Thursday, March 05, 2009

Cutting Corners On Electronic Discovery Can Be Disastrous

"Rhoads was the first case in the Eastern District of Pennsylvania to apply the newly enacted Federal Rule of Evidence 502 to inadvertent disclosures of privileged electronic communications. As such, the court signifies that although an IT consultant and Publish Postware program are crucial to adhering to Rule 502, it is not enough to rely upon technology. It is the lawyer's responsibility to check for privileged documents.

Similarly, as the court made clear in its opinion, skimping on costs is like cutting corners: a mistake. Discovery in a complex case is simply not the time for a client to be frugal. Indeed, legal time and fees spent in avoiding mountains of motions and discovery disputes are worth the investment.

Along the same lines, experienced lawyers must dedicate an appropriate amount of time teaching inexperienced lawyers the nuances of electronic document review. The stakes are too high and the potential consequences too grave to not do so. Much like the BlackBerry has changed the face of communication, so too has e-discovery changed the face of litigation."

http://www.law.com/jsp/legaltechnology/pubArticleLT.jsp?id=1202428760093

120 comments:

Anonymous said...

When there is a mess up, I wonder what the expression on the judge's face is going to be when they tell him that the fuck up occurred in a sweatshop over in Mumbai.

Anonymous said...

So true!

Anonymous said...

This interpretation of the newly enacted portion of Rule 502 is good precedent to attach to a disciplinary complaint alleging that David Perla and Craig Brown are assisting in the unauthorized practice of law.

Anonymous said...

This is great news for us!!!

Anonymous said...

Finally, good news on this blog.

Anonymous said...

Does this mean that I can now apply to that Hudson project that is discriminating against licensed lawyers?

Anonymous said...

yes, good news. Shut down those illicit LPOs!

Anonymous said...

1:24 hopefully when firms see this they'll cut the crap and start hiring experience doc review attorneys again.

Anonymous said...

1:24 hopefully when firms see this they'll cut the crap and start hiring experienced doc review attorneys again.

Anonymous said...

So, from the flurry of new posts on this usually dormant blog, can we safely assume that Tom has taken his place on the breadline?

Anonymous said...

Never assume.

Anonymous said...

Hopefully this will cut down on the posts claiming that there is nothing untoward about LPO practices or using software in lieu of attorneys to address discovery.

I knew about this from last year, but had forgotten the specifics. This is why I am not overly concerned with LPOs when it comes to the practice of law.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the robots will now be forced to get JDs along with the offshore "attorneys".

Anonymous said...

1:08-

AMen.

Anonymous said...

I want to be positive- but I think firms will start hiring once disaster strikes in the Indian sweatshops, whenever that will be. The good news is, no matter what, projects will filter in eventually.

So- I tried filling an application to sub at a public school. They said they already have too many subs. If that stupid woman on GOod Morning America hadn't told the whole country to sub for extra income, I wouldn't have had this competition.

Anonymous said...

OMG we actually have to read the documents!?

Anonymous said...

It is the lawyer's responsibility to check for privileged documents.
----------------------------------

Yeah...I really don't see how you jibe this "a lawyer's responsibility", against the non-licensed, non-ABA school attending doc reviewers from foreign lands.....basically the ABA's decision in this regard appears to contravene PA law.....perhaps even federal law (anyone know a case on point?) Also, are there problems with doc review and outsourcing in PA? Would love to see this played out.....

Anonymous said...

Ahh--it's an Eastern District of PA case so it is federal law.....this is beauty!

Anonymous said...

Yes it is a federal case interpreting the fed rules. The ABA opinion offers firms no protection against a fed decision like this.

Anonymous said...

Babu, ABA "rulings" or "statements" are not laws. Federal Law always trumps such ABA edicts.

In the American Legal System, the ABA does not have the power to enact laws. Although sometimes their committees suggest model laws, they don't have the force of law.

Of course none of your LPO clickers understand this, Babu.

Anonymous said...

It shows that only an incompetent moron would risk offshoring legal work.

Anonymous said...

You have to laugh at this piece from CNN--it shows shock at the amount of money a ct reporter makes--one can only imagine how shocked they would be at what attorneys (at least the average atty) brings home:

4. Court reporters

What they do: Court reporters transcribe what is said during trials, mediations and other legal proceedings.

