Survivor: The Lawyer and Law Student Edition
The cast for the latest season of Survivor, which premieres on September 17, has been announced. This season, the show’s nineteenth, takes place on the tropical island of Samoa.
Four of the 20 contestants, or a fifth of the field, are either lawyers or law students. Is appearing on a reality television show the best way to wait out the recession?
We believe this to be the highest number of law-related contestants in a single season. We reached out to Charlie Herschel — the former Survivor contestant and current Weil Gotshal associate, who has encyclopedic knowledge of the show — and he said that, as far as he knows, four would be a record. Herschel explained:
Lawyers are making a better showing than bartenders for once on Survivor! There was a lawyer on the first Survivor who sued producers for rigging the show. Word was that they avoided casting lawyers after that.Also, it’s generally difficult for lawyers to drop everything at a moment’s notice for the casting process and also for the show (which is required), so they have trouble casting lawyers. Most of the lawyers on survivor dont practice anymore.
Perhaps you know one of these four. Let’s learn more about them, shall we?
Elizabeth Kim: Elizabeth, a 33-year-old Korean-American with a dazzling resume — Barnard, Princeton, and U. Penn. Law — doesn’t currently practice:
After several years of practicing litigation at a top New York City law firm, Elizabeth now works as an urban planner in coordinating and managing industrial real estate development projects for New York City government, although just how much she’ll reveal to her fellow tribemates is still up in the air. “I’m not sure I’m going to tell people where I went to school or that I’m an attorney.”
Why so shy, Liz? Having been a litigation associate at Paul Weiss is nothing to be ashamed of.
(And Korean-American, non-practicing lawyers have a history of success on Survivor. E.g., Yul Kwon, who was a McKinsey consultant right before joining Survivor.)
Jaison Robinson: The handsome and athletic Jaison, 28, is a law student at the University of Chicago. He received his undergraduate degree at Stanford. Accordingly, his Survivor bio describes him as “very educated” (which, considering that he’s African-American, is perhaps better than calling him “articulate and bright and clean”).
Update: From someone who summered with Jaison last year at Latham: “I think he’s joining their SF office in December (not positive, though). The guy is a total badass, and really nice, too.”
Monica Padilla: Monica’s personal story is inspiring; she’s the first person in her family to get a college degree, as well as the first to get a law degree. Her educational pedigree is arguably less distinguished: “Recently, she graduated from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, where she perfected, what she describes as, her power of persuasion.”
But this 25-year-old hottie looks great in a swimsuit — and she knows it:
She fully intends to use her beauty and the fact that she “can sell ice cubes to an Eskimo” to her advantage in the game.
Russell Swan: At 42, Russell is a bit older. We don’t know anything about his educational background. His bio describes his work as follows:
At 5’11” and 220 “semi-solid” pounds, this attorney spends his working hours suing companies and individuals who violate environmental laws. In addition to practicing law, Russell enjoys spending time with his wife and five-year-old daughter and watching independent films.
We recommend Erin Brockovich.
Update: Per Martindale, Russell received his law degree from Temple and works for the EPA in Philadelphia. (Gavel bang: commenter.)
Will these legal eagles soar on Survivor? Charlie Herschel gave us this opinion:
I think these lawyers will do well. The hardest part is being cautious and logical in the moves that you make, both lawyerly attributes.
Very true. Which one of the quartet — Elizabeth, Jasion, Monica, or Russell S. — do you think will do the best on the show?
(77) Comments
Comments
first
I guess dark meat is in.
2 is not racist.
Russel S used to be a movie star. You may remember him in this role: http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_wqt89boQxR4/Sb2LPxSSCvI/AAAAAAAAAxk/s8frLyp0790/s400/predator.jpg
Monica is a little too flat chested. If you covered her head, I wouldn't be able to tell if she was male or female.
"Monica's educational pedigree is arguably less distinguished."
