On Above The Law, we love writing about colorful lawyers and judges, but we harbor special affection for the womb from which these characters emerge: law school. We'll end this year by looking back over some of our favorite stories of 2008 about the antics and adventures of law school students and their professors and deans.

The first post in this series will focus on the two most celebrated law school students of the year. One hails from Harvard Law School, and the other one from the University of Arizona, and one from Arizona State University. [Ed. note: On Dec. 30, we added a third law school student, per popular demand.] Their names should be familiar to regular ATL readers. And non-regular ATL readers should learn the names and get up to speed.

Of the over 140,000 law students out there, find out which two stood out in ATL's review of 2008, after the jump.

Apologies, readers. Although we broke the story of high-profile lawyer Marc Dreier's arrest in Canada, we've fallen behind in covering the latest developments in the Dreier saga (of which there have been many). Fortunately, our friends over at Am Law Daily and the WSJ Law Blog have been following the story quite closely.

We've collected some links at the end of this post. The highlights:

• A summary of recent developments, from the WSJ Law Blog: "Dreier appeared to get hit from all sides: a criminal charge in New York stemming from an alleged $100 million fraud against various hedge funds; an SEC suit alleging Dreier had been marketing and selling fake promissory notes to investors; and a suit by Wachovia Bank against Dreier, Dreier LLP (and a handful of others), alleging that a credit revolver and term loan extended to the firm are in default, as of November 1, upon which the bank is owed some $12.7 million."

  

• The latest news, from Am Law Daily: "[I]t appears very likely that client funds are indeed missing, according to a sworn statement (PDF) that Dreier partner Joel Chernov gave the SEC.... In the statement, Chernov said Dreier spoke to him and fellow Dreier partner Steven Gursky from a Toronto jail after his arrest there for impersonating a lawyer in an attempt to scam an investment group into wiring him more than $30 million. In those conversations, Chernov told the SEC, Dreier admitted improperly using client funds. Dreier also said that he could have refilled the escrow accounts if only he could return to New York. How? Apparently by selling part of an art collection valued at between $30 and $40 million, according to a separate statement (PDF) from John Provenzano, the firm's Controller."

  "In his statement, Provenzano claimed Dreier called him twice from the Toronto jail asking him in separate requests to wire $8 million and $10 million from the firm's escrow accounts into Dreier's personal accounts. Provenzano (wisely) refused. He also told Dreier the firm owed clients $38 million in connection with its representation of 360Networks. That's when Dreier mentioned the money he could make selling his art."

  Fine art -- no surprises there. As noted, Marc Dreier has a taste for the finer things in life (like luxury real estate).

  And that's not all. A source tells us that Dreier is something of a playboy, with a pattern and practice of dating Maxim models (yes, plural). And "not 'Maxim-quality' models," emphasized our source, "but actual Maxim models."

  If Marc Dreier ends up in prison, at least he'll have nice memories to keep him warm at night.

  Filings Describe "Devastating Effect" on Dreier LLP [WSJ Law Blog]
  Client Funds Missing, Details on Dreier's Art Collection, Attorneys Fleeing [Am Law Daily]
  Dreier Faces More Allegations [Wall Street Journal (subscription)]
  The Death of the Dreier Model [Am Law Daily]

The homepage of Gibson Dunn & Crutcher asks: "What makes Gibson unlike any other firm?" One of our tipsters offers one possibility: Gibson summer associates have moonlight careers.

Found it funny that the model on the front page of this support site for adult websites is also the model on the Gibson Dunn career site (go to Hiring, then Law Student).

Tough Market, j/k.

We find it funny that you are on the support site page for adult websites, tipster. The support page links to such delightful sites as "Arab Street Hookers," "Human Toilet Bowls," and "The Amputee."

We've gone back and forth between the Gibson and Porn Support site photos, and there is a strong resemblance. What do you think?

Where do lawyers turned reality TV contestants go? After their television careers, they take different paths.

