts for reimbursement, he was told by a partner that if he continued to organize these unofficial events, he would not be reimbursed.
So DB hatched a brilliant plan. He continued to organize events with the SAs, but instead of submitting receipts on a rolling basis, i.e., shortly after each event, he would stockpile all the receipts. He would then drop them on S&C in one fell swoop at the end of the summer, when it would be too late for S&C management to stop him. With the events already over — and already enjoyed by the summer associates, thereby generating goodwill for S&C — the firm would have no choice but to reimburse him. (Think of it as like a quantum meruit / unjust enrichment theory.)
The end of the summer rolled around, and DB dropped the bomb: a crazy stack of receipts to be reimbursed. Soon thereafter, he was called to a partner’s office, where he was given two options: resign or be fired. DB chose to resign. He was immediately escorted out of 125 Broad Street, without even a chance to go back to his office to get his things.
(One source mentions possibly falsified receipts — holla, Carlos Spinelli-Noseda — but others do not.)
What’s our hero up to nowadays? Not clear. His entry in the New York State attorney directory has no employer information.
But don’t shed tears for DB. As he told his law school roommates upon meeting them, he’s “independently wealthy.” We suspect that whatever he’s up to now — sailing around the Mediterranean on a yacht? traipsing around Botswana on safari? — is more fun than anything that has ever transpired at 125 Broad Street.
P.S. Except for the antics of the former S&C contract attorney supervisor. If you think you know what we’re talking about, please email us (subject line: “Sullivan and Cromwell”). Thanks.
P.P.S. As noted in the original post, Sullivan & Cromwell did not respond to our requests for comment. This is not surprising; as we know from the Aaron Charney story, they tend not to comment on personnel matters.
Update: In the comments, some of you have expressed curiosity over the sums involved. Word on the street is that DB spent over $40,000 on summer associates.
(140) Comments
Comments
1st bababooey
1st bababooey
1st bababooey
FIrst bitches!
1st bababooey
First bitches!
FIRST-SUCK IT ATL!
SECOND?
This is the stupidest post of all time. It is spectacular how bad this blog has become. This entire story is so exaggerated that the humor in it is entirely lost.
First ta-ta-toothy
9 - how do you know it is exaggerated? Are you at S&C?
This is exceptionally lame. A guy tried to get reimbursements after being told not to and he got fired.
I like cheesy poofs, you like cheesy poofs, if we didn't eat cheesy poofs, we'd be ATL.
If you were asserting that his "shit all over the place" comments were homophobic, I sort of disagree. Lewd, ignorant, and inappropriate, but not homophobic.
If, on the other hand, you were referring to the "antigay epithets" that occurred towards the end of the story, that was pretty poor link work for such an expert. Telling me he made homophobic quips and then linking me to someone telling me he spewed antigay epithets isn't great sourcing.
Your unpredictable posting does keep me checking the site, though.
***!!!!Spoiler Alert!!!!****
DB is . . . PEOPLE!!!
IT'S PEOPLE!!!
So money was the basis for his dismissal/resignation and not all the repugnant things he said and did?
Wow, sounds like that firm has its values in order...
1st bababooey
Wait, this wasn't posted by Hope Winters?
How much were the receipts for? I mean, c'mon, that's the whole point of the damn story.
"For your reading pleasure, here [WHAT GOES HERE???] a few more stories:"
MysTTTal
9 - please go back to your contracts outline and let us enjoy the best ATL has to offer.
Also, this new format sucks.
S&C sounds like a horrible shithole.
This would never happen at DPW.
2:13 - speak not of what you don't know. At least as far as DB's hijinks in CLS, I was personally there for half of them, and other stories are independently verifiable.
The first installment was gold; this was lousy. Not worth the build-up, Lat.
Tucker Max went to Blair Academy.
Say hi to your mother for me.
Not MysTTTal, LaTTT
21 - Stop referring to people by the hour of their posts, start referring to them by number. Otherwise, good shit.
ra ra retard
OUT THIS PERSON ALREADY
I WANT PICTURES
22 - you have to admit, though, that Lat did a good job of building suspense. Good journalism, even if the payoff was so-so.