What they earn: $48,380/year

Why it's surprising: When you think about all the activity taking place during a trial, you probably think more about the excitement of a John Grisham novel than of the quiet observer meticulously writing down every word that's spoken aloud.

Yet, court reporters play a vital role in several stages and types of legal proceedings. It's hard to imagine legal proceedings without the ability to refer to an accurate, detailed transcript. The salary isn't as high as you might expect for a job that requires extreme attention to detail in such important situations.

Anonymous said...

To follow up on my question to Anon 12:09, I wonder if the answer is not a temp agency, but another, cheaper law firm that takes responsibility for the integrity of the results. But then are there licensing issues?

Anonymous said...

Whoops, comment was to Anon 12:09 on another post. Never mind.

Anonymous said...

Ahh--it's an Eastern District of PA case so it is federal law.....this is beauty!
_____________________________
It shows that there is absolutely no question about doc review being legal work. Of course it is. It is inexcusably reckless and stupid for any firm to go along with offshoring doc review or to exclude experienced doc review attorneys from projects.

Anonymous said...

Uh oh.....

WASHINGTON - The number of students applying to Washington-area law schools has surged as the economy sunk. George Washington University Law School’s applicant numbers are up 8 percent from last academic year, and the University of Virginia School of Law’s applicants have risen more than 10 percent. Georgetown University Law Center, meanwhile, received 12 percent more applications than last year.

Andrew Cornblatt, Georgetown’s dean of admissions, says the law school extended its deadline to accommodate last-minute applicants coping with lay-offs and other bad economic news. The school pushed the cutoff back a month to March 2. Cornblatt says his office received roughly 1,000 applications on Feb. 2 and Feb. 3 combined, a sign that people were rushing to get in before the original deadline.

“I didn’t want to shut anybody out,” he says. “In this climate, everything’s in flux, and we want to try to be accommodating.” Georgetown has extended its deadline “often” in the past, he says. “Washington D.C. has become an even more attractive place for young people to come,” he says.

Cornblatt’s office received close to 11,700 applications this academic year, up from around 10,500 last year. But in the end, Georgetown hasn’t changed its admissions target. By accepting 2,300 students, Cornblatt plans to hit his goal of enrolling 575 students.

“Business, as they say, is very good,” he says.

Anonymous said...

"1:24 hopefully when firms see this they'll cut the crap and start hiring experience doc review attorneys again."

OR (and this is me just typing outloud) they'll keep review in-house where they can trust the work to be done by attorneys who don't wine and complain about how poorly they are treated and in some instances show up to work high. Until the economy starts to get better it would appear to me that review will be done by associates (so that firms do not have to lay off even more) or overseas, in instances where the firm is dealing with a very cost-conscious client.

Anonymous said...

Associate billing rates are way too high. I predict that smart clients will bring the work in-house and directly pay the agency at a much reduced rate. Get rid of the bloated biglaw middleman.

Anonymous said...

When the economy is better they will wind up with us for the same reasons that they used us to begin with. It will get better when confidence returns to the markets, the panic stops and the credit lines are opened up again. Our whole economy is based on credit. Take away credit lines from businesses and consumers and of course there will be a disaster, especially when it's done right before X-mas.

That fed decision is huge because it puts the firms on notice that they cannot hide behind the ABA opinion.

Anonymous said...

Anon 4:26: Will a law firm be able to use the results of a discovery process it has not supervised itself? How would this work? I wonder if the answer is not a temp agency, but another, cheaper law firm that takes responsibility for the integrity of the results. But then are there licensing issues?

Anonymous said...

No curry until you code 1500 documents today Babu!!!

Anonymous said...

Where are the LPO trolls today?

Anonymous said...

The clairvoyants are out today!

Everyone here knows what the "future" will bring. These lame predictions are clearly just wishful thinking that the system will implode without you, and the world will be SO SORRY for not hiring you.

Ha.

Guess it doesn't hurt to dream though. Everyone wants to feel valuble/wanted. No one seems to have ever wanted doc reviewers too much, even in the good economic times.

Condolences.

Anonymous said...

Where are the LPO trolls today?

5:50 PM
_____________________
Well you managed to draw one out. The rest don't feel like talking because the fed decision is a huge blow to them and they know it. With a fed ct pronouncement like that, the ABA fig leaf is gone.

Anonymous said...

