ATL Summer Associate Event Contest of 2009: Fish & Richardson Roller Derby vs. Carlton Fields Fishing Trip
Last week, we brought you our five finalists in the ATL Summer Associate Event Contest of 2009. The top two vote-getters are too close to declare one a winner, so we’re having a run-off.
Southeast firm Carlton Fields garnered almost 32% of the over 2,500 votes for taking its Tampa summer associates on a daylong fishing trip, with multiple swimming, beach, and bar stops along the way. IP firm Fish & Richardson captured 34% of the vote for “Harpdrygal IV,” an event shrouded in mystery revealed on the day of to be an all-female roller derby.
We checked back in with the firms and have some additional information about the events to inform your voting. We also have photos, but from the roller derby only. No Carlton Fields associates in bathing suits, though we can direct you to the summer associates’ photos and you can use your imaginations. After the jump.
So, ATL readers, you will determine the event to be crowned the best of 2009. Everyone said they’re cutting back this year, but it was the creative events outside of the big cities that caught the imaginations (and votes) of our readers. Sidley NYC, Cadwalader NYC, and Cleary DC came in far behind Carlton Fields (Tampa) and Fish & Richardson (Dallas).
Here are more details on those two firms’ events. Poll as to the best at the bottom of the page. Poll closes Thursday night!
Carlton Fields Fishing Tournament
This is an annual event that the firm has done for many years, says Carlton’s director of recruiting. The firm’s shareholders — it’s a corporation, not a partnership — take associates and SAs out on their personal fishing boats for a day. (3500 square feet and a schooner in Tampa, baby!)
Usually, it’s a tournament but the weather was bad, so the competition was less structured this year. More anchoring for drinks and swimming, and less time spent on the open water.
There are no photos from the event, but you can check out the photos of the summer associates from the Tampa office and decide whether you’d vote for this event and the chance to spend the day in bathing suits with them.
Fish & Richardson “Harpdrygal IV” Roller Derby
Harpdrygal is the brainchild of Geoff Harper and Kip Mendrygal. It started as a counter-culture event in response to the typical Biglaw lavish events and indulgent dinners for summer associates. In past years, Harper and Mendrygal organized surprise events for summers that included trips to WWE Friday Night SmackDown, a Professional Bull Riders event, and a demolition derby (photos here).
Frugality and no frills actually seems more “the culture” than counter-culture this summer. The Harpdrygal choice this year was an all-female roller derby (a.k.a. “an American-invented contact sport based on formation roller skating around an oval track” via Wikipedia).
Says Mendrygal:
Although the primary goal is to expose people to things they otherwise would never try (and certainly wouldn’t try in the context of a “normal” summer clerkship), they’re supposed to be fun too. (It doesn’t hurt that we’re in Dallas—not New York or Los Angeles where there is an endless supply of cool things to do.)
For all you non-derbyites, here’s some photos from the event to put it in context:
Now please choose your winner!
Poll closes Thursday at midnight.
2009 Summer Associates [Carlton Fields]
Earlier: ATL Contest: Best Summer Associate Event of 2009
ATL Contest: What’s the Best Summer Associate Event of 2009?
(74) Comments
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oh crap...what am I supposed to say?
You screwed 1.
I have no idea.
2 = ?
The 80's are back!
V & E cowpie bingo!!!
Best. SA event. Ever.
The 80's guy cracks me up. I love him. I want to be him.
6 = 4
Fish & Richardson rescinded offers to incoming associates on the day of graduation.
roller skating? fishing? what a bunch of shiTTTY firms.
Cadwalader 4 life.
Fish & Rich laid off a bunch of good attorneys. Nice to see that they can still splurge on the summers.
BigLaw is broken.
I'd love to know if my firm is putting up summers in $450/night rooms in Napa again this summer, but I was laid off, as was everyone else with whom I was friendly.
Morgan Lewis has a great idea. Expect it to catch on.
