Lawyer of the Day Weekend: Deidre Dare
Deidre Dare is a senior lawyer in Allen & Overy’s Russia office. Like many an expat, she’s been maintaining a website, presumably to keep folks back home up to date on her life and to share the splendor of living abroad with random strangers on the Internet.
On the website, Philosophy Can Be Sexy, she posts poetry, photos of herself in lingerie, “philosophy” (if a quote from the “Marriage Delusion” counts), and a serialized novel about the expat life in Moscow.
Allen & Overy was not too pleased to discover the novel. Per the Daily Mail:
Miss Dare, who is thought to earn £150,000 a year at the firm’s Russian office, is calling her steamy online novel, Expat: A Weekly Serialized Novel About Living in Moscow.It describes the sordid lifestyle pursued by staff at a British-led professional firm in the capital.
Miss Dare’s promiscuous heroine describes herself as a ‘part drug addict, part alcoholic’ who regularly turns up for work hours late and hungover.
She and her colleagues are constantly seeking new sexual conquests, attend obscene sex shows involving donkeys and dwarves, blow fortunes at expensive restaurants and gossip about where they are planning to get drunk next.
Sounds like working abroad is like being a summer associate all year long. An erotic excerpt for the grammarians among you, after the jump.
In our inquiry about Ms. Dare, Allen & Overy tells us, “A&O does not comment on individual members of staff. With regards to our general policies on staff conduct Allen & Overy aims to uphold the highest standards of professional conduct. Everyone at Allen & Overy is expected to conduct themselves appropriately and professionally at all times.”
This story has gotten a lot of attention in the blogosphere. Everyone’s all excited about the sex, the drinking, the drugs, the affairs with married men. We’re more interested in this steamy passage on parts of speech, from the latest chapter, Chapter Ten: PEACE, WAR, PUNISHMENT AND CRIME:
“Of course,” he said softly, holding the champagne bottle to my lips. “Drink! Security. It is what everyone does. And you are the verb of my life, the adjective of my existence. So, you cannot go anywhere. You cannot. Or I cannot get out of bed tomorrow. I will have no reason to get out of bed tomorrow. And I will not. It will all be useless.”
(The Russians are even more dramatic than I am.)
I sipped the champagne obligingly and widened my eyes.
“Yes. Okay. But am I your noun?” I finally asked, wiping my mouth with the back of my hand and looking him directly in the eye.
“You are more than that. You are my gerund,” he answered, putting his forehead to mine and closing his eyes. “My gerund.”
“Ah - your gerund,” I said with a smile he couldn’t see, but I knew he could hear. “Not your infinitive?”
“You are - all my parts of speech and all my tenses,” he said, helplessly, taking another swig from the bottle and raising one eyebrow.
That may be more obscene than donkeys and dwarves.
Sadly, the rest of the novel is on hold for now. Ms. Dare’s site announces, “The Author has been forbidden from publishing further chapters of Expat for the time being. She will resume if and when she is permitted to.”
Update: More about Deidre Dare from the London Times, which reports on A&O’s reaction to her exploits:
[T]he London-based firm suspended her when she refused to take [her blog] down. The company blocked her BlackBerry, e-mail and electronic work pass and claimed that she had brought it into disrepute. She now fears she may be sacked from her £150,000-a-year job for her resistance.
But she won’t go quietly: “If I get sacked I’ll sue. It’s about freedom of speech. They’ve picked a fight with the wrong girl.”
Miss Dare, the £150,000 lawyer, told to stop putting porn on the net [The Daily Mail]
‘Magic circle’ lawyer told to stop writing online erotic novel [The Daily Telegraph]
Allen & Overy Muzzles Lawyer’s Erotic Fiction [Legal Blog Watch]
(128) Comments
Comments
In that excerpt, I kept waiting for a joke about split infinitives.
FIRST
No, you're not FIRST. Thanks for playing, though.
The extent to which an employer has a legitimate interest in what an employee does outside of work is an interesting question. This situation strikes me as none of A&O's business.
This kind of lifestyle is exactly why I went to law school. To date I have been very disappointed.
- 2L that was too dumb to realize law school was a bad idea.
"Diedre Dare": even her name sounds.... naughty.
