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Nationwide Dissolution Watch: Is Morgan & Finnegan Bouncing Checks?

Morgan Finnegan intellectual property IP law.jpgIn August, we reported on significant layoffs at Morgan & Finnegan. Two and a half weeks ago, we told you that Morgan & Finnegan would be dissolving with survivors going over to Locke Lord.

Thanks to the recent dissolution of Heller Ehrman, Thelen, and Thacher Proffitt, we have learned what to expect as a firm shuts its doors. Employees are supposed to have sixty days of paid warning, under the WARN Act.

But what is the use of a severance check if there is no money in the bank? Morgan & Finnegan employees are finding out. Last week, a tipster reported:

Morgan & Finnegan severance checks were sent to fired employees. They were drawn on an account that is frozen. The checks are not good. The signature is illegible.

At the time, we thought this was a minor clerical error. But yesterday, ATL received additional confirmation that Morgan & Finnegan employees are having trouble getting paid. Details after the jump.

Other sources at Morgan & Finnegan are also reporting that the firm is issuing bad checks:

M&F … can’t even pay the attorneys and staff they laid-off the first 2 weeks of WARN payments otherwise known as severance/ pay in lieu of notice. Their checks are bouncing all over the tri-state area.

Our sources are suggesting the obvious, that a bankruptcy filing is in the works.

Is it that the firm can’t make payroll, or is that it won’t make payroll?

We know a number of former Morgan & Finnegan partners are getting ready for their new practice at Locke Lord, but it looks like those people might not be done with their old practice quite yet.

Earlier: Nationwide Dissolution Watch: Morgan & Finnegan?
Prior ATL coverage of law firm dissolutions

Comments

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1 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 9:55 AM

first to say that nobody cares about IP boutiques.

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2 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:02 AM

1 = best comment in this thread so far

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3 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:03 AM

Wonder if Locke Lord will have issues with this once the employees sue the former partners of Morgan.

4 Posted by ShamWOW | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:03 AM

Vince here saying that someone at Morgan and Finnegan needs to get slap chopped.

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5 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:07 AM

Chicks at my high school used to bounce WARN Act checks all the time...'twasn't a big dealie-yo

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6 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:08 AM

First to say that Morgan Finnegan is the excpetion, most IP boutiques are raking in money, and associates at IP boutiques are not fretting about the possibility of layoffs like almost every GP associate is right now.

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7 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:10 AM

MoFi also does not have a working website.

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8 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:14 AM

thanks 7. it isn't a good sign when your site is down. http://www.morganfinnegan.com/

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9 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:19 AM

I would rather beat myself with a hammer than work at Locke Lord.

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10 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:20 AM

It's all ball bearings these days.

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11 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:24 AM

This isn't surprising - M&F hasn't done the right thing for their employees in years.

6 - is Darby also an exception? I hear they aren't doing well. There are only so many boutiques - how many exceptions will it take for the associates at them to see the writing on the wall?

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12 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:25 AM

"When know a number of former Morgan & Finnegan partners ..."

Elie, you are so funny! I love these little grammar jokes you sneak in there in your articles. You're all like, "Oh, those grammar nerds will love this one ho ho ho," and then you intentionally write "when" instead of "we." Hilarious! Don't listen to the haters, Elie, you are a genius... a comic genius!

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13 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:28 AM

@8 Wow, even their website bounced.

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14 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:30 AM

Locke Lord is marching all MF associates into a large oven disguised as a conference room.. Why didn't anyone notice the smoke stacks?

15 Posted by Michael Ray Richardson | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:32 AM

The ship be sinking...

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16 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:33 AM

6,

I'll tell that to the Fish associates let go late last year and Kenyon 2 years ago that those layoffs never happened.

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17 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:34 AM

Does anyone know if this is fraud. The checks issued are payroll checks with taxes taken out.

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18 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:42 AM

#6 - I wouldnt say that IP boutiques (regardless of size) are raking it in right now, but I work at one and we have gotten a lot of work transferred back to us that went to GP firms. guess the "one bill" theory for our clients didnt work when that one bill was bloated. stuff that came back has been mainly licensing and litiation stuff, but prep/pro stuff may come back soon. It is a little tougher to get those out, i guess.

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19 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:45 AM

Former Morgan Finnegan managing partner, Haywood Jablomey, stated he regrets nothing.

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20 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:48 AM

11: Darby isn't doing *that* well these days.

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21 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:50 AM

Guess this means my rent check is gonna bounce. Now what?