Is the Roller Derby followed by the Rescinding Offer Raffle? That's where Fish & Richardson decides whose offers to rescind.
The Rescinding Offer Raffle is the brainchild of a piece of shit firm.
Oh, my. Nobody from the Carlton Fields firm could possibly have ever dreamed of getting a job at Davis Polk! Probably, not even at any other office of any firm that is open to the public or to clients.
Perhaps they have futures as Supreme Court Justices or public defenders.
To any law student interested in IP:
If you want to start a successful career and excel in IP, choose literally ANY other IP shop over F&R. If no other IP shops give you an offer, choose literally ANY other firm with an IP department, no matter how small. Only go with F&R if it is your only option.
Subtle fish trolling.
The summers in the Tampa office are BY FAR the best looking of the lot. Thank god no one had to see those Miami kids in their bathing suits. Woof.
15 - you serious? there's one person in the miami group who would outweigh all of the others. i'd risk my job for a chance...in 2007.
First to say Florida law students are hotties.
hawtness:
TX law students > CA law studetns > FL law students >>>>>> NY law students
I wonder if they ran a "Most Outrageous Event" contest at Versailles in 1787 . . . .
I have a question for all of you legal types: Should I attend Duke, Cornell or Georgetown coming from a big state school? At my undergrad, the classes were enormous and worked to my benefit as a pocket masturbator. Where is the best place where I will go unnoticed in class but still has the hottest girls?
So the Cadwalader strip club event = Bad. But all female roller derby = good?
WTF?
"It doesn't hurt that we're in Dallas--not New York or Los Angeles where there is an endless supply of cool things to do."
Wait, REALLY? Someone in Dallas actually said that? Uh, yeah, you know what everyone's always saying about New York - it's the city with nothing cool to do, amirite?
Also, the pictures make this event look about a million times less cool than I imagined...this looks like high school gym. Fish & Richardson has waaaaay too many SAs voting in this poll.
20,
WTF?
10,
the firm cancelled the Napa trip.
Kashlobster + Crystal = Epic win
20 - Anyone choosing between those three would be silly to pick one other than Duke (assuming you can stand being a Dukie). GULC is the butt of most "T14" jokes, and I've rarely met Cornell Law grads in the two markets in which I've practiced - it has a surprisingly low profile.
I like to nail sheep. Which school is best for me and my sheep nailing needs?
22-take a deep breath. Perhaps is possible that comment about Dallas vs. New York was facetious?
Also, FR Dallas only has about 6 or so SAs, I hear from a friend who works there, so I doubt there are "waaaaay too many SAs voting in this poll."
Dallas destroys NYC in almost every category, except maybe amount of trash on streets.
NY to 145!!!
2010 to 2011!!!
BigLaw to Roller Derby!!!!!!!!!!
Too close to declare one a winner? How about just picking the one that got more votes? Oh, wait... you want more traffic to your website so a post that didn't need to happen... happened. Annoying.
Elie, you fat fuck, I have a SA event for you. Last week a firm held a BBQ at a partner's house. A summer got totally shitfaced and sang renditions of Taylor Swift's "Our Song" & Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance" that would've made even you drop the donut in your hands. Apparently it was in front of most of the firm, and one song featured some pretty spectacular dance moves which included some grinding on a partner. He then asked an African American partner to sing "Ebony and Ivory" with him. The rest of the story it pretty sketchy, but it went waaaayyyyyyyyyyy down hill from there. I'd like to hear about some more of this kid's shenanigans. Exercise your journalistic talents and dig into this story.
I'm on a BOAT!
Binder & Binder took us to the zoo.
ahaha I hope the Fishies had fun this summer because there's no jobs!
34,
I didn't know what Binder & Binder was, but found out is is "America's most successful Social Security Disability Firm." Upon further research, I found out the Binder brothers went to Georgetown and Cornell Law. Another thing, if you google "Binder and Binder," the first link below their ad is a retard's complaint about Binder & Binder which is quite amusing.
