Tomorrow, the law students association at Boston College Law School will host its annual Boston Harbor boat cruise. Most law schools in the greater Boston area do some version of this. I've been on many, though I remember none.

But I guess it's exactly that kind of drunk boat behavior that the BC cruise team are sick of. A tipster sent along sternly worded email in advance of tomorrow night's festivities:

Unfortunately, over the past several years, we have had some troubling incidents on the boat cruise that have marred this event. These incidents were all caused by excessive alcohol consumption.

Is there any point to being on a boat in the middle of Boston Harbor unless you intend to consume alcohol excessively? It's not like you can fish, swim, or gamble. What else are you supposed to do?

The email goes on to list specific incidents that have "marred" the boat cruise in the past:

One year, a law student was detained and arrested by the State Police while trying to board the boat while intoxicated. A few years ago, the boat was forced to return to port shortly after leaving dock because of a seriously intoxicated student on the cruise. Last year, there was a fight between two law students and one sustained a serious, and possibly permanent, injury.

As our tipster aptly put it, "I'm still trying to figure out if this was meant as a warning or an advertisement."

Tickets are still available!

The full email is reprinted after the jump.

Open container laws are both massively annoying and haphazardly enforced. The mere concept of it offends the notion of freedom and remains the single best reason to move to New Orleans.

The law prevents anyone from drinking in public, which unfortunately requires lawyers to haggle over the definition of "public space" instead of going home and enjoying a frosty beverage.

Brooklyn resident Kimber VanRy got nailed with one of these ludicrous $25 citations and he is fighting it. He'll probably lose, he was drinking a beer on his stoop when he had the misfortune of a cop rolling by. But he wasn't drunk, he wasn't throwing a party or using the beer bottle for lewd and deviant acts, he was just minding his own business in the middle of New York City when the government had to get all up in his grill.

Stupid laws beget stupid legal arguments. Look at what Legal Aid is arguing to defend this guy. The New York Times reports the opinion of one such lawyer, Steve Wasserman:

"This is an open question," he said of the law. "There's also a larger constitutional question, if a piece of your private property were being treated as if it were a public place. You couldn't get arrested for drinking that beer in your kitchen. Now you're sitting on your stoop. The stoop may be more like your kitchen than your sidewalk."

Really, we have to get into a Con Law exam to answer this question? What if your kitchen has concrete counter tops while your sidewalk is made of cobblestone?

The cop who gave VanRy the open container ticket told him (after inquiring as to what kind of beer he was drinking) that if VanRy's stoop had a gate, he would not have received a ticket. So, only people with gated stairs can enjoy some fresh air while drinking a beer?

The summer is almost at an end. In its waning days, we should all be able to enjoy some fresh air and green space with as much alcoholic libation as we can handle. I got ya' $25 right here, NYPD.

Fighting for the Right to Drink Beer on His Stoop [New York Times]

Labor Day is behind us. You know what that means: no wearing white, no gin and tonics, and no qualms about sending summer associate stories to ATL. If you have an SA story to share that we haven't previously covered, please email us.

This latest tale, posted below, puts the "MoFo" in Morrison & Foerster. These kiddies are badass. As always, please don't name or provide additional identifying information about them. Thanks.

***********************
This summer MoFo hosted a firm-wide retreat in Napa, first-class all the way -- every attendee stayed in a private one-bedroom condo at the host resort, people got spa treatments, went on wine tastings, open bar every night, etc. Once the bar closed, the real troopers would head over to someone's condo for an after party. The firm covered minibar tabs, so people would stop by their own places and stock up on drinks to bring along. Nothing out of the ordinary, as far as big firm summer blow-outs go.

The only problem with the trip was the tremendous size of the resort. The condos were scattered all across a large compound. Some rooms were miles away from others. The resort provided shuttle service, but often (especially late at night) the shuttles were slow in coming. Very slow. It was definitely a nuisance.

A couple of days into the retreat, two or three summers apparently got sick of waiting for a shuttle to take them to their far off condos at the end of the evening's after party festivities. One of them was sick and vomiting or something, so they had a sense of urgency. In a haze of drunken entitlement (or perhaps a twisted sense of altruism: their friend was sick!), these summers decided to "borrow" a car from the resort's valet to drive home.