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22 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:53 AM

No post on Simpson Thatcher handling the bankruptcy filing of Sirius???? Get to it Elie.

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23 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:58 AM

Kenyon isn't doing *that* well either--stiffed associates on bonuses--shhh!

or maybe Kenyon just wants to shake some loose...

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24 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:02 AM

No post on Orrick delaying its payment of bonuses by two weeks without explanation? No money in Orrick's coffers, or are they wanting time to work out how to stiff more associates by giving them bad reviews? Why no posts on this ATL?

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25 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:04 AM

"dissoloving?"

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26 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:05 AM

A post on stealth bloodletting at SkaddenLA would be very useful.

thnx in advance

27 Posted by nervous T10 1L | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:07 AM

*asks for my sa salary upfront just in case*

-nervous T-10 1L
soon to be nervous 1L sa

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28 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:08 AM

Fraud ???

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29 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:14 AM

Darby's had attrition and stealth layoffs.

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30 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:15 AM

So Thacher is the only firm that has made WARN payments? The law needs teeth to force these partners to be upfront with associates if it is to have any use.

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31 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:16 AM

Unbelievable!
Condolences to those effected.

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32 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:30 AM

MORGAN & FINNEGAN SUCKS BIG-TIME!

STUPID IDIOTIC PARTNERS CAN'T RUN A LAW FIRM FOR THEIR LIVES! THEY SUCK, THEY LIE, THEY CHEAT, THEY STEAL,

THEY LOSE!

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33 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:33 AM

Apparently the M&F website is also shut-down...not good news if the firm weren't dissolving.

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34 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:34 AM

Alright #32, calm down, nothing is fucked dude, nothing is fucked, they're a bunch of amateurs....

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35 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:36 AM

All these law firms keep selling us out! Why did I ever get into law?

WHY? WHY? WHY?

This is NOT what I bargained for!!!!!!

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36 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:36 AM

Alright #32, calm down, nothing is fucked dude, nothing is fucked, they're a bunch of amateurs....

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37 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:46 AM

She kidnapped herself dude. You said so yourself...

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38 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:46 AM

I think it would be cool to see a story on how the vault 10 (y'know, the firms that had summer classes of up to 180% more than average last year) are handling the downturn.

Although I understand that some of these shops did mega mergers in say 2005, I am puzzled as to how they will absorb all these very expensive (but talented - some of these kids were on the Fordham law review!!! or were one of the top 99% or so Fisk Stone scholars at Colombia)

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39 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:48 AM

M&F's site's been down since the middle of last week (Wednesday or Thursday). All M&F attorney profiles were taken down by last Monday night or Tuesday (everyone who got picked up by Locke's profiles appeared on Locke's website on last Monday, which was the day they were all supposed to start as per the offer letter we all saw).

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40 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:59 AM

30 makes a good point. For WARN to be effective, it seems like the employer should have to have an independent escrow account or letter of credit available to tap. Obviously, healthy companies don't generally do mass layoffs or "plant closures," so by the time a company is resorting to that measure, its ability to satisfy its WARN obligations is seriously in question.

Another idea would be to make the partners of the firm individually liable for the obligation (they may be, in any event). Especially in the legal profession, it seems inherently wrong for officers of the court to knowingly violate a federal law (and often times a state counterpart) by abandoning their sinking-ship firms without making arrangements for employees to get their due under WARN.

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41 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:10 PM

MORGAN & FINNEGAN'S WEB SITE JUST WENT DOWN!!

THEY ARE ABOUT TO BE UNRAVELED TO BITS AND PIECES!

That's what they get for trying to drive up PPP at the expense of associates.

Stupid partners have an exaggerated sense of self-entitled and self-worth.

FUCK YOU ALL.

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42 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:12 PM

This is a sad time for Morgan & Finnegan, arguably the most prominent IP law firm in the country...

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43 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:18 PM

At what point can we in the legal community abandon our serene Dudeness and admit that the goddamn plane has crashed into the mountain?

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44 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:18 PM

#42: "This" is a "sad" time? It's been sad for at least 6 months.

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45 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:21 PM

We did not get the money, you nit-wit! We did not get the money!

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46 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:25 PM

44, it's sad today because the dissolution of M&F is finally setting in with their Web site being down. M&F is the most prominent IP firm, so this is indeed an exceptional event.

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47 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:32 PM

When will you find these guys? I mean, do you have any promising leads?

