* Defense contractor accused of supplying ancient arms to Afghan army and police…. [CNN]
* While Defense Secretary Gates orders review of nuclear arsenal after accidental shipments to Taiwan…. [Washington Post]
* And AG Mukasey vows to crack down on corruption in wake of PR governor accusations…. [MSNBC]
* Meanwhile, 11th Circuit grants bail pending appeal to former Alabama governor, who claims to be the victim of a politically-motivated prosecution. [New York Times]
Latest Stories
Today’s Lawyer of the Day has a political connection. He’s a superdelegate to the Democratic convention, as well as an Obama supporter. From the AP:
Puerto Rico Gov. Anibal Acevedo Vila indignantly denied wrongdoing Thursday and gave no sign he would abandon his re-election effort after being charged with campaign finance violations that carry a penalty of 20 years in prison.
Acevedo, a superdelegate to this summer’s Democratic convention, accused U.S. prosecutors of pursuing a politically motivated indictment alleging that the governor and a dozen other people conspired to illegally pay off his campaign debts.
“I am going to defend my rights and protect the dignity of my family and of the people of Puerto Rico who support me,” the governor said in a statement hours after the FBI arrested most of those named in the indictment in San Juan, Philadelphia and Washington area.
Fun factoid: Governor Acevedo is a graduate of Harvard Law School, the alma mater of Eliot Spitzer, another governor — make that ex-governor — facing possible legal trouble. This means that HLS has given us two Lawyers of the Day in a row; yesterday’s LOTD was card-counting queen Jane Willis.
(In Harvard’s defense, Governor Acevedo just got an LLM there. He received his JD from the University of Puerto Rico.)
Feds Charge P.Rico Governor, 12 Others [AP via Blogonaut]
Puerto Rican ‘Governor’ Somehow Caught In FBI Sting [Wonkette]
Aníbal Acevedo Vilá [Wikipedia]
* Sad news: “Jeffrey Epstein’s accuser, Maximilian Cordero, has broken it off with boyfriend – lawyer – blogger William Unroch.” [Dealbreaker]
* Justice Kennedy: “There are all kinds of nuts who can get 90 percent on the bar exam.” At ATL, we call them Lawyers of the Day. [Althouse]
* Delhi to… $33K! And the senior lawyers in India are making out like bandits. Two hundred grand goes a lot further in Mumbai than Manhattan. [Legal Blog Watch]
* Proof that Hillary truly is a badass. [Blogonaut]
Posted below is the European fee schedule of Allen & Overy. At current exchange rates — approximately $1.55 to the Euro, and $2.00 to the British pound — this means that partners bill out at about $1,050 an hour in Paris, and $1,190 an hour in London. Says a source: “Twelve-hundred bucks an hour for a partner in London? Ridiculous.”
On the other hand, if a $1,200-an-hour partner can solve your problem in six minutes — with a well-placed telephone call, or an absolutely brilliant judgment call — maybe she’s worth it. Perhaps you should be more worried about $600-an-hour junior associates (to say nothing of $350-per-hour paralegals).
Here’s the answer (which may relate to our recent post about wombats). From Miss Victoria X, via our sibling site, Dealbreaker:
Inspired by the example of the generous Hamptons-based design firm which is now offering its stagings service at a discounted price to current/former/soon to be former Bear Stearns employees (staging is cleaning and prepping a house to be shown for sale), I have decided to offer a discount on sessions to all current/former/soon to be former Bear Stearns employees. The discount is equivalent to the current value of a share of Bear Stearns stock. That is to say, $2.
I approached this decision with some trepidation. You see, in my experience finance guys usually want things in their asses. I do not offer anal play on demand. Consequently the majority of my clients are lawyers.
Over at Dealbreaker, the commenters had some interesting reactions:
“One of the few times I’m actually glad I chose law instead of finance . . .”
“lawyers already take it up the ass on a daily basis from bankers, so they probably get their fill in the office.”
“so what? a chick’s tongue up there is a wondrous thing.”
That last comment was posted by Eliot Spitzer.
In which I give back to the community [Miss Victoria X: Dominatrix in Manhattan]
Bear Stearns Crisis Brings Out The Softer Side Of Whip-Toting Hooker [Dealbreaker]
Unless you’ve always wanted an Australian accent. From the Telegraph:
A New Zealand man who claimed he was raped by a wombat and that the experience left him speaking with an Australian accent has been found guilty of wasting police time.
Arthur Cradock, 48, from the South Island town of Motueka, called police last month to tell them he was being raped by the marsupial at his home and needed urgent assistance.
Cradock, an orchard worker, later called back to reassure the police operator that he was all right.
“I’ll retract the rape complaint from the wombat, because he’s pulled out. Apart from speaking Australian now, I’m pretty all right you know. I didn’t hurt my bum at all.”
Wombats are very considerate; they use lots of lube. We learned that on Animal Planet.
[Cradock] pleaded guilty in Nelson District Court to using a phone for a fictitious purpose and was sentenced to 75 hours’ community work….
Wombats are native to Australia and are not found in New Zealand. Although powerfully built and about the size of a small pig, they are very rarely dangerous. There are three species: the widely distributed common wombat and the much rarer southern and northern hairy-nosed wombats.