They busted into the valet key box and swiped the keys to an Audi A6 -- first-class all the way! -- got into the car, and started it up. Luckily for them, before they could get it into gear and get moving, a recruiter got wind of the operation and came RUNNING AND SCREAMING out of the after party. She got them out of the car; the keys were returned to their rightful place.

But the plans of drunken MoFos are not so easily foiled. Undeterred, they RETURNED to the valet box once the recruiter was out of their way, stole the keys AGAIN, and started up the car once more. This time a MoFo PARTNER saw the situation, ran over to the car, and put a stop to the ill-fated scheme.

***********************
What happened to the summers in question? We don't know for certain, but we're guessing they got no-offered. While creative problem-solving and taking the initiative are usually desirable qualities for lawyers to possess, stealing cars and driving drunk raise character and fitness issues.

Here's a fact pattern: teen steals liquor, teen gets hammered, adult is called to help, adult drives teen home, teen dies, adult gets charged with... negligent homicide?

That's the reality facing Candice Collard. The 24-year-old woman is being charged with homicide in Utah for failing to help Jess "Micade" Horrocks, 14, who died of alcohol poisoning this past April.

The charge seems especially harsh given that Utah has a criminal statute for failure to render aid. Uintah County Deputy Attorney Greg Lamb said that the homicide charge was warranted because Collard "failed miserably in several areas that could have prevented [Horrocks's] death." Lamb admits that his office is taking a "novel" approach to this case, which should make Collard feel swell.

Collard drove the teen 13 miles to Collard's home instead of 2 miles to the hospital. Horrocks did not receive medical attention until the next day

In retrospect, obviously, Collard's choice was unwise. But Collard neither procured the alcohol nor sat there and poured it down Horrocks's throat.

This charge puts the perverse in legal incentives. When ineffective help puts you in danger of a homicide conviction, wouldn't you rather roll the dice with a failure-to-render-aid charge?

The "go screw yourself, kid" attitude is something we'd expect out of the Bronx, but Utah?

Woman charged in boy's alcohol-poisoning death [Salt Lake Tribune via Fark]

One of our favorite law professor bloggers, Stephen Bainbridge, chimes in on yesterday's summer associate scandal story. His commentary appears here.

Our general view of the matter was summed up by a commenter: "Guys from my high school used to seal the deal with girls from college all the time. It was no big deal." Professor Bainbridge begs to differ.

P.S. Same rules apply. Please don't name any individuals in the comments -- including, but not limited to, the summer associate, the college intern, or the associate who brought the SA's conduct to the attention of the hiring partner. Thanks.

Advice for Young Law Firm Associates: Don't Poop Where You Eat [Punditry - Professor Bainbridge]

Earlier: Summer Associate of the Day: The Cradle Robber

Update: Take our reader poll:

"Lolita, light of my life, fire of my law firm. My sin, my soul, my summer intern. Lo-lee-ta: the tip of the tongue taking a trip of three steps down the palate to tap, at three, on the teeth. Lo. Lee. Ta."

Now that summer associate programs are over, and most summers have offers safely in hand, it's a good (read: safe) time to dish about SA scandals. If you have a story to share that we haven't previously covered, please email us.

Here's one story that is making the rounds. We've omitted the firm name because the summer class was not very large. Per our usual rules, please don't name the summer associate (or the college student) in the comments.

After a firm-sponsored event, a college student interning at the firm went out for drinks with several summer and full-time associates. She was not old enough to be drinking.

The college intern, in a state of inebriation, left the bar hanging all over one of the summer associates (hereinafter "The Cradle Robber"). Later that evening, the Cradle Robber wrote an email to several associates, claiming that "the deal was sealed" with the college intern.

An associate forwarded the email to the hiring partner. The Cradle Robber did not receive an offer.

Read our take on this series of events, after the jump.

[Ed. note: This post is by FROLIC & DETOUR, one of the finalists in ATL Idol, the "reality blogging" competition that will determine ATL's next editor. It is marked with Frolic & Detour's avatar (at right).]

Sadly, some of the juiciest summer scandals in Biglaw history occurred prior to the advent of Above the Law. Though some of us at ATL may be loathe to admit it, many of them occurred when this year's 2Ls were still in high school. So far, this year's pink-cheeked and diligent class is failing in its duty to generate entertainment for the rest of us. So let's all step into the Wayback Machine and visit the glory days of summer scandal.