What are agencies doing when they have no work? They are offering classes.

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In response, Delta has put together a series of blue book training courses to help paralegal candidates better prepare themselves and their resumes for today's changing market. As firms tighten their belts, marketability of a candidate will depend on demonstrating a specific skill set.

This class is ideal for paralegals currently working in the industry but looking to bolster their resumes or expand their current duties as well as candidates looking to enter into the paralegal profession.

Classes begin early March! We have setup a dedicated training and class registration site at http://deltaforcelegal.onefireplace.org. You can view our current class schedule and register for classes at the site. Classes are only $78. We encourage you to register soon as each class is limited to 15 students! Visit our Training Site to See Class Schedules and Register!

Anonymous said...

"The rest don't feel like talking because the fed decision is a huge blow to them and they know it.With a fed ct pronouncement like that, the ABA fig leaf is gone"

Sure. HAHAHAH!! Time will tell right?

NO DOUBT you will still be on this blog, UNABLE to even get a sweatshop gig. See you here... FOREVER! Bye for now.

Anonymous said...

It was only a matter of time. Thankfully it came sooner than later.

Anonymous said...

6:31

The laughs on you. The writing is on the wall. I'll be sitting in an office getting mad money for reading some stupid docs. You won't.

HA HA HA

Anonymous said...

8:02- or maybe you'll just get "mad money" for being able to predict the future.

All these years being unemployed must have given you time to take Ms Cleo seminars. Can you use your powers to predict the next round of winning lotto numbers?

Cahl meh nowwwwww!!

Anonymous said...

The LPO frauds are on their way out and they know it (they had much less than we thought to begin with). They are MELTING!!!!!

Anonymous said...

BYE BYE LPO frauds. Game's over!!!

Anonymous said...

Bye bye to Perla, Clutch and all the LPO bastards. American jobs for the American people.

Anonymous said...

Yes, time to bankrupt those sleazebags.

Anonymous said...

Riiiight.

Like a bunch of unemployable anonymous blog posters are going to bankrupt anyone but themselves.

What a joke.

Anonymous said...

Well, why don't you pitch and say something constructive, help the cause? Always spewing negativity and hate, so sad.

For which LPO are you employed, Mr. Downer?

Anonymous said...

The only answer is Revolution!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lc19IV11mhs

Anonymous said...

this just proves that outsourcing is real and doc review is dead. i knew it.

Anonymous said...

The LPO frauds may be too stupid to understand what a federal court decision is but they'll find out. It means their game is over!

Anonymous said...

I think that applying the Rhoads case to LPOs is stretching it a bit. In our LPO, we don't cut quality, we employ intelligent pricing mechanisms to give the client an enhanced quality-for-value solution.

Those who are trying to misapply Rhoads to hurt LPOs are misreading the facts AND the law. They are trying to hurt the many diligent offshore workers who are making the US legal system the most efficient in the world.

Anonymous said...

Really? LPO Guy explain the decision and how it applies to LPOs in detail.

Just saying "it doesn't apply" is conclusory. You would know that if you had actually gone to an American Law School and earned a JD.

Pretty scary that incompetents like this are performing American Attorney work in India. Anyone that sends work over there is really putting themselves at risk. These LPOs are dangerous.

Anonymous said...

The LPOs should try hiring a U.S. admitted attorney to explain it to them. I'm one and I can boil it down for them: "Game's over!"

Anonymous said...

Finally some good news on this blog, I'll add!

Anonymous said...

9:52-

I don't believe this. People like you are the reason we're in this financial mess!

Anonymous said...

Yes, LPOs are taking jobs disproportionately from African Americans.

Anonymous said...

Would you shut up about this ridiculous race thing already?

Anonymous said...

Why, it's true. Minorities benefit the most from document review and other contract attorney work. Didn't you read Joe Miller's survey, "The New Lawyer?".

Get your facts straight.

Anonymous said...

Get your facts straight.
----------------------------
You need to simply get facts.....in other news:

www.lawyerbook.com

http://www.rateapartner.com/

Anonymous said...

This is one of the saddest stories I have read regarding lawyers and employment:

http://www.boston.com/jobs/news/articles/2009/03/02/boom_times_turn_bleak_for_boston_lawyers/

Anonymous said...

