It’s not a significant role. I do some background work that some would classify as grunt work.
— Dean Altobelli, a former equity partner at Miller Canfield, commenting on his role as an analyst for the Alabama Crimson Tide under the leadership of coach Nick Saban. Altobelli alleges that he was forced out of the firm in what he calls a “deep, deep betrayal of trust”; Miller Canfield, on the other hand, alleges that Altobelli abandoned the firm to become a football coach. Altobelli had been locked in litigation with the firm since 2012, until the Supreme Court denied his request for certiorari earlier this month, on December 5.
Altobelli has been an analyst for the Crimson Tide since 2010. He says he has no plans to coach football full-time, and that his position is comparable to that of graduate assistant or intern. He makes about $45,000, and left behind a $400,000 pro-rated profit allotment at Miller Canfield.
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Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. She’d love to hear from you, so feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.