Picture it: summer, 2000. First-year salaries recently hit $125,000...the dot com boom is a boom, not a bubble...offers will follow summers as day follows night. And a Boston tech firm called Testa Hurwitz had not yet gone to the Great Courtroom in the Sky.

The marquee event of Testa's lavish summer program is a Duck Boat tour of Boston and the Charles River. Summers, associates, and partners alike enjoy some fine beverages and then set out for some amphibious sightseeing.

Under the influence of free champagne, a Harvard summer (naturally) decides that it would be hilarious to drop trou and moon his friend in the neighboring boat. Once his pants are down, however, he experiences some confusion about where he is, just as Nature begins to sing her siren song. Is that a life preserver in front of him, or a urinal? In front of the entire firm, the summer leans against the railing and takes a piss in the Charles.

It wasn't easy to do in those days, but... no offer.

[Ed. note: This is the second ATL post by former practicing attorney Hope Winters. It's a continuation of the story started in this post, which you should read first if you haven't done so already.

Judging from the comments to her maiden post, it seems that readers had strong reactions to Hope Winters. That's what we like around here -- writers who hit a nerve. To paraphrase Gossip Girl, "You know you love her...."]

The summer weeks went by quickly, and as that July weekend approached, I felt a deep sense of dread and resentment. We associates bitched about the event constantly on e-mail, but finally, we got to the final stage of grieving: acceptance. We were told to sign up for tennis, golf, or even lounging at the pool on Saturday afternoon.

Not one of these options appealed to me. Tennis or golf? Both sports required an unbridled competitive spirit and a laser-like focus. With these psycho-competitive, self-absorbed, Type-A-plus men? Please. I think I'd rather insert a needle into my eyeball. Option Two was no more desirable. Lounging around the pool in a bikini, surrounded by undersexed, middle-aged men who hated their wives with lives of leisure for saddling them with two mortgages? Recipe for rape.

I decided I would just sneak off and read a novel quietly under a shaded tree. I was not about to partake in any of these forced social activities.

So, we arrived, pulling up slowly in jumbo silver buses at what we referred to as the "compound" (because it was like Jonestown -- we were not allowed to leave). A luxurious resort with a green golf course, an Olympic-sized swimming pool, tennis courts.... I must say the Lansdowne wasn't so bad - if you were on your honeymoon.

We quickly deposited our luggage in our sparsely decorated rooms that we shared with our roommates and rushed to the bar. The associates gathered together along the round oak bar, fervently waving our arms at the bartender, "Gin and Tonic! Cabernet! Heineken!" Cries for alcoholic beverages of choice were erupting everywhere. I quickly secured a Cabernet and retreated to the end of the bar where I met some of my Antitrust colleagues from different offices. One of them, Pablo, from the Argentina office, started talking to me at length about a deal we were working on and the status of a Hart-Scott-Rodino application. Hello? I do not want to talk about barriers to entry or oligopolies now. I wanted to ask him what Malbec he recommended and what Argentine steak is like.

I managed to excuse myself for an alleged restroom break and then located the one cool group at the other side of the bar discussing indie films and making fun of partners - my favorite pastime. An important sidenote: No dinner was served on night one. Just drinks. With overworked lawyers that never go to out. This was like Spring Break for senior citizens.

Read the rest of the tale, after the jump.

[Ed. note: This is the first contribution to ATL by former practicing attorney Hope Winters (not her real name), whose byline you may see in these pages from time to time. Please note that a few years have passed between the events in question and the writing of this account. Accordingly, as is often the case with memoirs, it may contain errors, as well as a certain amount of poetic license. Enjoy.]

When I was a first-year associate at a major international law firm, I got the e-mail, on an otherwise perfect June summer day. It was news all of the associates dreaded.

"Please reserve the weekend of July 13-15 for our annual firm retreat at the Lansdowne Resort in Virginia. We welcome the opportunity to meet our colleagues from around the world.... on Saturday afternoon, you will have your choice of recreational activities...."

Blah. Blah. Blah.

My mind started racing as I was running the clock in Westlaw. I immediately started thinking of reasons I could not attend this event: a family wedding, a prepaid vacation to Italy, the funeral of my brother-in-law. AS IF I wanted to spend one more day with these insecure, undersexed, overpaid, workaholic, boring lawyers.

Let alone an entire weekend. I cherished my weekends -- half of which were spent in the office, and half of which were spent on massive spending sprees at the nearby mall, in a desperate attempt to assuage the pain of the firm.