Now wasn’t that informative? You can bill 0.1 hour to “Professional Development” for reading this.
Man said ‘wombat rape’ led to accent change [UK Telegraph]
We don’t know if there are many public defenders regularly reading ATL. For those who do, we salute you for putting up with clients like this one:
Earlier this year, burglary and rape suspect Joshua Beadle got himself into deeper trouble by spitting at the judge.
This week, while shackled and outfitted in a special hooded spit mask, he talked himself into nearly two years in jail after threatening to kill Criminal Court Judge Lee Coffee.
“You mark my word, Judge Coffee,” Beadle shouted as he was led from the courtroom to a holding area. “I promise you, Lee Coffee, I’ll kill you and cut your (expletive) head off.”
The incident occurred Monday after a hearing in which his appointed attorney, Greg Carman, had asked to be removed from the case because Beadle had threatened to kill him earlier this month.
Generally, threatening to kill people is not the most effective technique for getting your way. Death threats against judges: not cool and not protected speech (when it comes to federal judges).
The following sequence reminds us of a parent reprimanding a little boy:
When Beadle, 23, continued talking after the judge ordered him to be silent, Coffee threatened to hold him in contempt for every word he uttered.
Beadle ignored the judge’s admonishment, said everyone was treating him as if he were stupid and then began making threats to the judge.
Coffee stopped counting at 70 words and held Beadle in contempt for 10 days per word for a total of 700 days in jail.
Did Beadle consider holding his breath until the court would take him seriously?
At least he’s courteous to court clerks:
In January, Beadle spit toward the judge, but instead hit a court clerk’s computer. Through his nylon-and-mesh spit mask, he apologized to the clerk on Monday and assured her that his intended target was the judge.
Spit mask. Ewww.
Memphis Man Sentenced to 10 Days Per Word for Threatening Judge [The Associated Press via Law.com]
At 10-Days-Per-Word, Threatening Defendant Gets 700 Days in Prison [WSJ Law Blog]
We have a strange obsession with Linda Greenhouse, the Supreme Court correspondent for the New York Times. When we spotted her recently at Jennifer 8. Lee’s D.C. book talk for The Fortune Cookie Chronicles, we practically leapt out of our seats in excitement. [FN1]
If you’re a fellow LG groupie, and if you’re at Yale Law School, here’s some good news. As one tipster excitedly chirped to us, “Linda Greenhouse is going to be a Yale Law sort-of-professor!” From the Yale Daily News:
After 30 years covering the Supreme Court for The New York Times, Pulitzer Prize-winner Linda Greenhouse will take a new post as a journalist-in-residence and senior fellow at Yale Law School starting next January, the Law School announced Wednesday.
Greenhouse, who accepted a buyout from The Times last month, will return to the law school from which she earned a Master of Studies in Law degree in 1978 to conduct her own research and give lectures and seminars, although it is not yet clear whether she will teach a formal course. She will also be involved with the Law School’s Supreme Court Clinic and will help pioneer its new Law and Media Program.
More details in the YLS press release. Surely this can only help Yale maintain its sizable lead over #2 Harvard and Stanford in the U.S. News rankings. (Yale has an overall score of 100, with Harvard and Stanford almost ten points behind, at 91.)
As you may recall, Linda Greenhouse received a cool $300K in her Times buyout. It’s a pittance compared to Biglaw bucks, but a princely sum in the world of journalism.
And now Greenhouse will be supplementing this with a draw on the well-endowed coffers of YLS — we’re guessing low six-figures (for what doesn’t sound like very much work). She’ll probably begin work on another book, too, for which she can expect a good-sized advance. Her last book, Becoming Justice Blackmun, was a national bestseller.
Linda Greenhouse to Linda Greenbacks!
[FN1] The use of “we” is especially appropriate here because Kash and I attended this reading together.
Yale Law School nabs Linda Greenhouse after Times departure [Yale Daily News]
Linda Greenhouse Returning To Yale Law School in 2009 as Journalist-in-Residence [Yale Law School]
So far, almost 1,000 ballots have been cast in this week’s ATL / Lateral Link survey on where you’d most want to work, and it’s clear that some firms are trying to win those votes.
Front-runner Latham has announced a “no layoffs” promise, and Ropes & Gray has upped the ante on the cool factor with revelations of card sharking partners. Speaking of cool, let’s not forget that Quinn Emanuel’s firm retreat is in Switzerland. Switzerland.
But while the firms work the vote, how do they work you? Are your assignments handed out by a careful administrator, or overseen by a mentor? Or is there a free market where you choose your own adventure?
Let’s find out, in today’s ATL / Lateral Link survey.
Update: This survey is now closed. Click here for the results.
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Justin Bernold is a Director at Lateral Link, the sponsor of this survey.
Disney World is one of those places that’s magical through the eyes of a 5-year-old, but the realization of one of Dante’s circles for adults. The long waits, the overpriced tickets and food, the body odor of foreign tourists, and the fear of being viciously attacked for cutting in line:
Aimee Krause says Victoria Walker accused her of cutting into the line at the Mad Tea Cup ride last year at Disney World, MyFOXOrlando reports.