Mom, I'M FIRSTY!
Yawn. I think I'll skip ATL this next hour and do some work.
2:13 - speak not of what you don't know. At least as far as DB's hijinks in CLS, I was personally there for half of them, and other stories are independently verifiable.
Lat, you didn't quite get the story straight, and leaving out (or not knowing) the astronomical dollar figures involved is just weak.
Mystal is rubbing off on you.
28 - The payoff in this case wasn't even so-so.
22
28 - Since when does building suspense for a huge letdown qualify as good journalism?
28 - The payoff in this case wasn't even so-so.
22
ATL sucks.
34 - Exactly
22/33
ATL sucks.
Lat, Mystal is rubbing one out on you. Don't let him get away with that. Just throw some yodels the other way to distract him and run.
You are Asian, I like that. Say hi to your mother for me.
Mark M.
32, do you know the dollar figure? If so, please spill.
I knew this guy at CLS. The most memorable thing he used to do was to openly drink Coors beer, which was not PC at that time.
>>With the events already over -- and already enjoyed by the summer associates, thereby generating goodwill for S&C -- the firm would have no choice but to reimburse him. <<
This sounds extraordinarily stupid. The firm said that they weren't going to reimburse him for further events. Why would they be more likely to if the summer was over and he had a ton of receipts? The firm wouldn't be in a difficult position at all. They already said no. Do you think those summers would ever find out or even care that the guy didn't get reimbursed?
I'm glad this loser was never the junior on my deal when I worked at S&C.
santa hasn't visited a s&c associate or partner since 1982.
- santa claus
Yikes! What if he's trying to hide out in Asia?
Evan Jowers: beware a resume submitted by CLS grad formerly hailing from S&C!
This has wasted my time. This should have merited merely a one paragraph blurb.
With a firm going down each week, this kind of stuff is pretty week grist.
maybe dude knew he was leaving once the summer was over and he was done sticking it to intoxicated SAs, so he figured at least he'd go out with a bang.
i agree....the ending was not worthy of the build up....very disappointing!!!
how much was it?
how much was it?
Waaah, *sniffle*, I miss Lat. Waaaaah!
Oh, this is Lat, you say?
What have become of ATL's once lofty journalistic standards and impeccable sourcing.
WAAAAAAAAH!
In other words, shut your cry-holes ya big babies.
Tucker Max
To be fair, the attractive SA probably wasn't that hot.
41- how is drinking coors not pc?
"Update: In the comments, some of you have expressed curiosity over the sums involved. Word on the street is that DB spent over $40,000 on summer associates."
fa fa fli fly
This is guy is a total homophone.
I don't know why all these sanctimonious PC lawyers are acting all outraged about this. If I ever worked at SullCrom, I would only talk to DB. The man is a misunderstand genius; a Saint, really. A kind of gadfly trying to see if there was ANY blood flowing through the bodies of his CLS and SullCrom colleagues. Moreover, I particularly enjoyed his comment regarding the fat and the ugly not being protected classes. That's the kind of incisive textual, dispassionate legal analysis that CLS stands for! At my liberal, slightly higher ranked school, we would have been obtain to obtain a few intellectually dishonest credits by holding hands with the fat and ugly and telling them that they're pretty on the inside.
You go DB!
53: consider http://www.corporations.org/coors/ in light of CLS' student political leanings
I'd LOVE it if DB came to work at my firm. Your treatment of DB simply demonstrates that ATL doesn't appreciate humor, and is further proof that folks at S&C are humorless.
20's comment is seconded.
I agree w/57
This guy went out of his way to make people feel welcome with awesome events and no bull-shit. The fat, ugly, and boring attys at my firm make live very dull - just looking at them makes me sad.
On the "where's my battered women at" comment:
I once knew a guy whose wife volunteered at a battered women's shelter. On saturday she had to go drop something off at the shelter, and he drove her while they were on the way to do other errands. He waited in the car out front, and just as the door was being opened he yelled, "you better hurry up, or I'm gonna beat your ass!"