And now they were bringing over all our "global" colleagues, from places like the Czech Republic and Bratislava. I thought about all the money this would cost. And, just like all the unnecessary art work and antique furniture the firm proudly displayed, this just meant more billable hours for us.

This sucked. AND, to top it all off, we find to had "roommate" for resort lodging. This is not college. And, just like high school gym class, the distant memories of rejection immediately resurfaced. I had to quickly find a partner, or I would be alone or, worse yet, assigned a roommate. And, I hate everyone here.

All the e-mails between the girl associates had already gone out. I knew that much. Girls operate out of insecurity, panic and fear when it comes to pairing with other girls. I quickly texted my only real friend in the firm, Rachel.

"This retreat blows. Ughhh. Do you want to room with me?"

"I know. Totally. Sorry, Maria just asked me."

Here we go. The mad dash to find a suitable roommate. I bet the partners don't have roommates. Those greedy bastards. Hello? I haven't had a "roommate" since I was a 20-year-old residing in a sorority group house.

In any event, after myriad attempts to secure a girl, my quasi-friend, Eleanor in Litigation, agreed to be mine. At least that part was over.

TO BE CONTINUED...

* * * * *
Hope Winters is an early retired lawyer, turned Senate staffer, turned corporate lobbyist. She lives in Washington, DC, and blogs at Here's the Thing.

Last week we complained about an insufficient number of summer associate scandals so far this year. But maybe things are starting to pick up.

We begin by giving props to Proskauer Rose for their commitment to public service. They bring all their summers down to New Orleans to work on a Habitat for Humanity project. From the press release:

On Friday and Saturday, June 20 and 21, law firm Proskauer Rose LLP will work with Habitat for Humanity to build three houses in the Musicians Village' section of the 9th Ward of New Orleans. The firm aims to help families displaced by Hurricane Katrina, giving them a place to once again call home.

Proskauer Rose summer associates, lawyers and staff, including Howard Shapiro, head of the firm's New Orleans office, and local Habitat for Humanity representatives will be available for interviews and photographs during the house building. The houses will be located at 1817, 1821 and 1825 Bartholomew Street and work will take place from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. both days. A check presentation ceremony will take place Friday, June 20 at 8 a.m. at 4000 North Roman Street.

Proskauer Rose is bringing together 90 summer associates, lawyers and staff from its New Orleans and national offices to participate in the event. The firm will also donate $75,000 to Habitat for the cost of one of the homes. This is the third consecutive year the firm has participated in and sponsored such an event.

So that's the background. Read the story, after the jump.

We've always had pleasant experiences with employees at Starbucks. But we only order simple drinks like iced coffee, so our interactions tend to be limited. After an extended encounter with a Starbucks manager, a Portland woman had a bit of a coffee tantrum. Prosecutors tried her for misdemeanor harassment, but she's been found not guilty.

From the Oregonian:

The prosecutor turned toward the woman on the witness stand and began her interrogation: Is it or is it not true that you flung the iced venti mocha with extra hazelnut and caramel at the defendant out of anger?

No, answered the woman.

And isn't it true that you also lobbed a capful of whipped cream toward another employee?

No, the woman insisted once again.

And so went the criminal trial of a Starbucks customer accused of throwing a $4 drink onto a manager during an argument last September.

Mocha, hazelnut, and caramel? That's getting a little crazy.

The trial of 38-year-old Latasha Curry included accusations of racism, a cover-up, and bad coffee. Kash must disclose that she is a Starbucks shareholder before admitting that the coffee is just too bitter sometimes. But it's the jet fuel that gets us through the day.

It all began last fall when Curry called a Starbucks in Southeast Portland to complain about the bitter taste of the iced mocha she had just bought there.

An employee on the other end of the line offered her a free replacement, and when Curry stopped by the store two days later to pick it up, a store manager accused her of running a scam. The manager stood soaking in caffeinated beverage moments later....

On Thursday, Starbucks released a statement after a spokeswoman declined to comment about the case: "Providing great customer service is part of (the company's) commitment and if a drink isn't perfect, we want customers to let us know and we'll make it right."

Or you can pour it on our employees.

Dispute over spilled Starbucks mocha ends up in Portland court [Oregonian]

We'll be doing a more detailed follow-up on the Harvard Law Review Note controversy "in due course" (to use a favorite expression of a former boss).

