Gibson Dunn Associate Turned Reality TV Star Wants To Have Her Cake and Eat It Too
We’ve written about numerous lawyers turned reality TV stars here at ATL. When we’ve done so, we’ve identified them and/or their employers by name. E.g., Jeremy Anderson (Hunton & Williams / The Bachelorette), Charlie Herschel (Weil Gotshal / Survivor), Victor and Tammy Jih (O’Melveny / Quinn Emanuel / Amazing Race), Yul Kwon (McKinsey / Survivor), David Otunga (Sidley / I Love New York), etc.
If you voluntarily appear on a nationally televised reality show, whether as a contestant or a friend or relative of a contestant, it’s a bit ridiculous to complain of privacy violation, isn’t it?
Violating your privacy is kind of the point of reality TV. From the New York Times:
[Project Runway contestant] Diana Eng says she was so tired after multiple 18-hour days of shooting the program’s 2005-6 season that she was sometimes awoken by the camera crew standing over her.“One morning they scared me so bad I jumped and screamed,” she said. “They said that wasn’t good, so I had to pretend to wake up again.”
Producers of reality shows say that participants know what they are getting into when they sign up for a show. Even if contestants have not watched previous seasons — and most have — detailed contracts specify that anything they do or say is fair game for broadcast.
So we were amused to learn that Katherine Barclay (a.k.a. Katherine Smith), the highly attractive Gibson Dunn associate and UVA Law grad on Househusbands of Hollywood, is apparently unhappy about her real name and law firm getting out (which they inevitably would have; we just sped up the process slightly).
The position of Katherine Barclay / Smith is untenable. Kash lays the smackdown over at True/Slant.
‘Househusbands’ reality TV star doesn’t like reality of being a TV star [True/Slant]
Earlier: Biglaw Associate and Her Househusband Star in New Fox Reality TV Show




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FIRST!!!!!!!!!
This shows very bad judgment and stupidity on her part. Did she really think this would not get out. I think she should be let go.
Kash v. Katherine:
I love it when cute Duke girls get into catfights!
Ms. Barclay appears to have the credentials for Biglaw. Which is more than can be said for a certain female associate at Katten NYC Corporate.
I just think it's funny that a show calling itself "House Husbands," that's supposedly about career-focused women and about breaking gender stereotypes, has chosen to caption this woman's identity as "Danny's Wife."
I'd give her the best 90 seconds of her life.
5 - I don't think it's sexism, it's just that the husbands are the contestants / focus of the show.
EIGHTH!!
5: jeez, the man is unemployed; cleaning her house; forced to move his kegerator to the garage; taking orders from a broad making good money, and you women are not satisfied until you have his manhood in a grinder.
by the way, you forgot to mention Star Ilzhoefer from Cadwalader - she was a contestant on the the first season of Project Runway,
who cares - she's hot
if she wanted any semblance of privacy wtf compelled her to sign up for a FOX reality tv show? we all know celebrity boxing and temptation island are models of class and are great for their contestants' careers
whatta dumbass
Just because she signs up for a reality tv show that follows her every private move doesn't mean that she is giving up her right to privacy, Kash. It's not like her entire life was going to be broadcast to the entire world every week. You should apologize to her. I think that a nice lobster dinner would be the appropriate "I'm sorry I didn't understand the difference between reality tv and reality" gift.
Its pretty sad when the "reality show" itself has more of a reality than the 06' big law grad who is claiming to be a "corporate lawyer" actually doing legal work. Hey wait, that's what all of the other "reality tv lawyers" have said.
in a classic "act after the horse has left the gate" move Gibson Dunn has removed her picture from her attorney profile. What's that supposed to do?
I agree that it was unrealistic of her to think her name wouldn't get out. But does it really show bad judgment for her to appear on the show in the first place? I think it's refreshing to see a successful woman lawyer who doesn't take herself too seriously. Too many women think professional = aloof and not fun. Good for her.
If you weren't hot, your identity wouldn't have come out. Take it as a compliment.
Also - your husband is a loser. Seriously? Married to that guy? With that shirt?
"One morning they scared me so bad I jumped and screamed," she said. "They said that wasn't good, so I had to pretend to wake up again."