Bama Guy says Roll Tide!
58- thanks... thought it was something like that.
i don't give a shit though, the silver bullet won't slow you down. it's a great shit beer... far superior to pbr or bud.
On the "where's my battered women at" comment:
I once knew a guy whose wife volunteered at a battered women's shelter. On saturday she had to go drop something off at the shelter, and he drove her while they were on the way to do other errands. He waited in the car out front, and just as the door was being opened he yelled, "you better hurry up, or I'm gonna beat your ass!"
Thank you, 58. If any of that is true, I am officially switching to Coors.
I don't get it. Why was he fired? Simply because he suggested that the firm reimburse him? Why couldn't the firm just say "sorry, we told you we're not paying you back for your unofficial social events?"
for the record, even after his weight loss, DB did not rock the 6-pack. word on the street was that he was considering some plastic-work to deal with the ugainly flaps of excess tummy skin.
the total for his summer expenditures i've heard tossed around was well over $100k (incl. those he was reimbursed for earlier in the summer).
Why do my politicial or social beliefs have to comport with every consumption choice? DRINK MORE COORS
Why no word about the fact that he was the top biller of his class? He is somehow hardworking, believe it or not. Even at planning these events
Who is this guy?
I don't care what the byline says, I refuse to believe this was written by anyone but Hope Winters. It has all the qualities of a HW post: needless multi-part pacing; teasing promises of scandalous material contained within and utterly disappointing in the end.
Shorter version of the story: A douchebag worked at S&C (really? there was only one?); he said a bunch of offensive things and had an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement; he spent a lot of money on unauthorized summer events and, after being told to stop, continued to do so which resulted in his dismissal. If there were karmic justice in the world, he'd be giving out blowjobs in truck-stop restrooms for loose change; alas, he seems to be independently wealthy so he isn't.
I don't care what the byline says, I refuse to believe this was written by anyone but Hope Winters. It has all the qualities of a HW post: needless multi-part pacing; teasing promises of scandalous material contained within and utterly disappointing in the end.
Shorter version of the story: A douchebag worked at S&C (really? there was only one?); he said a bunch of offensive things and had an inflated sense of self-importance and entitlement; he spent a lot of money on unauthorized summer events and, after being told to stop, continued to do so which resulted in his dismissal. If there were karmic justice in the world, he'd be giving out blowjobs in truck-stop restrooms for loose change; alas, he seems to be independently wealthy so he isn't.
this guy is the chuck norris of law.
I knew this guy at S&C. He wasn't that bad. Sure he was sadly desperate for SA pals - so much so that he ignored partner directives to cease organizing summer events - and showed awesomely poor judgment on a daily basis, but it wasn't all his fault. His parents should have hugged him more often as a child.
...well did he get reimbursed?
70 - I heard that he inflated his billables. So while billing more than everyone else, he really didn't work more than anyone else. Total DB move.
DB is a good friend of mine. We went to prep school together and remain friends here in NYC.
He's politically incorrect and speaks his mind because he's extremely wealthy and knows that it doesn't matter whether he gets fired or not. He routinely hangs out at the most exclusive clubs in the city and vacations at places like st. barts, st. tropez, monaco, hvar, amalfi coast, paris, etc.
He wasn't bothered at all when he got fired. He just laughed it off, and we went drinking that night.
Anyone want to offer some (ahem) initial hints...
He's in China, but doesn't seem to be working in law. Frankly, his personality probably will be OK over there: the loud, big-spending guy with no sensitivity toward people different from himself is still acceptable in much of the world (heck, even in the U.S. once you get outside the blue states). Based on what I heard about his non-offensive comments in classes like Securities, he's actually very smart, and seems to be fairly hard working. Don't cry for DB, ATL.
@73...you don't read ATL enough or didn't when Lat was a regular...it's Lat.
Nice karmic line...i like it.
FA FA FO-HIGH!
Anyone want to offer some (ahem) initial hints...