Yeah, I read that. The title is "Boom times turn bleak for Boston lawyers: Prestigious firms forced to cut jobs, freeze salaries"

Anonymous said...

I'm a minority lawyer, and I've been to all-white doc reviews. Explain that.

And IF your statement's true, it's interesting how you bitch when the shoe's on the other foot- considering for decades, it was the white people who were the majority in any professional position.

Anonymous said...

No one is bitching about it, TROLL. Just pointing out, then when your LPOs take jobs away from American Attorneys, many of them are African American.

TROLL, please stop your race baiting tactics. We are on to you and your dismal anti-American smear campaign.

Go to bed, Babu.

Anonymous said...

you miss the point on rhoads and hang your hats on thin air. The problem is the priv log was inaccurate. A lawyer may fulfill his/her obligation by proxy - the proxy simply needs to do a diligent job. here they did not.

Anonymous said...

2:12 - You are sounding awfully desperate now, go to sleep.

Anonymous said...

Hmmm....Race-baiting...Anti-American...is this George Bush??

Again, in other law firm news:

Admit it, you knew this was coming. We've got a firm capitulating to the market realities and cutting first year salaries.

McGuire Woods chairman Richard Cullen left a voice mail(!) to his attorneys last night. He let everybody know that the firm was cutting 10% off of first year salaries, From $160K to $144K.

But that is not the only cut future McGuire Woods juniors can expect. Cullen also told the firm that the 2009 summer program is being scaled back to an eight week affair.

Salaries for all the other associates at the firm have been frozen at 2008 levels.

But, and this is important, no layoffs at McGuire Woods.

Richard Cullen did not respond to an immediate request for comment.

For weeks, the ATL commenters have been claiming that "no first year attorney is worth $160,000!!!!!!!!!!" At McGuire Woods, that is now true. And there are a lot of laid off first years that would gladly take a $144,000/year job.

We've seen a lot of contraction in the legal industry. But now we could start to see serious deflation in the industry.

Anonymous said...

next they'll be making some associates contract attorneys and cutting pay and benefits.

Watch, the firms have all of the leverage now. Sorry milennials, the boomers are gonna screw you good.

Anonymous said...

I hope this article means more work for us.

I have been considering a move to Miami from Chicago. What are the doc review rates like in Miami compared to Chicago?

Anonymous said...

Another doc review BigLaw suit--this time sex harrasmment--
-----------------------------------

An attorney who performed work for Duane Morris hit the firm with a discrimination lawsuit on Wednesday, alleging that she was sexually harassed by another female attorney there and was fired after she complained about it. Taryn Williams, who claimed she was an associate at Duane Morris in Houston, filed the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas. She alleges that the she was subjected to sexual remarks, innuendo and sexual physical acts from an associate who served as her document review supervisor.

Williams is seeking unspecified damages for violations of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In addition to compensatory damages, she is pursuing punitive damages for the alleged wrongdoing.

In Williams v. Duane Morris, No. 4:09-CV-00654, the plaintiff alleges that she and attorney Kelly Holmes worked together first at Hudson Highland Group, a contract staffing firm, where Holmes was her supervisor, before they worked at Duane Morris reviewing documents. She claims that Holmes harassed her at the previous job as well as at Duane Morris, where she said Holmes also was her supervisor.

A spokesman for Duane Morris, who said the firm had not read the complaint, said that Williams had never worked at the law firm as an associate. He said that she had never received a paycheck from the law firm.

Specifically, Williams alleges that she complained about Holmes' alleged conduct to supervisors at Hudson Highland Group and that Holmes allegedly retaliated against her for those comments by withholding assignments and firing her when the two attorneys worked at Duane Morris.

Williams could not be reached for comment. Her attorney, Todd Slobin of Shellist Lazarz in Houston, did not return a phone call.

Holmes, who no longer works at Duane Morris, could not be reached for comment.

Anonymous said...

2:10- And it's anti-American because I refuse to be racist. Great logic. No wonder your fat Republican ass can't get work.

Anonymous said...

2:10-

White sheets are on sale at Macy's. Get yours now.

Oh- as for 'race-baiting'- it's interesting how 2:07 is accused of race-baiting, when it's that one TROLL (the glass houses thing, you know) who's bringing up the African-American thing ad nauseam.

Anonymous said...