There has been lots of new blog commentary on the Note that we have not yet fully digested. E.g., Volokh Conspiracy (David Bernstein, via Instapundit); Concurring Opinions (Dave Hoffman). There are also hundreds of new ATL comments that we need to catch up on. So it may be a while.

We were hoping to bring you an interview with Note author Phil Telfeyan, but he has not responded to our multiple interview requests. Perhaps he prefers to address the public through Do the Right Thing At Every Moment, which purports to be a blog authored by him.

Update: There have been suggestions, in the comments here and elsewhere, that Phil Telfeyan is not the author of "Do the Right Thing At Every Moment." The blog appears legitimate to us (and we note, with interest, the 5:05 PM comment on this Concurring Opinions thread). But we have contacted Mr. Telfeyan, through messages to his Harvard email address and through Facebook, to invite him to issue an on-the-record denial of authorship, if he is not in fact the author.

In other Harvard Law Review news, that august publication is taking up new quarters. Move over, Gannett House. Say hello to.... the Law Review Lounge:

Okay, no, the HLR isn't actually moving into these dumpy digs -- they're pretty far from Cambridge. For the real story behind the Law Review Lounge, read below the fold.

We couldn't choose between these two possible Lawyers of the Day, so we'll let them go head to head. You can decide who's the more deserving honoree.

In one corner, we have John Newsome, a district attorney in Colorado. Sources inside and outside the district attorney's office tipped off a local TV station to Newsome's carousing during office hours. From the Colorado Springs Gazette:

The television station aired its report Tuesday night after filming Newsome on a "recent afternoon" as he drank three 20-ounce beers and a 10-ounce beer during "work hours" over the course of less than two hours at Oscar's, a downtown Colorado Springs bar.

Newsome was then shown heading back to his office. An hour later, he drove his El Paso County-owned SUV to another bar, according to KOAA.

There, Newsome was reportedly seen drinking four more pints with Assistant District Attorney Amy Mullaney and then driving away. Mullaney was also drinking with Newsome earlier that day at Oscar's.

DA party-time! Woohoo. No criminal investigation, and he's running unopposed for reelection in November. Lucky guy.

In the other corner, we have Vito Fossella, who has a law degree from Fordham University. He's the U.S. congressman from New York who got busted for drunk driving in Virginia last week.

The DUI charge has led to the unraveling of his double life. Turns out the married father of three has a lady friend and lovechild in the D.C. region. From the New York Times:

Representative Vito J. Fossella, the Staten Island Republican who was arrested on drunken-driving charges in Virginia last week, acknowledged on Thursday that he had fathered a daughter, now 3, in an extramarital affair. But he declined to address questions about his political future.

Mr. Fossella, who has three children with his wife on Staten Island, issued a terse statement that said nothing about the events leading to his arrest, which occurred hours after he attended a White House reception celebrating the New York Giants’ victory in the Super Bowl.

At least he wasn't drinking during office hours.

Newsome: 'I sincerely apologize' [Colorado Springs Gazette]
'POP' GOES THE WEASEL VITO [New York Post]
Fossella Admits He Had an Extramarital Affair [New York Times]

That's what many of you have been wondering, in emails to us and in comments. We've investigated the situation at Thacher Proffitt & Wood, and we now bring you this detailed report.

We'll start off with the big rumors:

1. Thacher Proffitt laid off additional associates earlier this week.

The firm's response: "As always, we continue to talk to associates in the areas most affected by the market conditions."

Sounds a tad Orwellian, and suggests that some additional reductions in the associate ranks did in fact take place (since it's not an outright denial). But we don't have any details, in terms of numbers of lawyers affected, departments, severance, etc. If you do, we'd love to hear from you.

2. TPW is delaying the start date for the incoming first year class until late October (which may need to be extended until January).

Partly true, partly not. From the firm: "The start date for incoming litigation associates remains the same. The start date for others has been moved to October 20th."

3. The White Plains office is being closed.

The firm denies this outright: "The rumor related to our White Plains office is not true."

More detailed discussion about the situation at Thacher Proffitt -- which sounds rather grave, according to the former, current, and future TPW lawyers we heard from -- after the jump.