I read the first entry of her journal. Neither the material or perspective is unique. If you add in the bad grammar it would be more worthwhile to buy a romance novel from the grocery store.
Chocolate Rain! Diedre Dare dressed up in Lingerie!
Chocolate Rain! Watching horny dwarves and donkeys play!
Diedre Dare = Hope Winters of Russia
This stuff isn't really very shocking...99% of expats in Moscow live this way, and 50% write stupid roman a clefs about it afterward.
Her profile is gone from the A+O website.
I still see her profile:
http://www.allenovery.com/AOWEB/PeopleOffices/CVDetails.aspx?contentTypeID=4&itemID=35952&prefLangID=410
I don't know why anyone would want to live in Moscow. It is a cold and ugly city that is very expensive too.
FIRST!
Thanks for the weekend posting. Some of us have to work on weekends, ya know.
I don't care for her teeth.
I think her website is a great way to attract clients. If I needed a lawyer in Russia, I would call her.
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why oh why would she post photos of herself in lingerie? she thinks she is that hot? it's kind of disturbing, especially if this is a way for her family and friends to keep up with her goings on.
and FIRST to say working on the weekend sucks.
This is none of A&O's business.
18 here - yeah that was a little harsh. Sorry.
hmmm....
*ponders whether or not to purchase a donkey to bring to work in order to make a strong impression for my first day as an sa*
-nervous T-10 1L
4 interviews
3 offers
1 sa position!
Nervous I thought we got rid of you!!!!!!!!!!!!! Gahhhhhh. But congratulations on your job, maybe now you will go away.
Question: If your IP address gets banned from commenting, is that like a lifetime thing or is it more like a cooling off period that will expire at some point? I would rather not go through the trouble of resetting my IP address.
23: nope, i'm not going away but thanks for the congrats. by looking at some of the recent comments, it looks like i am no longer the most annoying commenter!
i had a great winter break doing interviews and dreaming of models and bottles.
-nervous T-10 1L
4 interviews
3 offers
1 sa position!
You know how they say we only use 10% of our brains
http://www.moviewavs.com/php/sounds/?id=gog&media=WAVS&type=Movies&movie=Wedding_Crashers"e=10percent.txt&file=10percent.wav
poor Nervous, the days of models and bottles are over. Now you will probably have to work to get an offer. But it will still be fun.
She is extremely hot though. Damn.
Nervous, I can't wait until you start work... the comments will be hilarious.
24 - I think it's a permanent thing. Best to err on the side of caution with your comments.
In America, you splice comma.
In Soviet Russia, comma splices you.
Philosophy Can Be Sexy
But A Large Overbite Is Not.
-The Wise One
Kevin - Did you get the most recent memo?
diction.
13 - Moscow may be cold, but are the salaries frozen over there?
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/25/jobs/25lawyers.html?ref=business
The talk of large-scale firings, the actual layoffs, and the dissolution rumors on ATL are all very odd considering that BigLaw firms in general are reporting profits for 2008 at levels that equal or exceed 2007. Even in the worst-case scenarios so far reported (Cadwalader), profits are down only 30 percent from what was admittedly a boom/bubble year, leaving each partner on average with . . . TWO MILLION DOLLARS.
How is it that businesses that are kicking off upwards (far upwards, in many cases) of one million dollars to each individual owner--in the midst of the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression no less-- face such a dire need to fire their employees?
7: Discussing bad grammar while using bad grammar? The irony....
36 - Those are 2008 numbers. In 2009, there will be massive bloodshed.
Nice publicity for Lat in the NYT article - he's quoted several times.
KASH, you're so special- perfect weekend post. Thank you!!!!!
Thank you for your reply, 36.
I am still puzzled, however. You cite 2009, but we are not even through the first full month of 2009, a relatively slow month for many firms historically. Why undertake preemptive firings instead of waiting more time to see how things develop? The profit numbers for 2008, which admittedly worsened considerably after September, still point to a pretty good cushion for the partners. And even if 2009 is worse than 2008, doesn't two million dollars still represent a pretty far distance to fall?
Lastly, even if revenues fell significantly in 2009, I am not sure it is even in the partners' own interests to be so hasty in cutting employees, given the downsides of effect on the morale, possible ill-will, severance and overhead expenses (with no further revenue, even if diminised, from the employee), possible lawsuits, reputation, and possible future need for employees if business picks up again.
