Lawyer of the Day: And Her 'Real Pimpin' Law Professor Boyfriend

Way back in 2007, a time so long ago that firms actually made offers to summer associates, we mentioned the story of UConn law professor Robert Birmingham. The professor showed a clip from the movie Really Really Pimpin’ in Da South, and got in a little bit of trouble. The film is (apparently) a “prostitution training film” that contained an interview the professor wanted his students to see. Professor Birmingham was forced to take a leave of absence back then, but he’s back on campus.
Unfortunately for the professor, now his girlfriend is in trouble. Heather Kaufmann — who is not only Professor Birmingham’s girlfriend but also represented Birmingham back in 2007 — has been charged with a litany of crimes. The Hartford Courrant reports:

Heather Kaufmann, 33, surrendered to police Monday and is facing charges of second-degree forgery, third-degree larceny, third-degree identity theft, credit card theft, receiving goods illegally, charging less than $500 on a revoked credit card and five counts of fraudulent use of an ATM….
According to court documents, police said that in the days following the death of her aunt on Dec. 7, 2008, Kaufmann used her aunt’s ATM card and wrote a check on the account that, together, came to more than $3,200.

Birmingham isn’t just tainted by the romantic association with Kaufmann; he allegedly also received some of the misappropriated funds.


According to police, Professor Birmingham received money from Kaufmann … or Kaufmann’s dead aunt:

The affidavit also says that Kaufmann wrote a check from the account of more than $1,000 to her boyfriend, UConn Law Professor Robert L. Birmingham, and signed the check with her aunt’s name….
According to court documents, Kaufmann, who described her relationship with her aunt as similar to that of a mother and daughter, initially told police that her aunt allowed her to use the account to make purchases for her, but she denied using the account after the aunt had died.

Is the University of Connecticut School of Law going to have to choke a prof? And is anybody else slightly disturbed that a professor who is familiar with prostitution training videos had a girlfriend pay him $1,000 bucks?
I just don’t think these things happen at Yale.
Vernon Attorney Charged With Using Dead Aunt’s ATM Card [Hartford Courrant]
UConn Law Prof Suspended for Showing Film Clip in Class; Blames Technology “Wardrobe Malfunction” [Tax Prof Blog]

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