For Monday's Lawyer of the Day, we faced an embarrassment of riches -- of embarrassment. So we nominated a quintet of contenders: a North Carolina lawyer caught reading Maxim in court, a former prosecutor who allegedly had sex with two teenage boys, an AUSA arrested on DUI charges, a Canadian lawyer/politician who allegedly overbilled an order of nuns, and a Chicago lawyer who keyed a Marine's car. Then we had you vote on who should take the honors.

Participation was enthusiastic, with almost 1,300 votes cast. Two contenders emerged early in the voting: Beth Modica, the allegedly predatory prosecutrix, and Jay Grodner, who pleaded guilty to keying the Marine's vehicle. Competition was fierce. But in the end, Mrs. Modica came out on top.

So congratulations, Beth Modica. You take the prize as Monday's Lawyer of the Day!

Read more about her alleged misadventures, after the jump.

Last week was a busy one in terms of bonus news. In addition, we were prevented from publishing as much as we wanted by technical difficulties (which lie outside the jurisdiction of your undersigned blogger, a mere writer and not a tech person).

Our recent neglect of the "misbehaving lawyers" beat has given rise to a backlog of possible Lawyers of the Day. We've decided to clear the backlog by tossing out five nominees and having you vote on who should get the honor.

Click on each lawyer's name to read more about their alleged misadventures. Then vote on who should be our Lawyer of the Day.

1. Todd Paris: This North Carolina lawyer was held in contempt after a judge caught him reading Maxim [quasi-NSFW] in court. "When [Judge Kevin] Eddinger gave Paris a chance to respond he apologized and 'stated in his view the magazine was not pornography, was available at local stores and that he did not intend contempt,' the [contempt] order said."

2. Beth Modica: "A former suburban prosecutor and PTA president had sex with two underage boys, joined many other teens in booze and pot parties and kept it all a secret from her police chief husband, officials said Tuesday. Beth Modica, 44, was indicted on 35 counts alleging statutory rape, criminal sex acts, sex abuse and endangering children. Wearing an olive-gray suit and handcuffs, she pleaded not guilty at her arraignment in Rockland County Court and was ordered held on $75,000 bail."

3. Mikal Hanson: "Pierre police early Thursday morning arrested an assistant U.S. attorney, who is accused of drunken driving and speeding. Mikal Hanson, 52, an assistant U.S. attorney in Sioux Falls, was stopped by police shortly before 1 a.m. for speeding, said Pierre Police Chief Elton Blemaster. The arresting officer could smell alcohol on Hanson and asked him to perform field sobriety tests, Blemaster said. 'Mr. Hanson didn't complete them as instructed,' he said."

4. Canadian Senator Mobina Jaffer: "Liberal Senator Mobina Jaffer is under investigation by the Law Society of British Columbia for allegedly overbilling one of her legal clients, including charging for 30 hours of work in a single day.... Jaffer has been called before the law society to account for more than $6 million in legal bills charged to her former client, a Catholic missionary order known as the Oblates of Mary Immaculate."

5. Jay Grodner: From the Chicago Tribune (via Blackfive.net):

Jay Grodner, the Chicago lawyer who keyed a Marine's car in anger because the car had military plates and a Marine insignia, finally got his day in court last week. Grodner pleaded guilty in a Chicago courtroom packed with former Marines. They came to support Marine Sgt. Michael McNulty, whose car Grodner defaced in December, but who couldn't attend because he's preparing for his second tour in Iraq....

"You caused damage to this young Marine sergeant's car because you were offended by his Marine Corps license plates," said Judge [William] O'Malley....

"That's because there is a little principle that the Marine Corps has had since 1775," the judge continued. "When they fought and lost their lives so that people like you could enjoy the freedom of this country. It is a little proverb that we follow: "No Marine is left behind.

"So Sgt. McNulty couldn't be here. But other Marines showed up in his stead. Take him away," said the judge and former Marine.

So those are the five contestants. Here's the poll:

* Calling all cougars -- and the young studs who love them. If you're a single female who earns more than $500,000 a year (e.g., a Biglaw partner), you should check out this event. [DealBreaker]

* Canadian lawyers are horndogs, too. [Legal Blog Watch]

* "Though I did not think Judge Kopf owed me anything, I was not about to refuse a beer from a federal judge." [Sentencing Law & Policy]

* Hillary Clinton as Tracy Flick? [Slate TV via Althouse]

* Survivor winner Yul Kwon, with whom we went to law school, contemplates a congressional run. Go Yul! [Washington Examiner]

Ah, to be a federal judge. Life tenure means never having to say you're sorry (unlike those state judges, like the hat-hating Holly Hollenbeck).