Some return to their law firms. E.g., Charlie Herschel (Survivor / Weil Gotshal); Denise Gitsham (The Bachelor / K&L Gates); and Stacy Rotner (The Apprentice / Sidley). Some stay in the world of entertainment. E.g., David Otunga (engaged to Oscar-winning songstress Jennifer Hudson); Yul Kwon (Survivor winner, who then worked for CNN as a special correspondent).

And some have ups and downs. Remember Jeremy Anderson, the hottie from Hunton & Williams who competed for DeAnna Pappas's hand on the latest season of The Bachelorette? Shortly after the show ended, his life wasn't so glamorous. From a Texas tipster:

Jeremy, the runner-up from the Bachelorette, is working as a contract attorney upstairs at my firm [McKool Smith in Dallas]. Looks like Hunton Williams didn't invite him back to the firm after the show ended. I heard about it because a bunch of the secretaries were going to the doc review floor to go check him out. I personally wasn't about to make my way up there to stare at the guy.

Other indignities inflicted upon poor Jeremy (from a different reader, in mid-September):

I was at lunch today at Jason's Deli in downtown Dallas with all of the other downtown workers. Well, all of a sudden, a familiar face walked in for a take-out order: Jeremy from the Bachelorette. My, how the mighty have fallen. From national TV to getting his own lunch.

And that wasn't the end of it. Get this: Jeremy Anderson has been doing catalog modeling for JCPenney. And not just regular JC Penney, but the JC Penney outlet store.

(No joke -- we have photographic proof. The photos show that Jeremy, whose magnificent shirtless torso was featured prominently on The Bachelorette, has gained weight since leaving the show.)

But our hero's tale has a happy ending. Read more, and check out the pictures -- including the J.C. Penney catalog images -- after the jump.

Lawyer turned Survivor contestant Charlie Herschel, right, with your above-signed writer (in the yellow Survivor do-rag).

As previously reported in these pages, Charlie Herschel -- a 29-year-old, openly gay associate at Weil, Gotshal & Manges in New York -- is a contestant on Survivor: Gabon, which had its two-hour season premiere last night. We're pleased to report that Charlie is still in the running for the one million dollars. To read more about our handsome hero, including details of his friendship with fellow gay Clay Aiken, check out this interesting interview with Herschel in The Advocate.

Last night, we headed over to Professor Thom's in the East Village, to attend a "Survivor" premiere party in Charlie's honor. It was hosted by his employer, Weil Gotshal -- which is doing well in the downturn, thanks in large part to its top-flight bankruptcy practice.

Correction: The party was not officially hosted by Weil, although many WGM attorneys were in attendance.

More discussion, plus a slideshow of party pics, after the jump.

Rebecca Cohn was a California assemblywoman representing Buena Vista, Burbank, Cambrian Park, Campbell, Fruitdale, and parts of San Jose and Santa Clara. After losing to Jim Beall, she decided to matriculate at UC Davis School of Law (King Hall).

Cohn said that her lifelong dream was to attend law school. But she apparently couldn't shake the political monkey: she decided to run for 1L representative. Our friends at The Shark pick up the story from there:

No doubt recognizing the tough road ahead of her, Cohn ran her 1L Representative campaign with some enthusiasm that stunned some students. Her ascension to high profile student caused a commotion on campus that involved: a war over her Wikipedia entry, the re-use of signs from her assembly campaign, and several salacious rumors that are too inflammatory and unverified to repeat.

If we receive any "salacious" rumors, we will happily repeat them.

The Shark at least hinted at the tenor of the rumors swirling around Cohn:

Most of these rumors seem to stem from the report that her San Jose magazine cover ... prompted two assembly aides to sue her for creating a sexually charged workplace. Cohn, who is single, seems to be avoiding this situation at King Hall: the San Jose Mercury News reported that she has not been asked out on a date by a single King Hall student.

More on Cohn's campaign craziness, after the jump.

Things are looking good these days for Weil, Gotshal & Manges. For the sixth year in a row, it made the top 10 of the Vault 100. It took fourth place in the American Lawyer's A-List rankings, and turned in a strong showing in the magazine's midlevel associate survey (#11 out of 80+ New York firms).