20 - See post 36. More reason to pick Duke.
27 - Notre Dame.
Man does 20's post take an unexpected turn.
"TX law students > CA law studetns > FL law students >>>>>> NY law students"
WOW! SIX inequality signs! That's like, really unequal huh!
I bet you go to a T5 school, huh?
http://www.complaint.tv/binder_and_binder-586.html
Hilarious
39 = dumbass.
there's an equal sign for you.
Binder&Binder > Van Winkle > Latham
Suck my cowboy hat, bitches.
39=failure
At some point you can always go out on a boat, drink beer, and swim. When are you ever going to get a chance to participate in a roller derby? Trailer trash chic! Many years ago created a summer event - croquette. Oh, well, you had to play it on bikes, so it was more like bike polo/croquette with lots of alcohol!
My favorite Summer Associate Event was from 2003. I worked at Alston & Bird ATL doing leveraged finance at the time. Me, another associate and a friend from a different firm flew to NYC with this summer associate and stayed at A&B's Firm Apartment on Park Avenue South. It was a sweet place-- doorman, marble floors, straight out of the movies. We banged her the whole weekend.
I guess I honestly feel that Carlton Field's daring posting of the ugly summer associates' pictures was a stealth layoff of their 2011 class. Who would ever want to work with these beasts, some of whom might get an offer, however cold? I think that was a great strategic move.
Geez, my firm took us surfing in Waikiki. Not kidding.
28 = Fish & Richardson recruiting coordinator
29 = someone who has never been to New York or Dallas
46 = Fish & Richardson SA waiting for his offer to be rescinded
13 <--- former FR reject.
If accepting a job offer from a #1 patent lit firm for the 5+ years is your last resort, then you are smoking crack, especially in this type of job market.
In the parlay of Spinal Tap, Fish is such a "shit sandwich." Far beyond TTT. All the people on this board defending the firm need to STFU as their craptastic decline is completely transparent at this point. Three of my friends who summered with them last year (now sleeping on their parent's couches of course) were flown to f*cking Aspen for the weekend and booked into a luxury hotel. How the mighty have fallen...First class Aspen to f*&king roller derby...it is repulsive that a firm who has destroyed so many people's careers would even have a summer program. Discuss.
sorry so slow - what is TTT?
50,
Can you think of a top IP law firm that can still spend lavish money on summer associate with this economic climate? I doubt you can name more than three. A law firm owes the partners fiduciary duty to cut back when the partners' overall earnings are going down hill. Regardless of whether this is FR or another firm, your statement just does not make any economic sense. Go back and read your Dummies for Law Student.
@52 - so silly.
I think the issue that 50 is making is that FR was spending like a bunch of idiots (not exactly exhibiting that fiduciary duty related to the partners long term profits that you write about) when they were in the money. Maybe they should have put a few dollars away for a rainy day as opposed to paying for Aspen vacations.
The issue here is that so many law firm partners seem to have forgotten the fable of the ant and the grasshopper (instead of playing all summer, save up for the winter so you don't starve when things get bad). This pertains to associates, who probably should have socked away a few bucks themselves, if they had the opportunity. But it is interesting that so many firms chose to have lavish summer events, large summer classes, etc. but might not have put that much money away to whether a downturn without chucking out associates into the rain in the name of protecting profits.
@52 - so silly.
I think the issue that 50 is making is that FR was spending like a bunch of idiots (not exactly exhibiting that fiduciary duty related to the partners long term profits that you write about) when they were in the money. Maybe they should have put a few dollars away for a rainy day as opposed to paying for Aspen vacations.
The issue here is that so many law firm partners seem to have forgotten the fable of the ant and the grasshopper (instead of playing all summer, save up for the winter so you don't starve when things get bad). This pertains to associates, who probably should have socked away a few bucks themselves, if they had the opportunity. But it is interesting that so many firms chose to have lavish summer events, large summer classes, etc. but might not have put that much money away to weather a downturn without chucking out associates into the rain in the name of protecting profits.