The policeman laughs, agreeing broadly.

Leads, yeah. I'll just check with the boys down at the Crime Lab. They've assigned four more detectives to the case, got us working in shifts.

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48 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:39 PM

19 - - Anyone named Haywood Jablomey should have plenty of regrets.

49 Posted by BigLarry | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:39 PM

BigLarry here to say - *tap... tap... tap...* is not the sound of my right foot against the hard, cold linoleum... It's the tap countdown for M&F - it's obvious even under 35 U.S.C. Section 103(a).

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50 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:41 PM

19 -- There is no such person at that firm.

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51 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:44 PM

M&F is about to go under!

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52 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 12:58 PM

Oh my god, 50, are you kidding! I'm sure you missed 43's commendable humor as well. When was the last time you were out of the office?

53 Posted by Carleton_Sheets | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:02 PM

STOP worrying about whether your severance check will clear and START learning how to make millions in real estate with no money down.

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54 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:07 PM

Nice #53, nice.

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55 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:08 PM

50 either has a droll sense of humor or has been doing doc review for so long paresis has set in. btw it is a criminal violation (state law) to bounce a paycheck. Does FLSA say anything?

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56 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:10 PM

#4 made me laugh out loud. I watch too much late-night TV.

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57 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:15 PM

Fuck, how can I recover the $25 "non-sufficient funds" fee? This is utter bullshit.

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58 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:21 PM

#57: take M&F or J.S. to small claims court. That would be hilarious, 70+ small claims cases against J.S. or J.G.

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59 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:23 PM

50 -- You gots to be the dumbest person this side of Hofstra. Maybe you should run for Congress, idiot.

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60 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 1:43 PM

Um, right now would be a good time to get that msj on file if you're up against MoFi

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61 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 2:24 PM

John Sweeney, Jim Gould, Seth Atlas, Matthew Blackburn, William Feiler, Robert Goethals, James Hwa, Harry Marcus, Steven Meyer, John Osborne, Richard Straussman, and Andrea Wayda are THIEVING BASTARDS. My rent check will bounce and they don't give a damn. I wonder how much LL&B can be held responsible for this. I guess I will find out from my attorney tomorrow morning. LL&B have to be complete idiots to get into bed with these guys. If you ever saw A. Wayda you would know why I don't differentiate.

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62 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:16 PM

I am a laid off M&F associate, should I sue the firm or not? I don't want a bad reputation in the legal community. What should I do?

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63 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:32 PM

62 How can you get a bad reputation. This is not a frivolous lawsuit. They wrote bad checks. I am suing.

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64 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:47 PM

62 here, I am more concerned about how it looks for me to sue my former employer. After taxes, it is $16,000 on the line, but it could cost a lot more if I can’t get a job because of a bad rep. The severance is not going to make or brake me, but I feel terrible for my former colleagues who are worse off, with mortgages or tuition for their children or who live paycheck to paycheck. This is a real shame.

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65 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:50 PM

#62: talk to an employment law attorney. the advice you get on this board will be less than what you pay for it.

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66 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 3:51 PM

62 here, I am more concerned about how it looks for me to sue my former employer. After taxes, it is $16,000 on the line, but it could cost a lot more if I can’t get a job because of a bad rep. The severance is not going to make or brake me, but I feel terrible for my former colleagues who are worse off, with mortgages or tuition for their children or who live paycheck to paycheck. This is a real shame.

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67 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 4:39 PM

Walter: "Take ringer [laid-off associate], I'll drive"
Laid-Off Associate: "What? What's this?"
Walter: "The ringer, [laid-off associate], my dirty undies, the whites. The ringer can't look empty."

Thanks, Walter (aka Sweeney), for handing us laid-off employees 'The Ringer'.

Who's sitting on a million fucking dollars? A million fuckin' clams! Where's your car Sweeney?

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68 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 5:05 PM

61, I feel your pain, but I was just reading the names you listed off --

Gould, Atlas, Feiler, Marcus, Meyer, Straussman, and Wayda, Madoff.

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69 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 6:05 PM

61, you forgot about Peter Fill

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70 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 6:26 PM

69 Sorry Peter Fill THIEVING BASTARD

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71 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 6:30 PM

Nice one Carleton.

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72 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 7:52 PM

I long for the old days. There used to be MF partners who had class - like Mark Abate, Michael Murray and John Vassil. They are all terrific men who were a pleasure to work for. You can bet for damn sure that they never would have hide in their offices and let their staffs flounder and be treated like garbage. Mssrs. Morgan, Finnegan and others that have passed on must be turning in their graves these days.