2:12 You just prove why LPO sweatshops are no place for U.S. doc review. Try hiring a U.S. admitted attorney to explain it to you. You clearly are not competent to understand what you're reading. We, who are admitted here, don't have any problem getting it. Law firms here get it. This fed ct decision puts them on notice that the ABA opinion does not give them cover. They cannot afford to cut corners by going to LPO sweatshops. They can't play that game and pretend they have used due diligence. That's all folks. Game's over!

Anonymous said...

So- how long should it take to learn German so I can get those foreign language docs?

Anonymous said...

Nobody buys that the LPO sweatshops have been used for any reason other than cutting corners. The fed decision says no cutting corners. It is really clear that the days of firms thinking they can hide behind the ABA are over. The LPOs are toast.

Anonymous said...

3:47 & 3:52 - what's the matter, the work drying up at your miserable, seatshop LPO? Getting worried that the gravy train is over?

Yeah, I would be too.

Anonymous said...

Has anyone dealt with Alexandra Gordon from Strategic?

Anonymous said...

Is she back there? She left a while ago to go Hirecounsel.

She's cool and better to deal with than most.

Anonymous said...

LLP Act to drive legal outsourcing competition
Posted in: Legal Outsourcing
on 06th March 2009 Link to this page
A liberalised Indian legal system is on the horizon, following the long-awaited publication of the Limited Liability Partnership Act. First proposed in 2006 and published recently in India’s official Gazette, the Act allows Indian partnership companies to mirror those popular in the West – enabling Indian law firms to expand and foreign firms to compete with them. Legal experts have told IP Review Online that the Act is likely to step up collaboration between law firms and India-based legal process outsourcing (LPO) companies.

Under the LLP system, each partner in a firm has an agreed role in core decision-making, and the team as a whole is not liable for risks taken by an individual member. The firm is legally recognised as a separate entity from its partners, and sustains itself via a perpetual succession to the partnership. The LLP model has become central to the organisation of law firms as it enables partners to pool their practice expertise and industry knowledge. It also provides a career path for an LLP’s staff to follow.

Before the Act was passed, Indian partnerships were capped at 20 members, affecting the scale to which they could grow and compete. The Act removes that cap and, significantly, opens the way for greater involvement from overseas: in an Indian LLP launched by a foreign firm, only one partner is required to be resident in India. In Chapter II of the Act, 'resident in India' is generously defined as 'a person who has stayed in India for a period of not less than 182 days' throughout the preceding year.

Speaking to this site, Simon Brisckman and Emily Parris at law firm Field Fisher Waterhouse said: 'The Act is a step towards liberalisation of the legal services market in India. The restriction was a key obstacle preventing Indian law firms from expanding and competing with international law firms … Historically there was a similar restriction in the UK for lawyers and accountants, and its removal saw a real boom in the expansion of professional services firms.'

Demand and competition for process-driven work is likely to grow as companies convert to LLPs. According to Brisckman and Parris, law firms will be able to address this in a variety of ways: by entering the LPO market, independently or in collaboration with an LPO firm; by setting up their own captive LPO operations; or by making greater use of LPO services so that they can price more keenly. 'All these strategies are likely to be followed,' they said, 'and one can envisage a future international firm having an Indian office with captive legal process capability; or a best-friends relationship with an independent Indian law firm, plus LPO capacity through a separate provider.'

In the wake of the Act, one key Indian law firm has already announced plans to set up a comprehensive LPO suite in Delhi. Meanwhile, the CEO of a major LPO provider has praised the Act in a press release, saying: 'This change will enable foreign law firms to lay the foundation for future offices in India. The LLP Act could transform India's legal market into one of the fasting growing in the world.' He added that the legislation had 'important implications for legal outsourcing companies' by cementing the 'bond of trust’ between them and their law firm clients.

The LLP Act is not the only sign of nascent liberalisation in India's legal landscape. As IP Review Online reported in May 2008, several Western organisations, including the UK Law Society, have conducted low-key talks with the Indian Bar Council on the prospect of amending the Advocates Act, which prevents foreign lawyers from practicing in India.

Anonymous said...

11:29pm

Actually, I am not sure if Alexandra Gordon is with Strategic or Hirecounsel. I think I met her in the past, but I'm not sure. Could you describe what she looks like? I'm trying to recall if it's the same woman I'm thinking of. The woman I remember was in her 30's and attractive. Is that her? Thanks.