Ummm... how about NEITHER!?!?
Seriously....what about Cravath's Central Park Zoo Party...Skadden's MOMA Party?
Those are decaden affairs.
a fucking fishing trip or rollerskating?
seriously is above the white trash law?
I'm a fish nut! I love it. Here in the States you have that tuna fish in a can. It's great. Open up the can . . . No bones!
Gentlemen at the legal preparatory academy with which I was once affiliated, during the course of their summer labors for certain legal entities, typically, but not always, limited liability partnerships, the purpose of which was to engage in the practice of law, were entreated to a variety of forms of entertainment, some of which delved into various forms of debauchery and others of which had the appearance of being cheap, tawdry, or otherwise sordid affairs. While the gentlemen enjoyed the entertainment provided, particularly where such entertainment could be construed as additional income to the gentlemen above and beyond the salaries paid to them for their (putative) labors of the summer, the entertainment described herein -- unless and until it devolved into some form of debauchery that would more universally appeal to the prurient nature of those assembled in review of the matter -- was not considered to be of particular significance or otherwise noteworthy in any material manner.
Legal Fraternity Lothario, his own self, also wishes to echo the sentiments conveyed by poster #6 and to congratulate The 80s Guy, who combines pithy analysis with a welcome restraint in use of his character. The same cannot necessarily said of other character denizens of this place, some of which may accurately be described as irrelevant, loathsome, or simply repugnant.
Roller derby == strippers on wheels.
- ex-derby girl
they should instead take the summer associates to an anal bleaching salon
Ummm. Based on the way they describe the event, I fear some of you are missing the point. The roller derby was supposed to be cheap and low-brow. That was the whole issue. Since last year's event was a roller derby, that seems pretty cheap and low-brow too.
I am not saying you should like it or vote for it (not sure I would call it the best event of the summer), but to criticize it for suggesting they ran out of money and had to do it seems silly. I think I might rather go fishing . . . but I might have enjoyed seeing a derby.
60 - Meant to say last year's event was a demolition derby, Right?
20 - Not good choices but I'd go w/ Duke. Standford, UVA and Vanderbilt aren't options?
Fishing/swimming/drinking event = much more fun than roller derby, seriously.
Legal Fraternity Lothario < PE < Pile of dog shit
58: Roller derby = *fat* strippers on wheels
no idea how drinking on a boat in Florida is losing so badly to roller derby. This poll must have made its way to the F&R email listserv.
Uh, Carlton Fields misspelled "Atlanta" on their website. Apparently Florida firms are a bit more casual than major market firms...in more ways than one.
Lol at all the responses that fail in reading comprehension re: Post #20.
66 hit the nail on the head. haha. people think 20 is concerned about the quality of school and project their usnwr perception of law school. haha how pathetic is that. i hope 20 is asking the same thing in re the usnwr law firm rankings in 3 years. best firm to B his L under the desk at an am law 100?
Any good SEX STORIES
I would think the boat trip has better sex stories than roller derby. At least I hope so. Those skaters are scary looking!
66 and 67 - 62 here. My comments account for what 20 asked. Duke out of the three stated options (big college community on Tobacco Rd.). UVA, Vandy and Stanford maybe better. Think undergrad pool, the South and California. Enough said.
57 - the multi-layered outfit in your mugshot is a throwback to the Friends episode where Joey puts on every thread of Chandler's clothes while going commando.
There's people being laid off at firms all over this country, and you have the nerve to write about fishing trips for summer associates. Shame on you!
50 -- it was coach, we flew into denver, and we took a 15 passenger van to boulder...still badass, but not first class to aspen!
Last summer's firm events included: (1) attending a roller derby, (2) going on an actual fishing trip, (3) going on a boating trip where we floated by the boat drinking all day...I didn't realize how good I had it!