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73 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 7:55 PM

Let's hope the check they sent to cover our medical insurance isn't written on rubber !

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74 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 9:58 PM

72 - what are you talking about? abate and vassil were just like the rest of them. they were definitely the type to hide in their offices.

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75 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 10:01 PM

can the m&f partners get sued for this? what about teh partners who left.

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76 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 11, 2009 11:23 PM

The firm has no money. That is what happens when you go bankrupt. NO MONEY. Maybe Obama can order that they pay everyone tens of millions of dollars but they have no money. No money. Understand.?

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77 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 9:00 AM

Does any know if we have health insurance until the end of March? Did they pay that bill with a different bank account? Count me in if there's a class action suit against MoFi.

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78 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 9:22 AM

77 They claim that it is paid, but since so much of what they have said is a lie who knows. A lawsuit should be filed. I think they count on that not happening as people are so fearful of losing their job or gettig a bad reputation. From what I understand checks also bounced that were made out to the people that actually worked that week. Not paying people for work done has to be illegal.

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79 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:11 AM

Interesting that nobody can decipher the signature on those checks.

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80 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:14 AM

Maybe everyone who was shafted can go after the M&F partners personally. Everyone knows that Sweeney, Gould, Marcus and Feiler are all sitting on bundles of money. Maybe they can force Feiler to drive a VW instead of a 70k BMW. Don't file a class action suit. The only people who make money will be the lawyers. If everyone files seperate suits it will cost them more to defend and everyone who ever worked at M&F knows M&F settles everything. Just ask Gould.

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81 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:21 AM

John Sweeny, Bill Feiler, Harry Mrcus --You all need to go to HELL!! Wait to be served!

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82 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:28 AM

Bill Feiler - you should feel so ashamed of your SHIT HEAD. Were you forced out of your corner office? Everyone knows you are a walking dead.

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83 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 11:33 AM

80 - Dictation in speedos at a trial

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84 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 2:45 PM

Vassil was just as much a cunt as the rest of them.

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85 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 4:45 PM

L&L female associates: beware of John Sweeney and Bill Feiler! They harass and screw!

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86 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 4:53 PM

I was under the impression that Feiler drives a Porshe convertible and parks in the building's garage during the week.

I wonder if LLB knows about Gould's previous sexual harrassment suits being settled. Anyone think there may be more coming?

Are the partners actually liable to some degree if it's a LLC?

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87 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 5:36 PM

Any word as to when MoFi will be sending out new WARN payment checks or will they screw with us some more?

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88 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 6:28 PM

#3 and #9 are right!

Locke Lord? Who? LLBL is not better refuge for the M&F folks. LLBL is a failing merger. They have had layoffs in all offices (attys and staff). Not sure why they hide the layoffs. No one likes the TX management style. Partners and associates are sending out resumes daily. The transaction practice at LLBL has dried up. Attys are billing low hours. A friend works there and tells me that it's just a matter of time before the real estate group leaves or folds. Corporate folks arenot happy either. Some associates have left voluntarily.

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89 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 7:21 PM

We're all fucked.

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90 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 8:51 PM

Wonder if The Pitcock Law Group is hiring these days ?

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91 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 12, 2009 9:16 PM

I would suggest that you all try to become Little Hughes Legal Achievers -- he has a fund for inner-city associates of promise without the means to pay their rent.

Boy would I pay money to know which longtime staffers are writing these comments. I wish the lady who used to stand in the 345 Park bathroom in her bra looking like Harry Caray in drag was still there to gripe.

JUSTIN!

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92 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 1:11 AM

#91 - Damn so would I

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93 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 9:17 AM

91 - they forced her out a long time ago

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94 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 12:00 PM

All the former partners at M&F are nihilists, they believe in nothing, not even paying those that they promised they would....

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95 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 2:42 PM

I have just contacted the New York County District Attorney's Office, Special Prosecutions Bureau, and you may want to do the same. Their number is 212-335-8900.

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96 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 2:45 PM

I have just contacted the New York County District Attorney's Office, Special Prosecutions Bureau, and you may want to do the same. Their number is 212-335-8900.

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97 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 5:17 PM

Thanks I am on it

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98 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 6:03 PM

me too. thanks.

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99 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 13, 2009 6:26 PM

May the dynamic duo (JS/JG) encounter their nemesis and choke on their millions.