Anonymous said...

Alex is a really nice person and down to earth. I say that as someone who does not like a lot of the temporary agents. As in hardly any of them. At least with me, she was always upfront, which is my criteria for what I expect from an agency.

Anonymous said...

11:55pm

Ok, thanks for the heads up. I would like to reach out to Alex, but I'm not sure if I'm confusing her for someone else I met a while ago. It's hard to keep track since I've met a few recruiters.

Was my description of her correct? Is she a white woman, in her 30's who is attractive. I want to make sure that I end up contacting the right recruiter. Thanks!! :)

Anonymous said...

Poor LPO guy, has to keep shilling to the end. When foreign law firms set up shop in India, they won't be needing the cut rate LPOs anymore. You will in competition with them. They will create their own sweatshops and leave you begging like a slumdog.

It's a heads up for yoo, time to find a new line of work. Between the court decisions and liberalization of the Indian legal marketplace allowing foreign competition, you will be out of luck.

Sorry Babu, the big boys are moving in, no room for measly, cut rate LPOs.

Maybe you can sell used cars.

Anonymous said...

LPO person, while I am sure that the liberalization of law practice in India may be a good thing for Indians, it NOTHING to do with U.S. law, and that law clearly says that sending work to India is not legal.
You are still not a lawyer under U.S. law. Sorry, but that most you are at this point is a potential tourist, and you can not practice law.
You can change India's laws but that does not change U.S. law and you don't seem to grasp that.
Its not a situation where "India needs to make itself more attractive to get foreign business", its that business is illegal under U.S. law in the first place. Is that clear enough for you?
If you don't believe me dear Indian Lawyer, I invite you to act like a lawyer and look up the statues and find out for your self.
The case here that people are talking about is not exactly on point, but there are literally hundreds that are, and even more importantly there are also literally hundreds of statutes on this as well.
The other thing that IS relevant in this case however is that it most definitely holds that doc review is the practice of law, and as such, you can't do it without breaking U.S. law.
Do you understand now? If not look up the statutes on the unauthorized practice of law. Look them up, then you can pretend to imagine what it is like to be an actual REAL lawyer.

Anonymous said...

4:19- More people applying to DC law schools doesn't make any sense. Do they expect a leg up over the competition for Federal jobs because they go to school in the area? My guess is that students from the top 10 will still be given preference over dumps like GW.

Anonymous said...

They expect, and they are right, that we are entering an area of heavily regulation of varous industries or re-regulation. I think in the short term lawyers are screwed, but changes in healthcare (the largest since the Great Society), financial industries (re-regulation of the industry) and energy will require a massive new of lawyers. There are a lot of lawyers right now, but many of us would have to be retooled for the new areas, and would require rethinking how we look at ourselves (namely many here have come to see themselves a doc reviewers rather than asking what they are going to do long term to get out of the mess).

Anonymous said...

They expect, and they are right, that we are entering an area of heavily regulation of varous industries or re-regulation. I think in the short term lawyers are screwed, but changes in healthcare (the largest since the Great Society), financial industries (re-regulation of the industry) and energy will require a massive new of lawyers. There are a lot of lawyers right now, but many of us would have to be retooled for the new areas, and would require rethinking how we look at ourselves (namely many here have come to see themselves a doc reviewers rather than asking what they are going to do long term to get out of the mess).

Anonymous said...

I was a once proud lawyer in the NYC, now retooling to become a butler to an Indian millionaire named S. V. Pradap Rajawathan. Supposedly he made millions with his LPO, climbing up the ladder from mere doc reviewer. I will be his valet/manservent, and my salary will be US $46,000. Kind of like a Bertie Wooster and Jeeves sort of thing, except my Master will be a brown guy from Mumbai.

Anonymous said...

127

Your snark is just an excuse because you afraid.

Anonymous said...

Maybe the dam is starting to break in DC. There have been a few postings ob rhe posselist and at craigslist.

Anonymous said...

no more student loan debt

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/group.php?gid=46657437878

Anonymous said...

This blog has more trolls than dungeons and dragons.

Anonymous said...

2:34

Yes, I afraid.... I veeeeeeerrry afraid!

Anonymous said...

NY Times: Many Jobs, Industries Not Likely to Come Back...