Sex with Donkeys? That is awsome. It reminds me of the donkey show we had at a party last weekend.
7 is an idiot and needs to review the rules re: neither/nor and either/or.
40 - A lot of it is based on quarterly or bi-annual billing practices. If the second half of 2008 sucked as far as the billables the associates were posting, but the billables for the end of 2007 are still being reflected in the 2008 numbers because of quarterly billing, then firms know whether they're going to have a bloodbath in 2009. Clients don't pay immediately when the work is completed.
And new batches of lawyers are graduating every year. There will not be a shortage of people willing to fill slots when the economy turns around, so laying off now won't have that great of an impact when the firmst up hiring practices in 2010 or 2011 (if we're lucky it will be that soon).
Not 36, but thought I'd answer your question anyway.
Thank you for your input, 43. I had not taken the billing-payment mismatch into account.
Still, how far do revenues need to fall in 2009 for these firings to make sense? As I noted, given the profit reports, there would seem to be an appropriate cushion for revenues to fall by a material amount and not trigger the need for or advisability of lay offs (paritcularly considering the trade-offs I mentioned in my previous post). What percentage would you put it at? And what are you predicting for 2009 and after?
(Regarding the garduating attorneys, they will be newly minted but inexperienced.)
I was wondering where all the party dwarves went. This recession is such a drag.
30, this upsets me. Now I must take time out of my day to change my IP Address so that I can comment again. This is upsetting because it will force me to go precious minuted without internet access. This is the price I pay for making hilarious comments.
What did 18 write to get his comment removed? What's with removing comments? If I want to write something outrageously offensive what can't I?
47 - 18 here. I asked the moderator to remove the post - upon reflection, I feel bad for this chica.
Wait wait 18, am I to understand that a comment can only be removed if the commentator makes a request to the moderator. Or does the moderator patrol the comments section like a Goebbelseque gardener, scything down lilies?
Fuck dudes, I would really like to know how to tango well.
I agree with the other cynics - the over supply of lawyers makes reputation of a firm pretty much a non-issue. I think at this point any firm in New York could institute public floggings for the laid off associates, and people would still be begging to get in. "I swear, Mr. Hiring Partner, I have spent my entire life fantasizing about doing document review related to bankruptcy law until four in the morning six days a week!"
I talked to someone today who received 350+ resumes from attorneys for a somewhat dubious "business opportunity." something like 50,000 attorneys graduate every year. They're almost all in debt. Firm reputation just doesn't seem like that big an issue.
(Note: Firm reputation in hiring could be a problem if the top 10 students from the top 10 schools were really vastly different from all the other graduates. If every firm wanted just those graduates, and needed to watch their Ps and Qs in order to get them, or risk some dire catastrophe if they failed, then yes. Perhaps firm reputation would be an issue.
It's interesting that the firms seem willing to risk it, though.)
People who think we only use 10% of our brains probably do only use 10% of their brains.
51 - Compared to most practice areas in BigLaw, there is not that much doc review in bankruptcy.
Nervous,
The days of models and bottles are over.
Welcome to the new age of Coors and whores.
Chocolate Rain! Lawyers can't get models anymore.
Chocolate Rain! Now they settle for cheap, nasty whores.
54, great comment.
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I truly hate nervous. Not in a love to hate him way where I want him to post so that I can get mad at it. In the simple way where I want him to die and never post again.
late to the party. saw this on bitter lawyer.
If the OP and the rest of you idiots would just do a simple Google search you'd realize that she's already been fired.
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article5580599.ece
60 = illiterate
54: i dunno about coors and whores but i would definitely settle for six packs and huge racks.
*gives fist pump in solidarity*
-nervous T-10 1L
4 interviews
3 offers
1 sa position!
ps just got back from the bball game, go blue!
She's 44.
"So, is there any tread left on the tires? Or at this point would it be like throwing a hot dog down a hallway?"
Does her blog have any news about the rumored layoffs at Cahill?
Judging by her picture, it would be like shooting pool with a rope
You can learn almost anything on youtube. For example, how to change you IP address.