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100 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, February 14, 2009 9:46 AM

It's too late for this MoFi group, but for those still employed, wake up! If you sleep on the job, screw up assignments just to get out of working for someone, clock out late every day, take 3 hour lunch breaks, crab about being underpaid all the time, create dissension among your co-workers and behave as a generally unappreciative asshole, you would find yourself unemployed eventually even in a booming economy. in the current environment you don't stand a chance. Complain all you want, but partners at law firms are not financial alchemists -- they cannot make money magically appear to pay laggards. If you don't help them generate the revenue, you're going to be history.

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101 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, February 14, 2009 10:41 AM

What do you mean too late for the MoFi group? They are in jeopardy?

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102 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, February 14, 2009 2:48 PM

The only reason the signature on the worthless checks is illegible is because Blackburn was trying to sign them while Gould was providing a vigorous reach-around during some "micro"-management of BB's flabby tush.

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103 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, February 15, 2009 10:43 AM

I was recently in contact with the Department of Labor-wage and hour division. If you had worked and have written documentation, MF has to make good one it.

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104 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, February 15, 2009 11:22 AM

Is there a consensus as to whether they had planned to pay MoFi former employees with rubber checks? Any idea as to who's signature is on those rubber checks?

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105 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, February 15, 2009 11:22 AM

Is there a consensus as to whether they had planned to pay MoFi former employees with rubber checks? Any idea as to who's signature is on those rubber checks?

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106 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, February 15, 2009 9:26 PM

Way out East there was this firm I wanna tell ya about. Went by the name of Morgan & Finnegan. At least that was the handle its loving founders gave it, but it never had much use for it its self. See, Morgan & Finnegan, began to call its self "Locke Lord". Now, "Locke Lord" - there's a name no firm would self-apply where I come from. But then there was a lot about the Locke Lord that didn't make a whole lot of sense. And a lot about where its office was, likewise. But then again, maybe that's why I found the place so darned interestin'. See, they call New York the "Big Apple"; but I didn't find it to be that, exactly. But I'll allow it as there are some nice folks there. 'Course I ain't never been to London, and I ain't never seen France. And I ain't never seen no queen in her damned undies, so the feller says. But I'll tell you what - after seeing New York, and this here story I'm about to unfold, well, I guess I seen somethin' every bit as stupefyin' as you'd seen in any of them other places. And in English, too. So I can die with a smile on my face, without feelin' like the good Locke Lord gypped me. Now this here story I'm about to unfold took place in early 2009- just about the time of the recession and our conflict with Sad'm and the I-raqis. I only mention it because sometimes there's a firm... I won't say a hero, 'cause, what's a hero? Sometimes, there's a firm. And I'm talkin' about the Locke Lord here - Locke Lord from New York. Sometimes, there's a firm, well, he's the firm for its time and place. It fits right in there. And that's Locke Lord. Locke Lord, from New York. And even if it’s a lazy firm - and Locke Lord is most certainly that. Quite possibly the laziest in all of New York, which would place it high in the runnin' for laziest worldwide. Sometimes there's a firm, sometimes, there's a firm. Well, I lost my train of thought here. But... aw, hell. I've done introduced it enough

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107 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 3:04 AM

Kudos, #106.

If I cut off my girlfriend's toe and send it to Sweeney (with nail polish), you think he'd send the money?

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108 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 10:19 AM

According to a M&F accounting representative, they are not going to make those checks good and they are not going to re-issue new checks. Their lawyers and the bank's lawyers are deciding who gets paid and who doesn't. My money (if I had any) is on the "who doesn't."

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109 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 10:46 AM

Don't the partners, as officers of the court, have a duty to uphold the legal process, to demonstrate respect for the justice system and to further confidence in the rule of law? I think I'll file a complaint with the Departmental Disciplinary Committee.

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110 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 12:21 PM

There's a lesson in the Heller dissolution -- a law firm in dissolution tries to pay debts (because it has to) but the bank seizes assets and freezes accounts to keep it all for themselves. Complaining about MoFi won't get you anywhere. Your rage should be directed to their bankers, which probably drove them off the cliff in the first place. The banks destroyed the general economy, now they're destroying every one of their customers one after another. It won't end until we're all on food stamps (thank God for Obama -- at least we'll have food stamps) .