And Weil attorneys are an interesting crew, too. Some plunge into rapping careers. And some compete on reality shows!

Meet first-year associate Charlie Herschel. He's a contestant on the latest season of Survivor, premiering on September 25. From his bio:

Charlie Herschel has been a fan of SURVIVOR since the first season and has been training for it ever since. A lawyer for one of the top 10 most prestigious law firms in the world, Herschel is ready to try his persuasion skills on a different type of jury.

This 29-year-old, marathon-running attorney and University of Pennsylvania graduate says he is above nothing when he gets to the island. Charlie's strategy is to be authentic but with a twist. "With high risks, come high rewards, but the risks must be calculated." The middle son of three boys and a native New Yorker, the Ivy Leaguer is not afraid to claw his way to the top.

If Herschel can survive in the Biglaw jungle, Gabon should be a piece of cake. And there's precedent for lawyers faring well on Survivor. E.g., Yul Kwon (winner of Survivor: Cook Islands, and a year behind us at YLS).

Now, large law firms can be a bit stodgy. Some don't react well to their associates' forays into reality television. See, e.g., David Otunga (from I Love New York 2, and no longer at Sidley); Jeremy Anderson (from The Bachelorette, and no longer at Hunton & Williams). But see Denise Gitsham (welcomed back by K&L Gates, after appearing on The Bachelor); Stacy Rotner (still at Sidley, after appearing on The Apprentice; guess it's more respectable than I Love New York 2).

What was Weil's response to Charlie Herschel going on Survivor? Find out -- and ogle photos of a shirtless Herschel -- after the jump.

As noted in an update to our prior post, the Hot Attorney website was taken down yesterday, shortly after we linked to it.

Now we know a little bit more, although not much, about what happened. From a piece by Leigh Jones in the National Law Journal:

A Web site featuring "hot" young female associates at several prominent law firms quickly pulled the plug Monday after some of the women on the site discovered that their photos and profiles were posted.

Nice scare-quotes around the word "hot," Leigh. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

Following attention the site received from the law gossip blog Above The Law Monday and from at least one reporter inquiring about its content, HotAttorney.com closed the site.

"On our own initiative, we decided to take the site down earlier today," said an unidentified source responding to an e-mail requesting an interview.

The person writing the e-mail did not respond to a request to reveal his or her identity. The Web site did not include the name of a contact.

Some of the featured hotties were all hot 'n bothered:

Some of the women who were featured on the site were unaware that their photos and profiles were posted and were angry when they found out.

"It's demeaning and sexist," said Abby L. Sacunas, an associate at Cozen O'Connor who said Monday that she did not know that she was included on Hot Attorney until contacted by a reporter from The National Law Journal. "I think we should sue them."

Hmm... What would the cause of action be? Not defamation, since a declaration of hotness is a compliment (and non-actionable opinion, too). Not public disclosure of private facts, since the hotness determinations were made based on publicly available firm website photos. Not any type of harassment, if you're merely putting up a comely attorney's photo and expressing admiration.

Read more, after the jump.

On the one hand, we wish we had come up with the idea for Hot Attorney ourselves (gavel bang: Thrillist). On the other hand, it has the potential to spiral out of control, a la the Skadden hotties contest. So maybe it's just as well that we're not hosting it on ATL (where commenters can get rowdy).

The Hot Attorney website is explained well by Thrillist:

Everyone knows lawyers can be useful for boring stuff like antitrust suits and that Scopes Trial thing, but can they get a bunch of schlubs into a nightclub, or slyly cleavage their way out of a speeding ticket? These lawyers can: Hot Attorney.

Started by two outside-the-box e-pervs, HA's goal is to catalog counselors so smokin, it's basically like Law & Order without all the dudes, or Benjamin Bratt. All the goods're pulled from the firms' own sites, with luscious litigators from Portland to Stockholm coming from both emailed tips and the proprietors' own diligent 'net research -- dozens of hours of accidentally looking at photos of men named Courtney.

