The 1/2 matchup in the Do Your Damn Job region features two men who really, truly should have known better. They learned all the rules in their areas of specialization, and used that knowledge to (allegedly) exploit the system.
Matthew Kluger
#1 Seed Name: Matthew Kluger
(Former) Firms: Cravath, Swaine & Moore; Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom; Fried, Frank and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati
Legal Speciality: Mergers & Acquisitions Associate
Misdeeds: Over the course of 17 years, and four Biglaw firms, Kluger would take information obtained from his work on M&A deals and, through a network of co-conspirators, buy stocks of the target companies. Kluger is serving a 12-year sentence in federal prison for insider trading.
Why you should vote for him: “Where did Kluger allegedly obtain the inside information? From the three Biglaw firms where he once worked on M&A deals….”
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Jeffrey Wertkin
#4 Seed Name: Jeffrey Wertkin
(Former) Firm: Akin Gump
Legal Speciality: Health and Life Science Partner
Misdeeds: Arrested earlier this year for trying to sell an as-yet-unfiled whistleblower complaint to the target company for $310,000. He allegedly got a hold of the complaint through his former work at the Justice Department prosecuting cases under the False Claims Act.
Why you should vote for him: “According to the allegations, Wertkin — dressed in a wig, and going under the name ‘Dan’ — was arrested in the lobby of a Cupertino, California hotel. He reportedly told the arresting agent, ‘My life is over.'”
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The #2 v. #3 matchup in the It’s Your Damn Job region features two partners that frauded up their expense reports. Whether they were in it for the money or to streamline their paperwork may be a matter of opinion, but they both took it to extremes.
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Carlos Spinelli-Noseda
# 2 Seed Name: Carlos Spinelli-Noseda
(Former) Firm: Sullivan & Cromwell
Legal Speciality: Banking and Finance Partner
Misdeeds: Billed $500,000 in fraudulent travel and entertainment expenses.
Why you should vote for him: “If S&C partners can run up half a million each in fraudulent SeamlessWeb charges, they can surpass Cravath in PPP.”
Lee Smolen
# 3 Seed Name: Lee Smolen
(Former) Firm: Sidley Austin / DLA Piper
Legal Speciality: Real Estate Partner
Misdeeds: Falsified expense reports, including faking 800 taxi receipts totaling $69,000.
Why you should vote for him: “So it appears that Smolen, a former practice group head and member of Sidley’s executive committee, was a member of firm management who circumvented firm procedures. He was also, by his own admission, a transactional lawyer who failed to pay close attention to details.
Remember that these are his defenses. Otherwise, he’s guilty of conversion, i.e., a crook.”
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Voting remains open until March 20th at 6:00 a.m. Hope your favorite worst attorney wins!
Kathryn Rubino is an editor at Above the Law. AtL tipsters are the best, so please connect with her. Feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments and follow her on Twitter (@Kathryn1).