Stax on deck, patron on ice, we can pop bottles all night and baby you can have whatever you like.
Tulane stud, did you just diss yourself?
It may be cold in Moscow, but goddamn it, trim that shit.
I took philosophy for 4 years in undergrad. There is nothing sexy about philosophy.
What a fucking retard.
Check out her poem called "Inventory" -- it is outstanding.
Comment removed by moderator.
I don't think we ought to smear this woman. She obviously is NOT a wirgin, but that does not give us the ability to screw her on line. I am sure that many of you would submit to her, if ever given the chance, so stop thinking your better than she is. She needs a relationship, not a quickie, so anyone willing to step up and be a REAL man can e-mail her. Otherwise, stop being so bold here on this website. Wimps.
Why has ATL not mentioned yet that Madoff is dying of pancreatic cancer? That is the whole reason his little scheme has been exposed. Remember, he is the one that exposed it. The man has 6 months, tops.
Diedre Dare is a 1989 graduate of Columbia Law School
She looks like the alien that popped out of a guy's stomach at the end of Spaceballs.
she's going to sue the company for depriving her of freedom speech? that is ridiculous, and i would expect that kind of garbage out of a mcdonalds employee fired for having blue hair, not a supposed lawyer. she has a right to speak her mind, but not a right to work at a&o. no state action, no dice.
78 -- She sounds like an idiot and any sane firm would dump her, but her employment claim may be governed by British or Russian law. I'm pretty sure she could be fired for this sort of thing in the U.S., but I really have no idea what employment law looks like in those other countries.
Also, this is an interesting post, but it should really mention that she's on the verge of being fired from A&O.
Nervous - congrats!
This girl must be mentally deficient. And she isn't hot enough to be that dumb, she isn't getting by on looks. If I got drunk and ended up throwing one in her, I'm almost positive I would sober up at some point and crymax.
The infamous lobster makes an appearance at 2:20
How about dangling participle jokes?
I think if you tried to have sex with her you'd get bitten off by her ASSLOBSTER.
I like her. She's trying a bit too hard, but whatever.
http://www.abajournal.com/news/bostons_choate_lays_off_38_15_attorneys_23_staff/
URL says it all: Boston-based Choate lays off 15 attorneys.
60 - Reading comprehension. She has been suspended, not fired.
74, the Times of London article says she is in a relationship already.
66 - Why bother changing your IP address? Why not just post over at AutoAdmit, where there is less moderation?
Welcome back Nervous, and congrats! Nervous will save the commenter section of ATL in 09!
*nervously gives Nervous a high-five*
87 beat me to it.
79, check out the update added to the post at the end.
I'm surprised to learn she is 44. She looks much younger in pictures.
She is 44? I am surprised she can accomplish the act with that old catcher's mitt of hers.
At least not without the assistance of a quart of 10W40.
hey losers, wannabe attorneys and TTT law school f-ups - after 10 years in BIGLAW, if you survive that long, you'll be lucky to have as interesting a life as she does. I'd do her, if only because she's more interesting than you d-bags. go back to studying torts and property and maybe someday, if you're lucky, you'll figure out how meaningless the practice of law is, and if you're luckier, you might even get laid.
- BIGLAW mid-level
110, you're obviously a winner, posting a paragraph on a blog at 7.30 on a sunday night.
As a person who had sex with Diedre Dare,
THIS IS EXCELLENT NEWS FOR JOHN MCCAIN!
Coment removed by modeator.
--Elie.
She's not a very good writer. Most of her stuff is pretty lame.
The moderator tried to remove Elie, but ran out of harpoons.
89 - I bother changing my IP address because I like posting here. AutoAdmit sucks because no one gets upset by my general douchebaggery.
100 - If you were to harpoon Elie, but not recover him, would you have a claim when he washed up on shore and was discovered by someone else?
"extremely hot"
Her face looks like the south end of a northbound mule. I wouldn't even put my enemy's penis in that.
10:51 reads too much Toni Morrison.
She looks average in the pictures, and her body is pretty good. But, you can't see her that well because the way she angles herself. That is usually a bad sign. Either way, I hope A&O doesn't come down on her too hard. Ideally, she should be able to do whatever she wants off the clock, just as long as she doesn't go off and pay a crack ho to have sex with their underage kids like that Cravath guy.