Beyond daily posts, HA's also loaded with special sections like Appointed Counsels (reader-selected), a profile-click-dictated Supreme Court, even Pretty Paralegals, because the people actually doing the work can be hot, too.

Unlike the Skadden hotties contest, nominees can -- and probably will, with some regularity -- withdraw themselves from consideration:

Even though all the info/photos're publicly available, the HA guys'll axe any profiles if the featured hottie finds it offensive -- because everyone knows that the thing lawyers're most useful for is ruining everybody's fun.

To check out some of the winners thus far, click here, then scroll down the page. The honoree for June 30 was Denise Gitsham of K&L Gates, featured in ATL back in March for being a former contestant on The Bachelor.

One quibble: Where are the male hotties? If men were eligible to be Hot Attorney of the Day, we'd throw our support behind Jeremy Anderson, an SMU Law grad and former Hunton & Williams associate. Jeremy is one of the two finalists made it to the final three in the latest season of The Bachelorette (season finale on ABC, today at 8 PM).

Update: Hot Attorney, RIP. As noted by a commenter, the site has been taken down:

HotAttorney - The Web's Hottest Attorneys ["official" website, via Thrillist]
Hot Attorney [Thrillist]

Some people just can't stay out of trouble. As soon as they get out of one scrape, they find themselves in another.

Take Gary Zerola, the dashing ex-prosecutor who was once named a "Most Eligible Bachelor" by People magazine. We named him Lawyer of the Day back in October 2007, after he was arrested in Miami for allegedly drugging and raping a college student.

As we previously reported, Zerola went to trial on rape charges in a different case and prevailed. In a second rape case, he was acquitted again. Charges in a third case, the Miami matter we originally wrote about, were dropped.

Now Gary Zerola is back in the news. From the Boston Globe:

Gary Zerola, a former prosecutor who was acquitted of rape charges, pleaded not guilty today in Boston Municipal Court to assault and battery on a police officer and other charges, after an incident downtown during Celtics victory celebrations last night.

Police apprehended Zerola at 1:45 a.m. after he was allegedly spotted urinating in public near State and Congress streets, according to Jake Wark, a spokesman for the Suffolk District Attorney's office. When asked what he was doing, Zerola allegedly used an open hand to strike a police officer in the upper right shoulder, Wark said.

Weak sauce, Gary. If you're going to hit a cop, make a closed fist.

Zerola, 36, ran but was quickly arrested on charges that also included disturbing the peace and resisting arrest. Judge Tom Horgan released Zerola on personal recognizance and scheduled a pretrial conference for Aug. 7.

Sounds undignified. Did he try to flee with his pants around his ankles? Was a big wet spot visible when he was arrested?

Former prosecutor, acquitted of rape, faces Celtics celebration rowdiness charge [Boston Globe]
Boston 'Eligible Bachelor' Who Escaped Rape Charges Arrested for Alleged Indecent Exposure, Assault [Fox News]

Our Bachelorette-watching days are probably over. We missed last night's episode -- and one of the two lawyers was eliminated on it, dramatically reducing the show's legal relevance.

As ATL readers go, so goes Bachelorette DeAnna Pappas. In our reader poll, almost 80 percent of you favored Jeremy over Fred. Consistent with your verdict, DeAnna eliminated Fred this week, leaving Jeremy as the only lawyer-finalist. For an episode recap, see here (a Bachelor-loving lawyer's take) or here (the official ABC recap).

We did learn, from our readers, a little more about Fred. Apparently his full name is Fred Greif (not Fred Glick, as previously rumored). And here's some information about his employment (which could be construed as a cautionary tale for anyone considering law school):

Fred graduated John Marshall Law School in Chicago in 2002. He never practiced or got a "legal job" post graduation.

He's a gym teacher at a Catholic school in Chicago. He teaches my friend's kids. That's why you can't find anything on him.