Walker, an Alabama native, could face 15 years behind bars if convicted of battery with a deadly weapon.
Krause has now filed additional charges claiming her children were also attacked.
“She came from behind just screaming,” Krause told MyFOXOrlando. “Next thing I knew she kicked me in my left leg, threw me to the ground and at that point I was pinned between the teacup and the saucer and she continued to beat up on my body.”
In the incident report, Krause claimed Walker tried to choke her with a lanyard she wore to hold water bottles around her neck, MyFOXOrlando reports.
One more reason not to wear a lanyard leash. We wonder if a lanyard has been defined as a deadly weapon before.
We agree with the Washington Post’s assessment. Attacking a woman and her children is a terrible thing. But we do hate people who cut in line. Maybe Walker will plead temporary insanity, brought on by the Mad Hatter, the Caterpillar, and whatever crazy drug he had in that hookah.
Woman Charged With ‘Line Rage’ Beating at Disney World [Fox News via Jaunted]
Insta-CoGo: Line Rage at Disney World? [Washington Post]
* Clear Channel and private equity firms sue banks they claim are balking on financing their buyout deal; injunctive relief secured. [WSJ Law Blog; AP]
* Lilly settles Zyprexa litigation with Alaska. [New York Times]
* SCOTUS considers pro se rights. [Washington Post]
* Did KPMG “enable” New Century’s collapse? [New York Times]
* Federal indictment: congressmen allegedly traveled to Iraq on Saddam’s dime. [CNN]
* Homeowners protest Bear Sterns bailout. [MSNBC]
* Claim filed by family of woman who died in airport police custody. [CNN]
A few more firms have joined the 18 Week Club. New and improved parental leave policies, from WilmerHale and O’Melveny & Myers, appear after the jump.
We admit we can be a little idiosyncratic in terms of which firms’ announcements we highlight. For more comprehensive information, check out Justin Bernold’s handy-dandy, continually updated tables of maternity leave and paternity leave policies at different firms.
Continue reading “Biglaw Perk Watch: WilmerHale and O’Melveny & Myers to 18 Weeks”
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Sponsored Content
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If you are considering a virtual law practice, you know that many of today’s solo firms started that way. But why are established, multi-attorney law firms going virtual?
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Can you do the same? The new article Mobile in Practice, Virtual by Design from author Jared Correia, Esq., explores how mobile technology bring real-life benefits to a small law firm. Read this new article—the next in Thomson Reuters’ Independent Thinking series for small firms—to explore how a mobile practice:
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Innovative Lawyers: You’re Invited To A Night With NYC’s Premier Start-up GCs
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Transitioning in-house is something many (if not most) firm lawyers find themselves considering at some point. For many, it’s the first step in their career that isn’t simply a function of picking the best option available based on a ranking system.Unknown territory feels high-risk, and can have the effect of steering many of us towards the well-greased channels into large, established companies.
For those who may be open to something more entrepreneurial, there is far less information available. No recruiter is calling every week with offers and details.
In sponsorship with Betterment, ATL and David Lat will moderate a panel about life in-house and we’ll hear from GCs at Birchbox, Gawker Media, Squarespace, Bonobos, and Betterment. Drinks, snacks, networking, and a great time guaranteed. Invite your colleagues, but RSVP fast, as space is limited.
Details and panelists after the jump…
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JD STUDENTS WITH AN INTEREST IN FUTURE ASIA MOVE SHOULD FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT TO KINNEY’S EVAN JOWERS FOR ADVICE ON 2L SUMMER CHOICES AND PRACTICE AREA FOCUS
Presented by Kinney Recruiting
Ed. note: The Asia Chronicles column is authored by Kinney Recruiting. Kinney has made more placements of U.S. associates, counsels and partners in Asia than any other recruiting firm in each of the past seven years. You can reach them by email: asia@kinneyrecruiting.com.
It’s that time of year again when JDs are starting to apply for 2L summer jobs and 2L summers are deciding which practice area to focus on.
For those JDs with an interest in potentially lateraling to or transferring to Asia in the future, please feel free to reach out to Kinney for advice on firm choices, interviewing and practice choices, relating to future marketability in Asia, or for a general discussion on your particular Asia markets of interest. This is of course a free of cost service for those who some years in the future may be our future industry contacts or perhaps even clients.
For some years now Kinney’s Asia head, Evan Jowers, has been formally advising Harvard Law students with such questions, as the Asia expert in Harvard Law’s “Ask The Experts Market Program” each summer and fall, with podcasts and scheduled phone calls. This has been an enjoyable and productive experience for all involved.
Evan and the rest of our Asia team – Robert Kinney, Yuliya Vinokurova, Andrew Lin, Jack Hopper and Danielle Cyr - are of course happy to advise law students from other JD programs as well.
To set up a phone call with Evan or one of our other Asia team members, please email Evan Jowers at evan@kinneyrecruiting.com or asia@kinneyrecruiting.com.
The choices a JD makes during their IL and 2L summers and 2L falls can have an enormous affect on their future marketability in Asia, should they be interested in such a move.
Keep reading »