Nonsense.
That type of footage is the ENTIRE POINT of reality TV.
I don't get it. As an "aspiring actor" doesnt he realize that he is torpedo-ing his career by going on a reality show?
Yes, it shows bad judgment to go onto a tv show where they will only air the embarrassing and degrading conflicts that arise. You have to be a f***ing moron to believe that any reality show is more than a big bloopers reel of your life. So, yeah, she is an idiot for going on. What did she think they were going to air? Her breakfast? Grocery shopping? Or her and her husband bitching at each other? Christ, wtf is wrong with these morons wanting fame but not realizing the price?
How'd that sorry F_ck score her? Let's see... (1) she's hot, he's not; (2) she makes a ton of money, he's a house-bitch; (3) Screw it, the first two don't add up. To be a house-bitch, you must be hot. Does gravity not exist in that household either? If so, he boobies will be nice for years to come.
I think everyone's definition of "hot" has been influenced by law firm/law school goggles or living in the Midwest.
This girl is in the middle of the pack at any SEC school not named Vanderbilt.
yeah, 20, I had the same thought. How many clients/potential clients are going to see her being an idiot and think twice about this law firm? I cannot believe she cleared it with them. Overall, she shows incredibly bad jusdgment, lack of foresight, and overall idiocy. She should not be a lawyer.
22 - Bingo - Clearly the reality tv show didnt like the reality of her hair, skin, eyebrows, teeth, etc. (compare the 2 pictures). I would have been more interested in what the boys of Duke think about her reality and those skeleton stories. Dont get me wrong, she is still attractive and I wouldnt be turning her away ... But she has had some work done. COME ON LADIES GET JUMP IN HERE AND GET VICIOUS WITH YOUR THOUGHTS.
Furthermore, the standard for libel just went up for her, although Kash looks like she can be fairly malicious when provoked.
The best thing that could happen to her is being let go by Gibby Done. It's a shitty firm. She's hot to the point where she can probably find enough work in the entertainment industry where she never has to do the mindless, grueling thankless work of BigLaw, and hopefully will never have to deal with annoying, idiotic Gibby Done associates.
Do you honestly think any clients are going to watch this show? If so, it's only because they read this blog.
22, I went to undergraduate and one SEC school and law school at another. Both schools are at the top of the hot women list. She is hot.
This is why you don't hire someone because they are hawt. They are usually not very bright.
Agree with 22. Also, 21, a second-year salary of $175k is far from "a ton of money." Aren't the other husbands on the show married to like, washed-up celebrities? I'd hope the chick from the Cosby show is worth more than most BigLaw partners, let alone a young associate cog with six-figures of debt and a low six-figure salary.
5- who are you talking about?
I know about the Katten Chicago real estate associate who did the Bachelor (a.k.a. "Pretzel Girl") when she was a summer, but Katten has another reality star?
24: The boys at Duke probably think she's a goddess. They don't have much to work with in Durham...
There's hot and there's law school hot...nuff said.
As a GIRL, i'll admit that this girl is attractive, but not beautiful. I can, however, totally understand why guys here would think she's hot--guys tend to think average is better than average if a girl is thin and blonde. Anyway, my real comment is that I love ATL's FU to her; she is definitely not the brightest for taking this gig, but it should be real entertaining when they show how the happy couple deal with the reality of layoffs and husband having to stop eating bon bons, watching soaps all day, and actually find a job.
Ohai. I can haz viewing of ur teetz?
Based on her original picture, she has horrible teeth, pasty skin, tiny eyes and dated hair. The updated picture is an improvement, but that's all TV makeup, guys. She also looks like she's 12 and is probably 5 ft tall. That does not a hot woman make, although maybe in the biglaw world. In reality, she and her husband probably belong together if she couldn't score a cuter guy.
-A woman who knows better
Few will watch the show but there will certainly be enough to spread the word throughout her firm and the legal community if she does anything that makes her look bad - which is almost guaranteed.
"client sensitivities and upcoming trials"
good one
The myriad of "high powered attorneys" who have appeared on reality shows really demonstrates how miserable they are at what they are doing.
There was one lawyer (not on the list) who was working for a law firm in Miami. His claim to fame was that he had been gone to film the Trump show.