In the recent "lawyer" vs. "attorney" discussion thread, some of you theorized that "lawyer" refers to any law school graduate, while "attorney" refers to a licensed, practicing lawyer. By this standard, even if Fred isn't an "attorney," he can honestly represent himself as a "lawyer" on the Bachelorette. It certainly sounds more glamorous than "gym teacher."

As for the remaining attorney-contestant, congratulations to Jeremy Anderson. Apparently he's now "the longest-lasting attorney on any Bachelor/Bachelorette show ever," according to Bachelor News Update. We wish him the best of luck.

Update: If you're a fan of lawyers on reality shows, a tipster passes this along:

There is also an attorney on this season of The Mole. I can't remember his name, but he's a fairly handsome black man.

Our source seems to be thinking of Clay, 32, who is indeed a rather handsome African-American gent. He's a graduate of Howard Law School who works as a litigator in Philadelphia, focused on criminal cases.

Double D Part 4: Smooth. Rich. Succulent. [Bachelor News Update]
Recap: 06/09/2008 - Episode 404 [The Bachelor / ABC]

We just finished watching The Bachelorette, which has featured a few lawyer-contestants this season. We're happy to report that the attorneys are doing well. Out of nine bachelors still in the running for the hand of the lovely DeAnna Pappas, two are attorneys: Jeremy and Fred.

The frontrunner -- between the two of them, and on the whole show right now -- is 30-year-old Jeremy Anderson (SMU Law / Hunton & Williams). He's rubbing the other guys the wrong way, but much of it seems to be player-hating. DeAnna is definitely falling for him, as are ATL readers. In our poll, 85 percent of you picked him over Eric Papachristos of Ropes & Gray, who got the ax last week.

We can see why. Last month, a reader commended Jeremy's abs to us. We don't know how this (male) reader was aware of Jeremy's fine physique, but thanks to this week's poolside cavorting, we were able to see for ourselves -- and concur. Thumbnail at right; click to enlarge.

Fred, also a 30-year-old lawyer, is a more mysterious candidate. His last name is rumored to be Glick, although that hasn't been confirmed. A reader tells us that he graduated from Chicago's John Marshall Law School about five years ago. It's not clear where he currently works. (If you know, please email us.)

We're not big Fred fans. He's on the doughy side, at least compared to the other contestants, and he came across like a tool during his attempt to ambush DeAnna during her one-on-time with Jeremy.

But Fred redeemed himself during the contestants' pilgramage to the Oracle of Lesbos, Ellen DeGeneres. His explanation of DeAnna's best quality was rambling (and highlighted that heavy Chicago accent), but Ellen seemed taken by it -- combined with his performance in the "dance-off." She gave him a rose.

So both Jeremy and Fred are still in the running. Which lawyer-lover do you prefer?

Earlier: The Lawyer and the Bachelorette

Bless us, Father, for we have sinned. Last night we watched the Bachelorette.

It was for journalistic reasons -- really. We wanted to do an update to our prior post, about a lawyer competing for the hand of the Bachelorette, DeAnna Pappas.

Or make that "lawyers"? He's not identified as a lawyer in his bio, which refers to him merely as a "senior analyst," but Eric Papachristos, 31, apparently works in the Boston office of Ropes & Gray.

In addition, according to the Boston Herald (which confirms his Ropes & Gray connection), Eric co-owns Gypsy Bar, Victoria's Diner, and The Breakfast Club. We aren't familiar with these fine establishments, but if you are, feel free to chime in.

Sadly for him, Eric might want to keep his day job(s), since he was eliminated last night from the Bachelorette. He tried to bond with DeAnna over their shared Greek heritage, but she was having none of it. As he was sent home, Eric confessed that "it hurts to be rejected" and that he's "never had to compete for someone's affection before."

Correction: Whoops, sorry about that. Although Eric works for Ropes, he is not a lawyer; he handles "Financial Planning and Analysis" for the firm. See his LinkedIn profile (via a commenter).