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/07/business/economy/07jobs.html?pagewanted=2&em

Look at that graph and strap yourselves in. We are heading into the abyss.

Anonymous said...

10:49 - Contrary to what your fat american ass thinks, we LPOs are gaining more and more ground everyday. Look out behind you, american fucks... the LPOs are coming.

When the dust of this global recession which you american asswipes have caused settles, more legal document review jobs than EVER will be in India, and that number will still be growing.

When the biglaw firms finally do stop hemorrhaging jobs, and finally start to hire people again, more than half of the document review jobs will have left your shithole big american cities, never to come back there.

Look at all the crap you americans have foisted on the world economy... phony collateralised debt obligations (cdo's)... fraudulent mortgage-backed securities from your sleazy, fly-by-night unlicensed mortgage brokers... and shitty subprime law degrees from triple-t hollywood cardboard prop "law" schools, scamming sucker wannabes into getting hundreds of thousands of dollars into debt to chase some empty dream they will never fulfill.

Meanwhile we LPOs are retooling and will come out of this depression stronger, faster, smarter, and hungrier than ever before, and lots of you american asswipe "attorneys" will be permanently shit out of work!

Serves you right for scamming the worlds banks and trying to suck off the rest of the world like the fat, overweight, obese leaches you are!

Anonymous said...

Okay LPO guy, you are starting to be a boring, repetetive troll. You have the reasoning power of a donkey.

Your retooling will involve learning how to sell used TATAs on their spacious lot in Mumbai.

You can keep repeating the same moronic statements. Perhaps you believe this drivel, but no one else does.

It's game over in LPO land. Get used to it!

Anonymous said...

wrong 7:34 because we will sue and bankrupt you and we will place your company officers in jail for breaking our law. Thats' how we roll bitch.
Now maybe you can get work from Europe or some other region, but try it here and will will fry the fuck out of your skinny non-meat eating ass. Remember Americans are crazy. Seriously.
You want to talk about shit hole cities, half of the people in India have weird diseases because they eat fecal matter (meaning human shit) because you don't even have toilets that. Solve your shit problem for trying to bullshit us.
You want to talk about scams, really? How about India's claim on Kashmir, that's the biggest fucking scam going. How about how people there throw themselves in front of cars so they can try and get money from the driver? How about all the fake ass bullshit pretend healers you have instead of real doctors? How about your caste system and how India is one of the most racist countries around? Fuck, your "navy" can't even get it right, you sink some poor guys fishing boat thinking its pirates. Morons, can't even read a fucking tracking scope. Not to mention they don't even have the ability to evacuate your own civillians from a trouble spot. You can't build your own fighter planes, or for that matter any aircraft, your tanks suck and are being retired because they suck, oh but yeah you got "MAD" IT skills. Hah!
You suck at Football (soccer) too. For gods sake, bubonic plague is still a big problem in India, you literally allow monkeys to run around your parliament, you can't end that Maoist insurgency that has been going on for what, 30 years in India? You are all constantly blowing each other up over some b.s. religious insult, you threaten to put your biggest film star in jail for kissing a man in public, and you want to talk about the U.S.?
Gimmie a break fix your own country, otherwise we will have to come over and fix it for you.

Anonymous said...

9:11-

You're Rush Limbaugh, right?

Anonymous said...

7:34 can't be Indian, his tirade is too comical and artificial. Some twisted temp wrote it. Indians don't talk like that.

Does any of this bullshit about how India sucks even matter, considering Pakistan & India will nuke each other within the next 3 years and half these mother fuckers will be dead anyways?

Anonymous said...

Yeah, maybe something is about to pop in DC. The posselist discusses it. Also, both Hudson and Compliance have new postings at DC craigslist, and that hasn't happened in awhile.

Anonymous said...

I wonder what sort of secret military technology India has up their sleeve. They sure have the scientists and engineers, not to mention long term Pakistan worries to spur them on. Look at us, for instance. I think the highest performance acknowledged military plane we have is over thirty years old. So we haven't come up with anything new since then? Of course we have, it's just not made public. I wonder if the same goes for India.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, the buy their planes from us, fellow Democracy and all.

Anonymous said...

I was only referring to planes, and to our planes in particular, as an example of unknown technology that must exist. The ordinary public (e.g., I) of course don't know what our military has, and the same might be true as to India. They have the brains and training, as well as the need. Just speculating, because of the earlier nuclear war comment.