He was treated like a celebrity-- practically signing autographs in the elevator and sending out e-mails that he could not contractually reveal the contents of the show that was already in the can.
He was either the first or second to be canned, as I recall. Maybe the third. Everybody cringed. Still the celebrity continued (not necessairly among his colleagues) and was followed by a personal web page announcing his availability for speaking engagements and thus and such.
Many were mortified. Others, I guess basked in reflected glory.
I'm not sure how the firm reacted, but I suspect reality tv didn't help him with reality law. Maybe I'm wrong.
This should be a fun train wreck to watch.
@ 11. Enough. She's not hot. I don't know how many times we have to go over it. Cute at best. Christ almighty can we please get some actually attractive women around where most of you people live? I have officially lost what little faith I had left that more than a handful of us are normal people.
Lat, you should be ashamed of yourself. This is an Elie-like, misleading post. If you read Kash's true/slant post, Fox Reality refused to let Smith/Barclay do an interview with ATL because they posted her real ID. Smith/Barclay herself has said nothing.
41 = Roxana.
Ms. Barclay has exhibited incredibly poor judgment. Perhaps she does not want to keep her "high powered" job as a doc reviewer...I mean litigator??
She's hot but MysTTTal has a better rack, IMHO.
She should get some fake boobs put in, and they can be the next Heidi & Spencer.
Bravo, 45. I never tire of a MysTTTal moob reference.
Comment removed by moderator.
48 = Chase Utley.
The bigger concern here is the use of the term "Reality TV Star". The show is on Hulu, hasn't yet aired on a fourth rate network on channel 429. Since when does that make her a star? If anything, I pity her for the amount of crap she must be getting from the partners in her firm for being labelled "High Powered" in all this press.
The first person kicked off of the first season of survivor was a lawyer chick from Brobeck. I must have missed the episode where the whole firm got voted off the island.
I wanna eat Katherine Smith's cake. She's hot!
48 Inappropriate.
I think the more noteworthy aspect of this post is that Lat posted a pic of a dude without waxing homoerotic.
you want to try to be above reproach unless she comports herself very well, she is dead.
She's a 3rd year BigLaw associate. She's still doing document review and other mindless tasks (i.e. 5th chair on a deposition). Far, far from being a "high-powered attorney".
She's a 3rd year BigLaw associate. She's still doing document review and other mindless tasks (i.e. 5th chair on a deposition). Far, far from being a "high-powered attorney".
My mom always said, "Fools' names and fools' faces always appear in public places."
56/57 - Definitely true. "High-powered" is a misnomer for any junior associate, unless that person has a parent with stroke.
Why are people surprised she came from UVA? That hole is full of dipshits and egomaniacal bimbos. She fits the bill perfectly.
They better have an episode with her in a bikini. The dorks at GDC need screen savers.
So what's her story UVA people? Where did she grow up? What sorority was she in? gossip!!!
No, no. Bad form to fire her immediately. Gibson will wait until the series is cancelled after three abysmal episodes and quietly dismiss her for performance-related issues.
I bet she goes in-house, or works for some westside boutique full of douchebag wannabe agents.
Yeah she's pretty much a moron for doing the show and then demanding privacy. What a joke.
Is this the caliber of lawyers G/D hires!? Good to know!
Wow, moderators removed a heterosexual athlete comment, that is some weak sauce right there. No wonder most lawyers are such pussies.
I would be pissed if I was a client paying for her time on my matters or having her represent me. It is a needless distraction and takes away from the attention that is owed to the client. Is she star gazing when she is reviewing my docs or thinking about fortune and fame? SHE SHOULD BE FIRED and the folks that are singularly dedicated to being lawyers should get the work that she gets. If you are short hours, don't you think a share of her hours would help.
Poor man's Nicky Hilton.
The Securities Exchange Commission has law schools?
She has so much power [over her whipped unemployed husband].
Labor & Employment is a very rigorous practice area. Not.
http://nachofoto.com/gallery/Househusbands_Of_Hollywood_Launch_Party-1
Chubby arms?
OK, I felt bad being critical without watching the video. Having watched it, I can say that this is a wrong career move. Whiney,
surely she ran this by management and they signed off
Worst. Ripoff. Show. Ever.