78 = DB,
It is painfully clear that DB has no friends, thus 78 must be DB in disguise.
this was very interesting
78, would your middle inital happen to be "B" by any chance?
sounds like DB would not mine his name being mentioned...actually i am surprised he hasn't commented and stated his name ....so someone spill it
83 beat me to it. No way 78 was anyone but DB himself trying to impress us with his jet-setting lifestyle. I'm sure DB hangs out at all those places, he just does so alone, so very alone.
Anyone want to offer some (ahem) initial hints...
S&C
Great practice
TTT people.
Why would anyone ever want to work there? You get the same work at Cravath, DPW, STB, and Cleary but are surrounded by people who are either just ok or down right enjoyable.
Obviously, he wasn't that bad (or S&C is filled with real losers) or S&C wouldn't have put in charge of entertainment at the summer retreat. As for his comments, some of them sucked but nothing sexist or homophobic about them. Unfortunately, he pushed way past the limit but the firm was stupid to reimburse him to begin with.
It's funny making fun of George W and making your politics known to everyone at the firm in an obnoxious way is okay but a few stupid harmless jokes make the guy, a db. That is why biglaw attracts so many losers.
80 is right, a outspoken white guy with lots of money will have a great time in China.
90
Or is S&C just filled with so many douches, that the guys personality didn't stand out. Notice that they kept the partner in Charney and this guy around even though the were douches; it wasn't until they cost the firm money that they were removed.
His name showed up on the comments in the first article towards the end.
My favorite DB story is definitely the first time I met him. Not the most offensive thing I've ever heard him say (not even close) but definitely shows the level of social cluelessness / disregard for others that only DB shows.
We got assigned as Moot Court partners and when we met the opposing team (two Chinese LLMs) DB corrected their prononciation of their own names.
His name showed up on the comments in the first article towards the end.
My favorite DB story is definitely the first time I met him. Not the most offensive thing I've ever heard him say (not even close) but definitely shows the level of social cluelessness / disregard for others that only DB shows.
We got assigned as Moot Court partners and when we met the opposing team (two Chinese LLMs) DB corrected their prononciation of their own names.
Guys at my high school used to ask scatalogical sex questions about gay sex in class all the time. It was no big deal.
I'm pretty sure DB is in Bratislava training for World's Strongest Man 2009 with Mariusz Pudzianowski
What year was he at CLS?
someone please out DB
Dude, they didn't even give him 15 minutes and a box to get his things under supervision? That's really unprofessional by a top firm.
98: I think they were afraid he would throw another party and sent the firm a bill.
"DB once said, to a highly attractive summer associate he encountered in the hallway, 'You really aren't that hot. Everyone thinks you are, but outside of here you really aren't.'"
Hosestly, this is hilarious. I wish I could have seen this.
91, why do you assume he's white? Whitefolks don't have a monopoly on cluelessness.
DB totally took me and fab g-friends out to dinner and then to several clubs. The whole night he was like totally staring at my Jimmy Choo's which a Fried Frank partner bought for me. I rubbed my boobs against him at the end of the night which more than the FFHSJ partner got. Toodles all, Hope Winters.
98: if you were a partner, would you let that guy near firm phones, email, and/or files?
So he was mean, rude, insensitive, harassing, and unpolitically correct and he gets fired for taking summers out to pricey dinners? Wow, it really is almost impossible to get fired from top firms for personality or quality issues...
has anyone here heard of that guy Alexsey Vayner, sounds a lot like him
102- i assume he's white because he has money.
-DB
Hey, 104! Maybe YOU should tell us all about the big scandal. Scoop Lat!
Not sure why it matters to mention the name of a guy who gets canned.
106 -- what the hell is "unpolitically correct"? does that mean he was correct but not in a political fashion? if that's what you meant, amen sister, i'm with you.
however, i suspect that you are a moron and meant "politically incorrect".
while he was completely ridiculous and did once tell me (a female) in front of a table of male associates that "men age like fine wine but women rot on the vine" and only wore the leather of endangered animals (or so he said, could have been Brooks Brothers for all I know) he was also ridiculously generous and a well-intentioned (if awkward) host. S&C is an uptight hellhole anyway--tons of people get away with lesser but equally shitty crimes like that all the time.