But another legal eagle, Jeremy Anderson, fared much better. He's now viewed by his fellow contestants as the frontrunner, having racked up two roses. Here's how he succeeded, from EW.com:

In the Dodger dugout, he told DeAnna that both of his parents are dead and that he's had a hard time opening up because he's trying to protect himself and his family. DeAnna, whose mother died of cancer when she was 12, now has someone who knows what she's experienced. Jeremy's position on the show, and maybe even in DeAnna's heart, seems secure. Is he for real?

Real or not, he's quite a hottie (with ample upper-body strength -- he came in second fared well in the push-up contest). Furthermore, when Jeremy and DeAnna got their smooch on, he looked like a good kisser.

But Eric, who got the boot, isn't bad-looking either. He got sent home, even though some less attractive gents (in our opinion) were allowed to stay on.

Who's hotter, Eric or Jeremy? Compare their headshots at the top of this post, then take our poll below.

Update: As noted in the comments, there is a second lawyer on the show: Fred, a 30-year-old lawyer from Chicago. If you know more about his professional background -- for example, where he went to law school or where he works -- please enlighten us (in the comments or by email).

Earlier: SMU Law Grad to Vie for the Bachelorette's Heart

Several loyal ATL readers (and Bachelorette watchers?) tipped us off to a lawyer being among the 25 bachelors competing on the ABC reality TV show this season.

The eligible bachelor is 30-year-old Texan Jeremy Anderson. ABC cites his profession as "real estate attorney." He's a December 2007 grad of SMU Dedman School of Law.

Speaking of layoffs at Hunton & Williams, our tipster says Anderson (who summered there in 2007) was let go from their Dallas office when he went on the show:

A first-year Dallas associate (who took the February 2008 bar) was placed on probation by Hunton Williams after asking for a leave of absence to do The Bachelorette. The firm is apparently waiting for the season to air before making a final decision, although they obviously plan to fire him. Who has the gall to ask for a leave of absence during their first year, especially to do a reality TV show? But assuming it's a legitimate reason to request time off, is Hunton's reaction reasonable and fair?

His name is Jeremy Anderson... There's a rumor that he makes it to the final three. His bio was taken off Hunton's website.

When we called Hunton about the layoff rumors in Charlotte, we also asked about Anderson. The only comment we got from their spokesperson was, "On a personal note, I love the show."

We appreciate your sending this along, ATL readers. As one of you predicts, we will "enjoy covering Jeremy . . . and his abs."

Meet Laura Leigh Reifinger, pictured below, a member of the class of 2011 at Fordham Law School (and a bona fide hottie, at least in our opinion). She's currently featured in the pages of Time Out - New York, as part of this contest:

THE HORNY ISSUE
Naked Poll (Women)

TONY readers want to strip for you. Read their stories, and vote on whom you want to see in her birthday suit. One winner will appear, in all her glory, in a future issue of our magazine.

Says the (female) tipster who sent this our way: "This girl obviously hasn't heard of ATL. I'm sure she would say she's a feminist. Sigh."

Here she is -- Laura, not the tipster -- for your viewing pleasure. If you want to support her candidacy, click on the image, which will take you to the voting page:

Update (5:15 PM): As a commenter notes, contestant #3, Tonya Canada, is a "word processor at a corporate law firm." So it looks like the legal profession has at least two competitors in this race.

Update (6:39 PM): As another commenter points out, it looks like Laura Leigh Reifinger has been removed from the contest.

Update (5/16/08): For Ms. Reifinger's statement explaining why she withdrew from the contest, click here.

The horny issue: Naked poll (women) [Time Out New York]

Here is a Tale of Two Judges: the Honorable Alex Kozinski, the relatively new chief judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit; and the Honorable Elizabeth Halverson, district judge in Clark County, Nevada.

Both are judges in the western United States. Both are colorful figures and well-known judicial mavericks. And both have been in the news lately. Chief Judge Kozinski graces the cover of California Lawyer magazine, which describes him -- and rightfully so -- as "brilliant, charming, and provocative." Meanwhile, Judge Halverson has been all over the national media in the past few days, thanks to this less-than-favorable AP report (picked up by many news outlets).

In light of these similarities, we decided to conduct a head-to-head comparison of the two jurists. Check it out, below the fold.