Oh and 95, I am a mid-level too and there is a point to law--money. Work on generating business, get a client, make a name brand of yourself. It is pretty sweet if you can bring in deals and have a hand on the money. Law is only pointless if you think the point is about drafting the best reps & warranties or whatever you litigators do (still important to do it well, though). The world changes once you make the rain--believe me. The legal work is just the widget you are selling. I don't mean to sound critical of you, because biglaw is a bit of a bait and switch. But, guys who think the point is the law aren''t going to make it.
Now, can I have a partner that is trolling the boards confirm that for me? You can confirm the A&O girl thing for me too, if so inclined.
105 - How is it that biglaw is a bait and switch?
106-- It is a bait and switch because early on (think SA recruiting) they give the impression that your success is completely and totally tied to your technical ability when it is more driven by your ability to sell. You can last a while if you are a good lawyer, and may even make service partner. But, to be the swinging dick, you need to be able to sell the firm to clients and that is more important than how good of a lawyer you are.
I should mention that I am Ok with this model since it works out well for me.
106, I forgot the most important thing--Diedre Dare; would you hit it? I think I would take that gamble, but keep a paper bag and a flask of tequila handy just in case.
Another attention grabbing whore? Yawn ...
@98 - Underated post.
I had a shot at her cooter back in the early 1990's. She was hot then. Maybe she's a bit shopworn now, but I suppose any beeotch who's humped as many European men as she has would be. But back then, Maronne, what a romp! She was about 30 then.......ah, I can still remember the moaning; reminds me of Catherine the Great taking it in the rear from a horse.
@111:
Very interesting. I wish to subscribe to your newsletter. Please send me more information
Yes, @111, we may now perhaps to begin. You wish photo of young Russian woman or old Russian wolfhound?
http://www.60a.org.cn
have linked this article.
Freedom of speech. In Russia. Huh.
111, epic post.
As a woman, if I looked as horsey as her, I would go to Moscow too. Nyet!
81 - Crymax is brilliant.
As far as Bernie Madoff and his pancreatic cancer go, he's just an utter and complete genius. He's going to take the fall while his family and kids were all obviously co-conspirators. They're all going to walk away unscathed.
Diedre has no body - built like a Russian gymnast!
My noun? My gerund? My infinitive. THIS is what passes for foreplay? Gimme a break.
My noun? My gerund? My infinitive. THIS is what passes for foreplay? Gimme a break.
To all of you who says she is hot:
WTF? She has horse teeth and for that matter a horse face!! I guess you all like fucking horses, huh?
Sincerely,
Your Mom
ps.you should be ashamed of yourselves.
No leg to stand on? Not a very mature nor intelligent statement coming from a lawyer, especially a senior one. Even without knowing the relevant labour laws, I would imagine that a reputable professional firm like A&O would have a legitimate right in safeguarding its reputation for loyalty, discretion, good sense and wanting to be taken seriously (qualities not exactly being displayed by its employee) in the eyes of the business (not “artistic”) community… especially when it pays a more than decent wage….
Interesting all the allusions to the BP-TNK dispute in her novel, didn't know A&O were the lawyers for the deal.... Or she's just throwing some interesting tidbits to make it seem like she doesn't work at A&O.... Or, it truly is a novel, i.e. mostly fiction. But then why is A&O pissy? Just worried they have a saucy trollop on staff?
If you met her outside a Moscow donky-dwarf show, you would not look at her twice.
I once had a Russian house mate (a high tech entrepreneur). One night he tried to talk me into double dating with a couple Aeroflot stewardess.
(The "hot ones had cute little mustaches.)
Take away: In Moscow, just about any American woman is considered "hot" by prevailing norms.
Her firm, BTW, needs to loosen the F up.
I once had a Russian house mate (a high tech entrepreneur). One night he tried to talk me into double dating with a couple Aeroflot stewardess.
(The "hot ones had cute little mustaches.)
Take away: In Moscow, just about any American woman is considered "hot" by prevailing norms.
Her firm, BTW, needs to loosen the F up.
If you met her outside the context of a Moscow donkey-dwarf show, you would not look at her twice.