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111 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 12:29 PM

108 The bank deciding who getspaid is bankruptcy. 110 to blame the bank is laughable. Gross and incompetent managment did M&f in and don't forget greed. The bank is doing what they have to do because M&F probably owes them money and everyone else. Bankruptcy will be filed. How utterly embarrassing for the partners there. It proves how stupid they really are.

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112 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 12:31 PM

The partners at M&F have an obligation to their former employees to make WARN Act payments. Based on the offer letter to Sweeney, many of the partners are making many hundreds of thousands of dollars and are individually wealthy. The bank is just a tool for the partners to finance their own payment obligations. If they can't get the bank to help finance the payments, their obligation to make WARN Act payments doesn't stop; they simply have to find another source of funding to make the payments, i.e. their own pockets.

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113 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 1:11 PM

112 -- you need to do some research on business organizations and obligations to make WARN payments. There's no personal obligation of a partner in an LLP or a corporate shareholder to make such payments -- it's the responsibility of the legal entity covered by the WARN statute. Good luck spending the last two bucks you have trying to win on such a lame-brained argument.

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114 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 2:22 PM

Bill Feiler is the point person for WARN payment questions? His number is 212.415.8541.

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115 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 2:22 PM

Bill Feiler is the point person for WARN payment questions His number is 212.415.8541.

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116 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 2:22 PM

Bill Feiler is the point person for WARN payment questions. His number is 212.415.8541.

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117 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 2:23 PM

Bill Feiler is the point person for WARN payment questions. His number is 212.415.8541.

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118 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 3:14 PM

thank you # 111 and #113, finally intelligent comments worthy of lawyers---my faith in a law school education has been restored.

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119 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 7:48 PM

The only people MoFi will be paying from another account will be the people that went over to Locke Lord and the hell with the rest of the people who truly need the WARN money.

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120 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 16, 2009 7:48 PM

The only people MoFi will be paying from another account will be the people that went over to Locke Lord and the hell with the rest of the people who truly need the WARN money.

I wonder how many of the partners have bank accounts in the Caymans!

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121 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:14 AM

Feiler as a point man is a joke. He does not return phone calls Kathy Herith the accounting head calls going directly into her voice mail. I wonder if she hired her husband back as a consultant. They could not consult out of a paper bag. Let's face it the partners at M&F never had any intention of paying the loyal employees they kicked to the curb. They are saying fuck you. I wonder where they got the money to pay the employees they retained and paid from a different account.???

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122 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:15 AM

There aren't going to be any WARN payments to us. We have to take action now. Everyone has to call the New York County District Attorney's Office, Special Prosecutions Bureau, and file a complaint. Their number is 212-335-8900. If enough people call, then they can look into it on our behalf. Please everyone reading this, take 5 minutes to make a call.

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123 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:34 AM

I have already. Everyone has to call. They are laughing at us. Let's take that smile off of their faces. I also saw my own attorney. The loop hole they think they found might not be a loop hole.

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124 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 1:16 PM

Just filed a complaint. with the DA's office. The guy on the phone said they've received a lot of complaints about M&F. He had received so many he repeated exactly my story to me as soon as I said I'd like to file a complaint regarding M&F....

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125 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 3:37 PM

I just filed a complaint as well. Let's keep it up.

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126 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 7:49 PM

Be WARNed M&F partners -- we will get our money.

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127 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 8:07 PM

You can also file a complaint with the Departmental Discipline Committee. Their number is 212-401-0800.

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128 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 17, 2009 11:35 PM

What about the fact that they never told us what we are supposed to do regarding health insurance? Are we supposed to file for COBRA, or is the M&F insurance still in effect?

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129 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 8:07 AM

As I understand it, M&F has paid our health insurance until the end of March after that we're on our own. There is no COBRA since the firm dissolved. For those in NY, go to the following website for information on HEALTHY NY to see if you're eligible. http://www.ins.state.ny.us/website2/hny/english/hnyec.htm

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130 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 3:49 PM

To my fellow M&Fers
Here's a tip to get out some of that anger and hostility I know is bubbling up inside of you. Take all of the M&F crap you have in your house - like the Bombers T-shirt or any of the useless crap from Staff Appreciation Day (what a crock of you know what that day always was) and just throw it all out. All of it. The best was getting rid of the damned ice cream scooper that even had the M&F on it.... Ah, getting rid of the garbage in your life ... it's good for the soul.

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131 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:17 PM

130 Done but suing is better. They never had any intention of paying us and we should try.

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132 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:29 PM

To #130

Oh, I'm gonna sue too. Throwing the crap out was just the appetizer course. Consider the lawsuit the main course. Of course, the best will be the just desserts.

