Comments on: spotlight on greedy lawyers http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/11/21/spotlight-on-greedy-lawyers/ breathless punditry and one-breath poetry with David Giacalone Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:58:52 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Walter Olson - Overlawyered http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/11/21/spotlight-on-greedy-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-210257 Walter Olson - Overlawyered Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:06:51 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10305#comment-210257 [...] David Giacalone figures that at least the jaw-dropper fee cases serve one useful purpose: they remind judges, the public and the legal profession itself “that we really do have a ban on unreasonable fees and expense charges — we [lawyers] can’t agree on them, charge them, or collect them”. With discussion of the Coughlin Stoia/Coke, Lawrence v. Miller, and certain lawyers’ willingness to bill two clients full freight for the same hour on the clock. (f/k/a, Nov. 21). [...] [...] David Giacalone figures that at least the jaw-dropper fee cases serve one useful purpose: they remind judges, the public and the legal profession itself “that we really do have a ban on unreasonable fees and expense charges — we [lawyers] can’t agree on them, charge them, or collect them”. With discussion of the Coughlin Stoia/Coke, Lawrence v. Miller, and certain lawyers’ willingness to bill two clients full freight for the same hour on the clock. (f/k/a, Nov. 21). [...]

]]> By: David Giacalone http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/11/21/spotlight-on-greedy-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-208244 David Giacalone Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:04:07 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10305#comment-208244 I'm with you, OSG. Whether the destination was Boston or NYC, or Pierre, SD, or Richmond, IN, I always disliked business travel. Of course, disliking it or feeling like travel was doing the client a favor, does not become an excuse for double billing or padding either hours or expenses. I’m with you, OSG. Whether the destination was Boston or NYC, or Pierre, SD, or Richmond, IN, I always disliked business travel. Of course, disliking it or feeling like travel was doing the client a favor, does not become an excuse for double billing or padding either hours or expenses.

]]> By: Old School Girl http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/11/21/spotlight-on-greedy-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-208238 Old School Girl Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:49:27 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10305#comment-208238 My clients would never pay for travel unless you worked on something of theirs *while* traveling. Accordingly, I had to bill for deposition prep while on the plane or I would have to eat all that travel time - on top of having to eat the time getting into the airport, renting the car, etc. IT SUCKED. Of course, plenty of people I knew lied or double-billed. I have trouble stealing, even when my clients make it really tempting to do so by forcing me to eat 6 hours when I have to bill 8 to make quota. And I still have to spend a day in Deluth at a Quality Inn. So I avoided travel like the plague. Never understood why other associates were so keen on it that their frequent-flier miles and Hilton points racked up like crazy. Either somebody was lying, or I was working for all the wrong (institutional) clients. My clients would never pay for travel unless you worked on something of theirs *while* traveling. Accordingly, I had to bill for deposition prep while on the plane or I would have to eat all that travel time – on top of having to eat the time getting into the airport, renting the car, etc. IT SUCKED.

Of course, plenty of people I knew lied or double-billed. I have trouble stealing, even when my clients make it really tempting to do so by forcing me to eat 6 hours when I have to bill 8 to make quota. And I still have to spend a day in Deluth at a Quality Inn.

So I avoided travel like the plague. Never understood why other associates were so keen on it that their frequent-flier miles and Hilton points racked up like crazy. Either somebody was lying, or I was working for all the wrong (institutional) clients.

]]> By: PI http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/2008/11/21/spotlight-on-greedy-lawyers/comment-page-1/#comment-208118 PI Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:37:19 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/ethicalesq/?p=10305#comment-208118 In my many years in the investigation business, we have seen our fair share of unscrupulous lawyers. You would be well informed to find a lawyer by asking friends and business acquaintances for a referral recommendation. In my many years in the investigation business, we have seen our fair share of unscrupulous lawyers. You would be well informed to find a lawyer by asking friends and business acquaintances for a referral recommendation.

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