Divorce Train Wrecks, Plaintiffs Firms

Behind The Music Law Firm: Cellino & Barnes

Did the Cellino & Barnes ill will start over a hiring decision?

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CellinoAndBarnesWith a bustling bi-coastal injury attorney practice, over $2 billion in recoveries, and a hit single, things were definitely looking up for the plucky partnership from Buffalo — but there were storm clouds on the horizon. When we return on Behind the Law Firm, we chronicle the precipitous fall of this alliance of ambulance chasing and the woman who came between them….

Behind the Music’s unique brand of turning band strife into melodrama doesn’t fit the law firm model all that often, but when it does, it really gets the job done. The only thing we’re missing now is the “rise from the ashes” redemption arc before another episode of Pop-Up Video.

Ever since we heard last week of Cellino’s lawsuit and the impending breakup of the firm, it seems as though even non-lawyers (or especially non-lawyers) are feeling a little depressed about it. A bar in New York advertised that it would offer some liquid therapy, which is a sure sign that a law firm has progressed beyond the pages of SuperLawyers into the cultural zeitgeist. Now, for all the voices crying out for answers, we’re starting to learn what put a wedge between these two telegenic counselors. From Buffalo News:

Stephen E. Barnes’ brother – attorney Richard J. Barnes – has worked for 16 years at the Cellino & Barnes law firm.

Stephen Barnes’ girlfriend, attorney Ellen Sturm, has worked there for eight years.

But when Barnes’ law partner – Ross M. Cellino Jr. – tried to get his daughter, Jeanna Cellino, a job in the law firm after she graduated from University at Buffalo Law School in 2012, Stephen Barnes said no. According to sources close to the Cellino & Barnes law firm, Barnes told his partner he didn’t want “nepotism” in the firm.

If “nepotism” is really the objection that Barnes offered, then his talents are wasted in personal injury. Sean Spicer’s job would be a much better use of his ability to peddle stone cold BS. It’s one thing to have one exception on staff, but Barnes has not one, but two nepotistic conflicts of interest. Unless he’s going all in on the “Sturm isn’t family if I don’t put a ring on her,” which would be world class lawyerball. Seriously, how much contempt must you have for another person to look him in the eye and say no to hiring his daughter under these circumstances?

The firm’s managing partner — who is neither Cellino nor Barnes — explained the other two hires based on their résumés, which did outpace that of a recent law school grad, but that doesn’t get around the “nepotism” quote. Good qualifications aren’t an exception to nepotism.

Still, Cellino may not have had much to say, as his brother-in-law and nephew are also attorneys at the firm. Apparently nepotism was only a concern once.

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Jeanna Cellino, for the record, got a job at Steve Boyd and John Elmore, another Buffalo personal injury firm with a considerably less memorable phone number.

Amazingly, this all happened back in 2012. Cellino worked with Barnes for five years after the latter metaphorically kicked the former square in the nuts. That’s some commitment to the business. And while Cellino isn’t suing over the dustup over his daughter, one has to imagine it played a role in getting the partners to this point.

“Ross filed the lawsuit because he was upset about the management and direction of the firm, and some aggressive business practices,” one of the Cellino supporters said.

The attorney said Cellino & Barnes for years has been trying to steal clients from other firms. That allegation was also made by another Buffalo lawyer who spoke to The News on Friday.

“Ross told Steve and others in the firm that he wanted them to back away from that, to stop doing it. He couldn’t stomach it anymore,” said the Cellino supporter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity.

That allegation was denied on Friday during a News interview with the law firm’s managing partner, Robert J. Schreck.

Hm. I wonder if Steve Boyd and John Elmore lost a client….

Cellino & Barnes dispute: Law firm hired Barnes’ brother and girlfriend [Buffalo News]

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HeadshotJoe Patrice is an editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news.

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