At around noon, the jury reached a guilty verdict in the week-long trial of Jack Jordan, alleged stalker of Uma Thurman. The jury deliberated for one full day. Presumably the jurors were moved by the beautiful actress's dramatic reading from Jordan's disturbing correspondence.

Jordan was convicted of stalking and aggravated harassment. Sentencing is set for June 2nd.

Jordan, by the way, is rather well-educated. He's a 1994 grad of the University of Chicago (undergrad, not law), who has also done some graduate work. But he's had mental health issues over the years; in late 2005, he was involuntarily committed. He rejected a plea deal that would have placed him in a mental facility for 18 months.

Thurman testified that she was terrified by Jordan's overtures. But if he had tried to do her harm, we suspect he would have encountered a world of hurt. If you've seen Kill Bill, you know that Uma Thurman is a badass.

Guilty verdict in Uma Thurman stalking trial [WABC via Gawker]
Jury Finds Accused Thurman Stalker Guilty [WCBS via Drudge]

As you may recall, when Governor Eliot Spitzer was told that "Kristen" would be servicing him, he asked what she looked like.

Here's what one student at the Spitzers' alma mater had to say on the subject, after seeing the Spitzers' 1984 HLS yearbook photos (in black and white, at right; the color photos are of Kristen):

Some have said young Silda kind of resembles Kristen the Call Girl.

Not sure I see it, but that's a depressing thought.

Actually, we kinda do see a resemblance. But since Spitzer is (or was) a politician, let's put it up to the popular vote:

While we're on the subject of the Spitzers and their Harvard Law School days, a different tipster tells us:

I'm in Alvin Warren's corporate tax class, and he said in class on Tuesday, when somehow the subject of him not teaching came up: "What would I be doing if I weren't teaching? I'd be like Spitzer -- doomed to be rich in New York. [Pause.] He took this class. As, alas, did his wife. I take no responsibility though."

Finally, as several of you noted in the comments to our earlier post, Silda Spitzer has canceled her HLS appearance, originally scheduled for today. For confirmation, see the Harvard Law Record (last paragraph). See also the program, where Silda Spitzer's name no longer appeals.

Eliot Spitzer '84 Resigns as Governor of New York [Harvard Law Record]
A Celebration of Public Interest: March 13-15, 2008 [Harvard Law School]

When law students are choosing among law firms, they inquire into such predictable things. What's the firm's billable hour requirement? How is work distributed? What about pro bono? For lawyers involved in recruiting, it must get boring to have to answer the same questions over and over again.

So law students, next time you interview with a firm, ask about something that really matters: What is the firm's policy towards associates who want to participate in reality television shows?

Is the firm supportive of such endeavors? Can I take a leave of absence for the show's filming, and then return in good standing? If so, will my year-end bonus get prorated?

As it turns out, Biglaw shops take different approaches to reality TV. It was rumored that Sidley Austin was none too pleased when associate David Otunga decided to participate in I Love New York 2 (and he is no longer at the firm). As for his performance on the show, the Harvard Law School grad made it to the final three, before losing to "Buddha" and "Tailor Made."

Contrast Sidley's reaction to that of K&L Gates. The firm allowed an associate in its Washington office -- the highly attractive Denise Gitsham, 30, a recent Georgetown Law grad and former Bush aide -- to take leave to be on "The Bachelor." Now it welcomes her back with open arms. From an email recently sent around by D.C.-based partner Mark Ruge:

All:

This Monday, at 9:30 p.m. on ABC, is the season premier of the hit television show, The Bachelor. ("The Bachelor" is the nation's highest-rated reality TV show in the 18-45 female demographic group. It is now entering its 12th season on network television.)

Believe it or not, one of the contestants this season will be our own associate Denise Gitsham, who was away "on location" during much of February. Here is a link to the show's web site and Denise's bio:

http://abc.go.com/primetime/bachelor/index?pn=bios#t=bachelorettes&d=85609

Denise's name, photo, and bio were submitted to the show by her cousin, and Denise was selected to be one of the show's 25 bachelorettes out of more than 12,000 applicants. She was under extreme confidentiality requirements during her adventure (and still is to some degree). At least now, though, she is free to admit what she was doing during her mysterious leave in February.