Yeah, but she's the first in her family to graduate from college, let alone law school. We should cut her some slack. Plus, I'm not yet so jaded (though I am slowly getting there) as to believe that upward mobility in America is only a dream. Who knows, her children may go to YLS and work at Wachtell one day too.
Makes no difference whether pedigree "is arguably less distinguished" -- Monica > Elizabeth.
Monica Padilla is fucking hot!
Thankfully this farce will take place on the island of Samoa and not on one of the many banana republic islands which I frequent in my father's Learjet. If the farce had taken place on one of these islands, my obscene wealth might have lost its allure for the corrupt regimes.
korean-american girls are hot!
heh, nice shtick Jake. Yours is believable; the other Emeritus ones are awful.
Squawk
Worked with Liz Kim. She used to show up at PW summer outings wearing full-on Monica Seles style tennis outfits.
Hmm, so many new ATL characters. Looks like school just started for a lot of 1Ls
I say cut Monica some slack but not a lot. I'm first generation to graduate undergrad, let alone law school, but made it into a top 15 school...no way in hell I was paying that kind of money to go to anything less than a top law school.
Survivor: The Diversity Edition!
15,
Yeah, but she's hot. Don't be jealous just because your significant other never leaves the house so that he never has to kiss you goodbye.
Heh, people here clearly don't watch Survivor. Russell will outlast them all.
My vote's for the wise Latina.
Jaison just graduated from UChicago. He was Class of 2009. Talk about a great idea for deferment options!
"Survivor" would be a great title for a reality show about the plight of the first years during their first four months at Latham.
When she says "power of persuasion," is she talking about blowjobs?
22, one thing is for sure: if she went to a law school in San Diego, she isn't going anywhere based on brains or intellect. I bet she's good at fucking though, and if she does it enough, she'll probably get paid for it eventually.
Jaison summered with me at Latham Chicago last summer.
Comment removed by moderator.
Moderate number 25, please.
25, wow. Really? You have problems.
I like Liz's chances.
Why didn't my high school guidance counselor tell me of this Deep Springs College?
I think Lat attended the U of C musical last year. Then, he is quite familiar with Jaison, as he was the subject of the musical... Sourced from this gem:
http://www.cosmopolitan.com/sex-love/bachelors-/California_BACHELOR_O6
7 and 28 should find a bookie.
could any of them persevere in life as an ass-lobster survivor?
Anxiously waiting on Legal Lothario to weigh in.
Could someone explain the etymology of ass-lobster? Does such a creature exist in the wild? Can it enroll in an ABA-certified JD program as a matriculated student on at least a half-time basis?
Didn't Jaison also play water polo for Stanford?
Do you think Survivor counts toward Latham's deferment option? Maybe next year they'll specifically preclude reality shows as legal alternatives.
35
Actually, survivor is an appropriate name for Latham's deferrment option.
RUFF! Has anyone seen my master? He's a law student, so some of you may know him.
RUFF!
Yup, Jaison played water polo at Stanford.
i'm sorry son. my balls are just too asymmetrical; i can't keep upright on this here bicycle. i know ya'lls and cousin timmy wanted a demonstration. well, that ain't happenin 'cause of my testes, ya' see? look! look at what your ma has to deal with. cooking up rocky mountain oysters would turn her on more than these damn balls!
When I met Lat at XES Lounge tonight he was totally wearing the same dress and necklace Elizabeth is rocking in the picture above.
I pretended not to care since he bought me four drinks.
Frankly, Lat, I don't give a damn.
Hmm... no love for Charlie's classmate Eliza Orlins?
Hello, ATL. It;s me, Elie, from the future. I have travel back in time to warn you all! (We have timemachines in the future)
Barack Obama loses the 2012 election to Sarah Palin! My life took a turn for the worst when this happened. I was still high on my Good Samaritan liability project, that I felt I could actually be lawyerly again, instead iof just writing legal gossip. So I made a well thought out post on this blog arguing that the 19th Amendment negated the 2012 election results. (It was so briliant, you guys, but nobody else agreed!)