74, do you think. I would be surprised about that especially in light of the show.
By "highly attractive," you mean blond and not obese.
Is this her: http://trendcollective.com/holly_alden ?
Man, it sure is getting to be tough for uber-hot, big law, reality TV stars.
She's eating this stuff up. Check out her twitter account at http://twitter.com/KatherineBrclay
I know Katherine and work with her at Gibson and she's one of the nicest people. So please be respectful and humane in the comments here. I assume that her choice to be on this show was to help her husband out. My wife has made plenty of sacrifices for me to be where I am, so I can sympathize with the situation.
Up yours, 81.
81:
Congratulation on working at a f'd up firm. Everything I've seen come from that firm sucks, and the attorneys are total douches. The way that firm is run, you will probably be out of a job in a year or so. Good career move.
Katherine is awesome.
As mentioned earlier, it should be Katherine Barclay aka Smith aka Allen. Danny’s last name is Smith. See UVa Law Weekly’s engagement announcement here: http://www.lawweekly.org/?module=displaystory&story_id=766&edition_id=10&format=html
I’m guessing Danny’s using Barclay instead because there’s already a Danny Smith in the Screen Actors Guild.
81:
You want a cookie or something? No one here is impressed.
83:
With writing skills like those, you must be a bitter, fourth tier, unemployed, deeply in debt, not yet admitted loser. "The way that firm is run . . ." Do you have any idea what you're talking about? No attorney layoffs, no salary freeze, market bonuses, strong financials . . . you should be so lucky to be employed by a firm that is run like GDC. As if anyone could take you seriously mockingly saying something as asinine as "good career move" to an attorney who works for GDC. Thanks for the laugh.
81, That is great if she is nice. Good for her. But she put herself in the position she is in -- a very public one. Now she has to live with the choice. A respectful and humane response depends on her behavior, as well as her hustband's, on the show. So far, not too good. I understand that it might be helping her husband, but what about her duties to clients etc.? This is not an admirable choice. If I had to judge the book based on what I have seen, the judgment would be that she might be nice but DUMB DUMB DUMB in terms of judgment and not someone I would want to entrust with the kind of problems that GD is routinely hired to address.
At a minimum, the firm should put her on leave until the show is over and they can assess the damage.
87 = 81
IF she did it for her husband, she did him no favor. His acting -- even on the show -- is TERRIBLE. This is as close to being an actor he'll ever be. He's also not too smart since an intelligent person would be able to rationally evaluate his acting skills, realize he's horrible, and continue on to get his MD.
87 here. Not 81. Same firm, but I do not work with the associate in question, so I'm not commenting on her.
87: I agree 100%.
83: GDC has handled the financial crisis better than 90% of firms. I also find it hard to believe that one of the most selective law firms in the country produces work that "sucks" (your eloquent words). It's overwhelmingly likely that you did not have the qualifications to work at GDC ... it's okay -- enjoy your TTT.
Maybe I would state it slightly differently. It is clear they depend on her income. Why would she do something like this and put that income at risk? Law is so risk-averse. No firm wants bad publicity. She definitely stuck her neck out. Chop chop chop?
87 again. Sorry for the quick follow up post. Just wanted to add that I agree with 88.
GDC is a good firm. It is dumb to criticize it in this context. This is about an attorney doing something lame, not the firm.
95, this only reflects poorly on the firm if they either (1) signed off on this and/or (2) don't fire this individual immediately.
Things like this are very destructive to the firm and they lower the profession.
Just read her tweets. WOW, SHE'S ANNOYING!!!
96 - agreed.
81, she is tweeting about walking the red carpet WHAT MORE DO YOU WANT in the way of proof that she has abandoned all sense of rational thinking and behavior.
As a partner, I would not let her near my client matters unless and until I was sure at the end of the show that she would not make a mess that I would have to scrape off the bottom of my shoe.
The pettiness and jealously on display here is very interesting. Once upon a time, the legal profession was made up of renaissance men (and women), or so I thought. Did it ever occur to you people that there is life outside the law firm? Having a small part on a reality show may not be any more time consuming than being a parent, and it's certainly less permanent.