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133 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:30 PM

To #131

Oh, I'm gonna sue too. Throwing the crap out was just the appetizer course. Consider the lawsuit the main course. Of course, the best will be the just desserts.

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134 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 4:42 PM

Don't forget about that turquoise towel with the M&F logo as well as the so-called beach chair and portable CD player!

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135 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 6:15 PM

...and last years garment bag.

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136 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 6:25 PM

Someone should call channels 2,4,5,7,9 and 11 news and the New York Law Journal. One of them will pick up the story about 70 or so people getting shafted out of WARN money from a 114 year old firm. Knowing Sweeney and Gould's new salaries makes the story even even better. The fact that they bounced checks and only made good on current employees is interesting.

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137 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 9:22 PM

130 - maybe i will take my M&F bombers softball shirt and wipe my as* with it after i take a s@it and send it to marcus, feiler, sweeney and gould. i am sure they will give it to wayda and she would wear it s*it stains and all. Any one who ever worked at M&F knows it would make her smell better.

138 Posted by Jason_Voorhees | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 9:33 PM

Sorry, M&Fers. I used all your WARN money for M&F-monogrammed hockey masks. Sue if you want, but the money's all gone.

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139 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 18, 2009 10:40 PM

135 - that garment bag was for our premature departure.

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140 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 20, 2009 5:16 PM

They claim that the assets are frozen by the bank and that it is not their fault. I wonder why the other former employees (the ones that were hired by Locke Lord) got new checks and the bounced check fees reimbursed.

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141 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 20, 2009 5:19 PM

Cough up the WARN Act payments. I am sure you can find the money in your other accounts or take it out of your own personal account.

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142 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, February 21, 2009 12:56 AM

I kept the M&F chair...it comes in handy at the beach or Central Park. I'm all for suing, even pro se if need be...break even or not, I'll take it as far as I can. I will be contacting the DA's office Monday. Any other fellow ex-M&Fers looking to do a class action? Keep me posted.

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143 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, February 21, 2009 11:32 AM

I have already reported it to the District Attorney. I would like to join any class action. How do we do this and how do we get in touch with others?

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144 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, February 21, 2009 12:15 PM

I've read on this board that some people have consulted lawyers...do we wait until our final WARN payment is due to sue, or do we sue now? I'm thinking we sue now since they're about to go bankrupt...and I base this on nothing, so if anyone wants to step in and explain...ring the bell...school's in session.

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145 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, February 22, 2009 9:35 AM

143/144 - Contact former employees of M&F using the 2007 hard copy of the M&F Personnel Directory which includes personnel from all their offices.

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146 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, February 22, 2009 4:05 PM

"Feiler as a point man is a joke. He does not return phone calls Kathy Herith the accounting head calls going directly into her voice mail. I wonder if she hired her husband back as a consultant. They could not consult out of a paper bag. Let's face it the partners at M&F never had any intention of paying the loyal employees they kicked to the curb. They are saying fuck you. I wonder where they got the money to pay the employees they retained and paid from a different account.???"

Come on, jackass. You really think the head of accounting has anything to do with this? She doesn't have the power. It's all the partners. They also decide who to hire, including attorneys who made the leap to Locke, and consultants, whether or not they are related to people. Blaming Kathy is like blaming the HR person at Cravath because you didn't land a job there. You are obviously just an angry, bitter person, and if you worked at M&F, you have the right to be, but really--learn where to direct your anger, and stop wearing out the hampster wheel.

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147 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, February 22, 2009 7:26 PM

just curious - so how are things at locke-lord-former-morgan-finnegan now? is everyone happy? was it a happy marriage? is business coming in?

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148 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, February 23, 2009 4:54 PM

This now marks the second pay period for those of us that were laid off and still no checks. This is absolute bulls**t. I even went to Chase today to see if I could find anything out about the status of whether check #1 was good. They couldn't tell me a damn thing except to go ask Morgan & Finnegan. Hah - what an F'ing joke that it. Everyone has been paid but us -- the transition people, everyone. They made good on everyone's checks that bounced but us. Screw you Feiler, Sweeney, etc. This is what we get for loyalty. A big F'ing over.

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149 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 24, 2009 7:27 AM

As they say what comes around goes around. May they get their "Just Desserts"!