111: I don't get it either. It's perfectly ok to post wild rumors about a firm that will affect hundreds of people, but not ok to post the name of a guy who, as the stories have made quite obvious, couldn't possibly care less.
4:37, agreed. If Lat wants to discuss Carlos freely--who was a hell of a lot nicer person than DB--I see no reason for him to protect DB.
i heard he wore a garter belt under his suit
you heard it here first
how hasn't he been outed on xo yet?
i heard he wore a garter belt under his suit
you heard it here first
i heard he wore a garter belt under his suit
you heard it here first
95 - Polska Power!
Sullivan & Cromwell is the Salusa Secundus of law firms. If you survive the hellhole, you can prosper elsewhere in the Known universe.
i heard he wore a garter belt under his suit
you heard it here first
i heard he wore a garter belt under his suit
you heard it here first
DB sounds like a good father figure. Is he hiring?
-Second-string 2L
Did DB try to feed a cat to an ATM? If not, I'm not interested...
125, I love that movie
Why is he still on their website?
I was hoping for something more with the way he was built up. It sounds like he was trying to bridge the gap between fun and boring SA events.
127, there's another associate by the same name and same law school.
DB was planning on resigning and managed to cash in on the excess corporate greed. As outrageous and politically incorrect he is, it was pretty funny stuff in retrospect. Although, the few times I ran into him, I wanted to beat his flamboyant ass.
This guy's a cross between the protagonists of "Liar Liar" and "Office Space," which makes him my personal hero. Well done, sir.
NOT still on the site. Different guy at S&C by same name. DB was CLS '07.
131, FAIL
131, FAIL
Tucker Max.
Is this the same guy who went to a cocktail party that Prof. Jack Greenberg (who litigated Brown v. Board) was hosting at his place for a small group of his students, got drunk and started jumping around on the furniture, was scolded by Prof. Greenberg's wife not to behave that way in someone else's house, and then yelled back "This ain't yo house!"???
Why doesn't Lat hire this guy as the new EIC of ATL and send Elie to S&C with the other fat, ugly people?
137: lol, I don't remember him doing that, but he WAS in Greenberg's Civ Pro class with me 1L year, and if anyone did that, it would have been him.
I've known this guy since 1L year, and at first I hated him and thought he was the most offensive person I've ever met, but now I just think he' the most hilarious person I've ever met. He's got no judgment whatsoever, and whatever he thinks leaves his mouth - it's amazing. He should have a live t.v. show.
p.s. NONE of these stories about him are exaggerated. I've personally seen him do many thinks far more shocking than what's talked about in most of these anecdotes.
137: lol, I don't remember him doing that, but he WAS in Greenberg's Civ Pro class with me 1L year, and if anyone did that, it would have been him.
I've known this guy since 1L year, and at first I hated him and thought he was the most offensive person I've ever met, but now I just think he' the most hilarious person I've ever met. He's got no judgment whatsoever, and whatever he thinks leaves his mouth - it's amazing. He should have a live t.v. show.
p.s. NONE of these stories about him are exaggerated. I've personally seen him do many thinks far more shocking than what's talked about in most of these anecdotes.
108: The racists comments are not appreciated. DB is not white.
139 you're a moron, that isn't DB you are looking at the wrong profile
I know this guy really well. Absolutely, without a doubt, one of the smartest guys I've ever met. He says inappropriate comments to push people's buttons, and he should know better, but a lot of what's been said here sounds out of context.
He's a ton of fun to hang out with. When people get to know him better, they find that 90% of what he says, offensive or not, is in jest.
144: he has 0 judgment. He can't turn it off even when he wants to. I too thought it might also be in jest, until I realized that he simply CAN NOT turn it off.
144 - in that case he just has poor judgment. If these stories are true, even saying this stuff in jest is not appropriate. "I was just kidding" stopped working when we graduated from 8th grade.