Just thought you would like to know...

Mark

K&L Gates lawyers: if you need to send something to Denise via intra-office mail, the delivery should be accompanied by a rose. Thanks.

P.S. We can't find Denise Gitsham on the firm website (although we did find a "Denise Stiffarm" in Seattle). We're guessing that Denise has been too busy filming The Bachelor to fill out all that pesky bar admission paperwork.

Update: Denise Gitsham is now on the K&L Gates website.

Denise Gitsham bio [The Bachelor]

We greatly enjoyed our recent visit to the University of Chicago Law School. The U. Chicago students were very welcoming and made us feel right at home, even inviting us to their law school musical -- which, by the way, was delightful.

(We added many of them as friends on Facebook before we were mysteriously banned from the site, without notice or explanation. So if you no longer see us on FB, it's not because we "de-friended" you, but because our account was disabled.)

A few Chicago students, however, had a bone to pick with us. They objected to this ATL post, which cast the recently announced departure of Professor Cass Sunstein -- prominent scholar, beloved teacher, and possible Supreme Court nominee under President Obama -- as a hiring coup by Harvard Law School, a triumph by HLS over Chicago. They emphasized that Professor Sunstein's leaving the Windy City for Cambridge was prompted by personal rather than professional reasons.

Professor Sunstein said as much his farewell email (emphasis added; in fact, all emphases added throughout this post, unless otherwise indicated):

I'm writing to say that I've just accepted an appointment at Harvard Law School. It is an understatement to say that I don't take this step easily or lightly. As most of you know, I've been reflecting on this question for several years. I finally decided, for personal reasons, that I need a change.

Since he's a prominent Obama supporter -- as well an adviser to the campaign, but more on that later, since it ties into our tale -- it's not surprising that Professor Sunstein is All About Change.

The law school's popular leader, Dean Saul Levmore, also stressed the personal component to Professor Sunstein's move. As he told the University of Chicago's student newspaper, the Maroon:

"I'm sort of embarrassed that [the story] said that the University of Chicago couldn't be reached for comment," Levmore said. "It looks like we didn't want to talk, but the truth is that this decision [to leave Chicago for Harvard] was based on personal reasons and I respect that privacy. The media will find out about them soon enough."

With a comment like this, Dean Levmore was basically begging us to go digging. So dig we did.

Let's see, Cass Sunstein's "personal reasons" for leaving U. Chicago... hold on a sec. Isn't Professor Sunstein part of legal academia's most fabulous power couple, together with that renowned philosopher queen, Professor Martha Nussbaum? And didn't Professor Nussbaum just turn down a Harvard offer?

That was then; this is now. What we learned in our investigation is consistent with this ATL comment, as well as this (subsequently removed) Wikipedia edit.

It appears that Professor Sunstein may be part of a new "power couple" -- in the most literal sense. Rumor has it that he's romantically involved with Professor Samantha Power -- a beautiful, brainy professor at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, who is roughly 15 years his junior. She is a Pulitzer Prize winner who has also been profiled in Men's Vogue (see glamorous photo, at the top of this post). What's not to like?

Update: More about Samantha Power here (from a college classmate who tried to hit on her, without success, and just ended arguing politics with her).

Now, please don't give us full credit (or blame) for bringing to light the Sunstein-Power relationship. When we attended the Chicago Law School musical last weekend, Samantha Power got a shout-out near the end of the show, when the Cass Sunstein character announced his departure for Harvard. So the rumor of her romance with Professor Sunstein is already widely known throughout the U. Chicago community (and beyond); it's no state secret. It is already known to hundreds, if not thousands, of people.

We reached out to all three members of this Mensalicious love triangle, which seems to come straight out of a Saul Bellow novel. Find out what we learned -- two of them had no comment, but one of them did -- after the jump.