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150 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 24, 2009 11:52 AM

marriage not doing so well...word has it Harry Marcus got two cilents paying in the millions (something that would have "saved" M&F) but had to turn them down due to conflicts of interest.... signed - Former M&F'er

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151 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 24, 2009 11:52 AM

marriage not doing so well...word has it Harry Marcus got two cilents paying in the millions (something that would have "saved" M&F) but had to turn them down due to conflicts of interest.... signed - Former M&F'er

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152 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, February 24, 2009 5:05 PM

May all their former clients of M&F decline to go over to Locke Lord.

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153 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 25, 2009 4:02 PM

ATTENTION: We all need to file a complaint with the Departmental Disciplinary Committee as per the Manhattans DA's Office. Please call 212-401-0800 and they will send you out a form. We all need to stick together and fight for our WARN payments!

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154 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, February 25, 2009 4:05 PM

ATTENTION: We all need to file a complaint with the Departmental Disciplinary Committee as per the Manhattans DA's Office. Please call (212) 401-0800 and they will send you out a form. We all need to stick together and fight for our WARN payments!

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155 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:34 AM

I called and received the form. I will be sending it back today. Anyone else?

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156 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 26, 2009 12:28 PM

I called too and they are sending me the form.

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157 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 26, 2009 2:32 PM

I contacted my city council member, my assembly member, state senator, NY AG, Congressman, US Senators and the NY Public Advocate. Let's see who gives a shit.

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158 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, February 26, 2009 5:42 PM

Class action suit anyone?

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159 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 27, 2009 8:32 AM

“ The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. Self-realization demands very great struggle. ”
- Swami Sivananda

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160 Posted by guest | Permalink Friday, February 27, 2009 6:00 PM

Here's the NY Dept of Labor's response to my complaint:

...the layoffs at Morgan & Finnegan LLP occurred prior to the NYS WARN Act which became effective February 1, 2009. Your layoff would fall under the Federal WARN which we have no jurisdiction. Federal WARN is enforced through the U.S. District Courts, as provided in section 5 of the Act. Workers, their representative, and units of local government may bring individual or class action suits against employers believed to be in violation of the Act.

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161 Posted by guest | Permalink Sunday, March 1, 2009 3:49 PM

160 - Thanks for the information

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162 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, March 3, 2009 12:47 AM

No probs...at least we know the NYDOL doesn't give a shit. Still waiting on the others.

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163 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, March 3, 2009 9:06 AM

Sweeney and Gould need to have their smirks taken off their faces! They knew exactly what they were doing. THEY ARE SCUM OF THE EARTH!

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164 Posted by guest | Permalink Tuesday, March 3, 2009 10:00 PM

Any ex-M&Fers willing to join/create a Yahoo Group to keep on top of all of this? Is there one already?

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165 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, March 4, 2009 4:08 PM

Dear #164

Check out http://groups.yahoo.com/group/formermfemployees

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166 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, March 4, 2009 5:07 PM

#165 Is this group totally private to former M&F employees who are due WARN Act payments only?

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167 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, March 4, 2009 5:40 PM

I received a call from my assemblywoman's office and her assistant explained that the NY DOL's Labor Standards Division will help those that earned $900 or less per week. Not sure why the DOL is not in a position to help us all, but if this applies to you the number to call is (518) 457-2730. Good luck.

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168 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, March 4, 2009 6:21 PM

Dear #166

YES, totally private and for former MF employees due WARN money

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169 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, March 4, 2009 9:25 PM

167 - that leaves most of us out!

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170 Posted by guest | Permalink Wednesday, March 4, 2009 9:56 PM

169 - i know it brother...or sister

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171 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, March 7, 2009 1:06 AM

IT IS TOO LATE TO GET ANYTHING FROM MORGAN. THEY HAVE BEEN SUED BY CHASE BANK. THERE WILL BE NO MONEY LEFT OVER FOR ANYONE ELSE.

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172 Posted by guest | Permalink Saturday, March 7, 2009 11:49 AM

IT IS NEVER TOO LATE. THAT IS WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO THINK

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173 Posted by guest | Permalink Monday, March 9, 2009 10:44 AM

http://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/webcivil/FCASSearch

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175 Posted by guest | Permalink Thursday, March 12, 2009 6:29 PM

JP Morgan Chase vs. Morgan & Finnegan
https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/fbem/DocumentDisplayServlet?documentId=VqP9OCWO37gM5OwBAPVZkw==&system=prod
Seems like M&F knew the former employees would never see their WARN Act payments. Read the Complaint

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