Well, Lat had had enough by then, and he fired me from ATL. Things got pretty bad for me. I tried to get back into BIGLAW, but firms wouldn't even call me back! I tried doing shitlaw, but even shitlaw partners told me that I was not qualified to do insurance defence! Soon after, my wife left me. I began to lose my hair. And for a log stretch of time, I was homeless.
I have travelid back here in time to 2009, to enjoy the glory day of Obama, and my once employed self.
THIS IS A WARNING! DO NOT VOTE FOR SARAH PALIN!!!
Barnard is the only blemish on Liz's resume. Columbia College it is not.
If Monica was so smart, she wouldnt have shelled out for that bikini. She could have saved herself a lot of money and just bought a couple of band aids.
5 - Do you prefer your women to have bigger breasts?
45 - And yet you'd love to touch her. I mean hell, at this point in your life, even a used female mannequin would get your rocks off.
Future Elie -- even if the post is worth nothing, the picture is priceless.
http://www.martindale.com/Russell-Sherman-Swan/2048635-lawyer.htm
I like future Ellie. That is a winner.
- not Future Ellie
A+ to the new barrage of characters here on ATL!
NEVAR 4GET
A female TTT Katten NYC attorney could do very in this game.
Her tactic? Simply blow the guy in charge of Survivor to win.....that's how she got into Biglaw as well.
Monica is cute. Good luck to all of them - and to all of your poor 1Ls. Its not too late to reconsider your options and save $200,000. Get out now.
Monica is an attractive female. Thus her apparent lack of "legal pedigree" will be less of an impediment to getting into Biglaw, if that is what she wants to do: the "pussy pass."
Just ask a certain Katten NYC attorney who waltzed into Biglaw because she was attractive.
I applaud Monica for saying no to breast implants. I also admire her for having the guts to appear on national TV knowing that so many of you dicks will comment on her small chest. I think she's very attractive.
I suppose that I should know the answer to this, but is Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego accredited by the American Bar Association? Is it a member in good standing of the Association of American Law Schools? How many of its professors belong to SALT?
I 'd have the asian chick bunniling the white one, and vice versa. Then they can make me dinner.
Lat, can you please stop referring to men as handsome? Its creepy.
Oh, 44, don't be so silly/petty. I went to Columbia, and some of my smartest and most personable friends were Barnard students. Columbia College is great, and Barnard is too.
"Several years..."? The Korean chick graduated in 2005 - does 3 now count as "several".
She now works for the NYCEDC. Probably makes 120K.
Barnyard College is for lesbos in training. Its a joke.
Haha 61, you're so mature......NOT!!
I went to Barnard, and then to Harvard Law. Now at V10. Barnard is a fantastic school, no way to legitimately argue otherwise.
If Jason was really "very educated," he would be able to spell his first name.
14,
All I hear is "Wahh, I dont have a sense of humor."
62 - Do you look like Peppermint Patty's ambiguously gay sidekick?
62 here. 65, you're so old! I've never seen Charlie Brown. Had to google your comment, and the answer is no. I'm good looking. Have a good weekend!
PS, I chose Barnard over Columbia.
Affirmative Action goes reality!!
Monica is out. Forehead like a drive-in theater. I could make an Imax outta that skull!
Why are people voting for Monica???
69 - Because she's hot?
67,
I thought AA had to due with race, not how hot someone was?
66- Will you sit on my lap?
--38 year old married guy
They call it "Barnyard" for a reason....
Latham is a TTT
Liz Kim will do well. Also, from what I remember, she is better looking than that picture indicates.
I know monica. She's nice and her boobs kind of aren't that small in real life.
56- Thomas Jefferson School of Law is accredited by the ABA and AALS. Dean of the school has previously taken T4 schools to T2 and is trying to do the same here.