Is there any evidence that this woman is blowing-off her responsibilities or devulging confidential information by participating in this show?
Frankly, most of the people here come off as bitter losers attempting to justify their existence by trashing someone who is finding success, however minor, outside of the firm.
You should all take a good long look in the mirror and ask yourselves if you are happy.
[Full disclosure, I went to UVA at the same time as Katherine. UVA prides itself on having well-rounded students. What did your schools' pride themselves on, having a bunch of future, self-loathing d-bags?]
100, here. Please excuse the typo in the last sentence.
100, here. Please excuse the typo in the last sentence.
100 through 102:
Nice error-laden, triple post shill job for your alma mater. I'd like to say you have brought disgrace to UVa, but you seem pretty standard for that institution, so you probably just solidified its average.
100, you're funny....and there's no excuse for you. Sorry.
A well rounded student come lawyer wouldn't subject themselves to a show as lame as this and then whine about it.
How many other lawyers do you see embarrassing themselves like this? Yes, Victor Jih cried like a girl on the Amazing Race. The others named in the post above embarrassed themselves in a similar manner. But that's it. They're part of a very small minority. These people are rare and their complete lack of judgment is worthy of contempt.
100, you are too young to see the point. She did not elect to have a baby, volunteer at a shelter, join a belly dancing class, or take up golf. She WENT ON TV putting all her flaws and those of husband on public display. And any/all things bad, smarmy, petty, etc will reflect on the firm. That is the point. Maybe it all turns our fine, but these shows want rating and will edit or provoke you in all kinds of crazy ways. So it is pollyanna-ish to think that you can control how you are portrayed. You cannot.
As to what UVA prides itself on, I like UVA students and always support recruiting there because people are well-rounded. They typically aren't this naive.
Kash's comment on True/Slant was good.
103 & 104,
Thank you for proving my point. Did you go G-town or Columbia? Or was it U-Chicago?
107 - UVA TEN YEARS AGO - when UVa produced real lawyers, not the whiny little kids they pump out today.
lol @ 107 - don't a lot of Georgetown/Columbia/NYU students use UVa as their "backup school"?
My guess is she couldn't handle the GDC's free market system. If she wrangled a loser husband for herself, perhaps she's only wrangled loser work.
Publicity like this always hurts the law firm.
When I went to UVA it was quite different. They tried to produce lawyers who knew how to drink copiously and at all times (even when not fully loaded) remain descrete and "southern elegant".
On a different subject, I'd kind of like to know what these reality lawyers went on to do after their 15 minutes were over,
GW is the backup school to G-town. No school in the T10 would be a backup school to G-town, which offers the worst career prospects out of the T14.
"Publicity like this always hurts the law firm."
Can you cite some examples? This sounds like an opinion being presented as a fact.
Why doesn't this free publicity help the firm and the attorney? Most people (including GCs and partners, trust me) are secretly starf**kers and like telling their friends that they know someone on TV.
Honestly, I would not want to have her on my trial team for a jury trial. When you ask the prospective jurors if they know anyone on the defense team you'd need to address the issue and then it would become a distraction. And as a client I would question her judgment for choosing to be on such a show.
113, JFC, don't you read? Because people rarely behave themselves in an admirable manner 24X7 and all these shows want to find every ounce of salacious behavior they can. They need it for ratings. Why risk it?
Also you are right about the starf*kers. We had one of these "stars" at my firm. People like to talk about her alright and not in a way that she would enjoy. And she was not that bad on the show. It became a real distraction and she cannot live it down.
What????? A chick who wants her cake and to eat it too?
This is stupid. Can we please focus on the fact that nobody's getting a goddamn job next summer?
5, I hardly ever read about Katten on ATL, but then again I hardly hear anything good about Katten IRL.
Kash -- What's with the sentence in your referenced True / Slant post, "But I and Above the Law are now being punished for being the one to shine the light." This sentence comes five paragraphs after you exclaim “I am a journalist!” I usually enjoy your work, but it’s hard to take a journalist seriously when she produces “But I and Above the Law . . . ” Duke undergrad, NYU grad school, c’mon Kash let’s do a little better.
Kash, I liked it. Don't listen to 119.
So what are the odds she gets fired?