Judge Samuel Kent (S.D. Tex.), who has lawyered up in response to being charged with sexual misconduct by a court employee, is speaking out -- sort of. In an interview published earlier this week in the Houston Chronicle, he tried to win some sympathy from the public.

Judge Kent discussed his struggles with alcohol (like Justice Thomas in his recent memoir), his diabetes, and the death of his first wife from brain cancer. But he did not address the substance of the allegations made against him:

"As with every human controversy, there are absolutely two sides to this one, and I will vigorously present mine at the appropriate time," he told the Houston Chronicle. "It has been extremely frustrating for me, my family and my staff not to be able to speak in my defense."...

He declined to address specifics of the misconduct allegations against him, citing federal laws that make judicial investigations secret.

So according to Judge Kent, there is another side of the story. As for what exactly it is, stay tuned.

After the jump, selected comments on the story from Houston Chronicle readers.

Kent talks of personal struggles [Houston Chronicle]
U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent Hires Dick DeGuerin, Meets With FBI [Texas Lawyer]

If you're in Iowa, we're guessing you have plans tonight. But if you're in New York City, and looking for something to do from 8:30 p.m. onward, consider attending the Law Blogger Happy Hour:

Thursday, Jan. 3, 2008, 8:30-10:30PM

Fireplace Room within Library Bar at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers

811 7th Avenue (at 53rd Street)

It's bitterly cold in the Big Apple right now: 19 degrees (and it feels like 10). So come in from the cold, plant yourself in front of that roaring fire -- they don't call it the "Fireplace Room" for nothing -- and cozy up to some of your favorite law professor/bloggers.

The holiday season isn't that far behind us, so who knows... Maybe there will be egg nog!

Concurring Opinions--PrawfsBlawg Happy Hour at AALS [Concurring Opinions]
Happy New Year! [PrawfsBlawg]

The Grinch stole... my Lincoln town car! This afternoon, the following email was sent to all personnel in the New York office of Dewey & LeBoeuf:

To: "DL All NY Personnel"

Sent: 12/11/2007, 12:42 PM

Subject: Holiday Party

As a reminder, the firm will be hosting a holiday party for the New York office this Monday, December 17. The party will be held at Del Frisco's from 6:00 pm - 10:00 pm, and will include a full bar, raw bar, carving stations and a DJ. We hope you join us and enjoy the event -- as we wind down an exciting year in our history, we certainly have a lot to celebrate.

Due to the increased number of attendees this year, we kindly ask that all attendees provide for their own transportation home. Furthermore, as we welcome all personnel from all three of our New York locations, we are unfortunately unable to accommodate spouses or guests at this year's party.

We thank you for all of your hard work and dedication in 2007 and look forward to seeing you at the holiday party next week.

------------------------------------------------------------
Dewey & LeBoeuf LLP
1301 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10019

A law firm holiday party without a chauffeur to ferry you home? Heresy! One tipster opines:

This seems quite ludicrous. They're offering an open bar for four hours, and yet they're telling everyone to find their own transportation home. Aside from the potential liability issues this may raise, it seems ridiculous that a firm as big as Dewey would require everyone to find their own car rides home.

Ah, but maybe size is the problem. When two already large, New York-based firms merge with one another, is the resulting behemoth so ginormous that covering its holiday party would suck up every livery vehicle on the island of Manhattan?

(Then again, a question: Does Skadden provide transportation home for people from its holiday party?)

To well-paid associates who live in Manhattan, springing for a cab may not be a big deal. But this may be somewhat inconvenient to support staff who live farther way -- e.g., hipster paralegals from Brooklyn, secretaries from Staten Island. Perhaps they will leave the festivities earlier than usual this year and take mass transit.

Does your firm provide transportation home from your holiday party? Feel free to share in the comments.

Update: Yes, we did note the dis-inviting of plus-ones (as pointed out in the comments). But that's par for the course, or "market," for New York law firm holiday parties. We believe that of the six firms whose parties we described in this piece, only one -- Sullivan & Cromwell -- allows spouses or dates.

Earlier: 'Tis the Season: A Round-Up of New York Law Firm Holiday Parties
Do Plaintiffs Lawyers Throw the Best Parties?