67 - nice thing is, we don't need the hours. Litigators at GDC are swimming in work. Also - 81 is right, Katherine is a wonderful person and a very dedicated associate.
122, is Katherine good at assisting?
No filmmaker above the level of "Bumfights" would hire someone for a legitimate part who not only acts like a douche, but is one in real life! Danny could maybe play the guy who gets his ass kicked and left for dead by the main character, or an extra who walks by in the background. But those people don't go on to become stars. If Danny's acting career is the real reason they went on this show, then he and his wife are (1) stupid, or (2) must be suckers who were "sold" that idea by producers who liked the train wreck that is their marriage, or both. Since they aren't from L.A. I'm thinking it was more #2. But they still could have asked someone in the industry without a vested interest in their casting, so it's also #1.
Associate in reality TV show on Hulu = unemployed associate.
Poor judgment gets you fired. This is just dumb. Do you seriously believe a client is going to be happy paying $400 per hour for a junior associate dumb enough to be on a Hulu reality show? Come on. However, it is possible that no clients, or other people, watch Hulu and no clients ever read this board so they do not find out. It is also possible that absolutely no clients know her name since she is just a Biglaw cog.
Set your TiVOs - it 's on at 11 AM on Saturday morning.
Yes, you heard it, Saturday morning, opposite cartoons and that guy selling the ShamWOW.
126 again - that's eastern standard time. For those of you who are part of the management of GDC's LA office, you get the thrill of seeing one of your associates hit the wall at 7 AM that morning.
81 here.
I think things would have to get a lot worse than an associate appearing on a very mild reality show under a fake name and having her real name discussed on a legal blog before she'll get fired. I work with her and there's no way I see her being let go unless the show (or anything for that matter) interferes with her ability to work on matters. She's very well liked around here from what I've seen.
Now if the reality show was incredibly riske, like she's dressing as a man and trying to get a monkey to fall in love with her, that's one thing. But it's about couples where the husband stays at home -- whoopdeedoo.
But I'm glad it's given everyone something to get all worked up over while layoffs and pay freezes have slowed down...
81, I was watching Chelsea Lately and saw a trailer for the Hollywood Househusbands. That trailer portrayed Katherine as someone who is not having regular sex with her husband and her husband as being dissatisfied with that fact and the hypocracy of her unwillingness to have sex with her desire to have a baby.
If I am a client, colleague, judge, jurist or anyone else other than her close friend, I don't want to know that she has a cold marriage or that she is going to abandon work to have a baby. TMI.
This is not the first time K and her husband have been on TV. They appeared as contestants on Chuck Woolery's game show LINGO on the Game Show Network 2 or 3 years ago. I believe they won $10,000
This is not the first time K and her husband have been on TV. They appeared as contestants on Chuck Woolery's game show LINGO on the Game Show Network 2 or 3 years ago. I believe they won $10,000
131, the game show thing is interesting, but I would distinguish being on a game show from being on a reality show.
I had a dream last night that I was giving Katherine a facial. Her husband watched as I unloaded on her face. Strangely, he seemed to get a thrill out of it.
I don't see the big deal. Is Katherine worried that Danny will let out some secrets? So far all we know is that Katherine likes a clean house... http://www.tvtango.com/news/detail/id/78
81, Having worked at GDC I doubt the powers that be are laughing about this. I doubt she will be there by this time next year.
How embarrassing.
- Low powered attorney
How embarrassing.
- Low powered attorney
Guessing she will be in-house counsel at Fox within months.
Maybe she can fill in for Megyn Kelly during her maternity leave.
Hey Kat, what happened to your twitter page? Too much heat so left the oven?
she must have set it to private. you can google it though and click on cache. you'll get her site up to Aug. 9.
I am more interested in what she is saying now.
She's an actress too, she was the head writer for the Libel Show when she was at UVA Law. I bet a number of her scenes are probably on youtube....
Much ado about nothing.........
After watching this show and the reunion show, she has shown poor judgment on so many levels. First and foremost, for marrying this guy. He does absolutely nothing all day except spend her money and tell her how she can't spend it. Then to agree to go on a show where your life, and sex life, can be shown and discussed in front of others? Insane. I predict she will be divorced and fired within a year or two.