Anonymous said...

America's own Imelda Marcos:

VISTA, Calif. – A former bookkeeper embezzled $9.9 million, forcing her company to make layoffs as she bought 400 pairs of shoes that she kept in a room-sized closet decorated with a crystal chandelier and a plasma television, authorities claim.

Annette Yeomans, 51, surrendered at the Vista jail on Friday and was booked for investigation of grand theft and embezzlement. She was being held Saturday at the San Diego County jail in lieu of $10 million bail.

It was not immediately clear whether she had an attorney.

Authorities allege that Yeomans embezzled the money from 2001 to 2007 while she was chief financial officer for Quality Woodworks, Inc., a cabinetry business in San Marcos.

She spent at least $240,000 on 400 pairs of shoes, $300,000 on designer clothing and 160 purses valued at $2,000 each, investigators allege. She also remodeled a bedroom into a closet with the chandelier and a 32-inch TV, they said.

"On a weekly basis Yeomans would spend $25,000 on her credit card and then pay off the balance the following Monday with company funds," said Sgt. Mark Varnau of the sheriff's Financial Crimes Unit.

The losses went unnoticed and the company never hired an outside auditor to check the books because she had a trusted position, Varnau said. Meanwhile, he said, the company was forced to lay off workers and restructure operations because of the losses.

An investigation began after American Express notified the company in February 2008 that one of its checks had been used to make a payment on Yeomans' account, Varnau said.

Yeomans was fired last year and agreed to turn over her assets to the company, which has recovered about $2 million from the sale of her home, some cars and other property, Varnau said.

Her husband was a cabinet installer at Quality Woodworks but was not suspected of any crime, Varnau said.

Anonymous said...

Everyone is Indian! Everything is Indian! For example:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBErPz8t-A4

Anonymous said...

Leonardo Da Vinci was Indian!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvuocUXvxlI

Anonymous said...

The Queen of England is Indian!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9HJzy3WSYFM

Anonymous said...

Brad Pitt and Anjeline Jolie are Indian too!

Anonymous said...

10:44-

And you wonder why people hate white men.

Anonymous said...

11:11 PM

"Yeah, maybe something's about to pop in DC"

What's about to pop? All I see on DC Craigslist is the same old shit for foreign language projects -- Turkish, Danish, Russian. There was one posting last week for JDs with biology, chemistry and pharmacology backgrounds which I called the company about (btw they are also accepting licensed attorneys) and it turns out "everything is very tentative at this point, but we will call you."

So what do you mean "something's about to pop" in DC? I don't really see any evidence for that...

Anonymous said...

From LA Craigslist:

Busy general practice seeks associate attorney. New admitees o.k.
Must have excellent research and writing skills. Must be personable and have good client skills. Must commit to at least a year.
Duties will include client interviews, local court appearances, research and writing, among other duties.
37-40 hours per week. Highly relaxed atmosphere.
Pay ranges between $35-52k per year depending on skill, education, and credentials.
Please email resume, cover letter, and salary preferences.

----

If an entry-level attorney can be paid $35K per year in LA, a lot of young lawyers are truly screwed.

Anonymous said...

1:30 PM

Sorry, I should have said monster.com, not craigslist. The former has, for DC, two Hudson posting and one Compliance posting from 3/5 and 3/6. Also see the posselist 3/5 article.
At the posselist home page, click on "Recent Posts" to get the article "How about that Treasury space at 18th and L we reported yesterday...."

http://www.theposselist.com/2009/03/05/now-about-that-treasury-space-on-18th-and-l-we-reported-yesterday/

Anonymous said...

2:50

Thanks for the info!

Anonymous said...

When is the Capital Markets group at Katten going to start their layooffs? Soon I hope!

Anonymous said...

We must spread more fear amongst the Babu's and David Perla's in this world and threaten them with our prestigious JD's. Let's corner these LPO hucksters! Don't let em take your rightful jobs away!

Anonymous said...

Step right up! Get your cheap legal work done here!! Genuine English-speaking lawyers are ready to review documents for YOUR clients for just 50 rupees an hour! That's $4.95 American!!

Step right up! Get your cheap legal work done here!! Genuine English-speaking lawyers will do YOUR legal work, document review, research, and litigation support coding for pennies on the dollar! Cheapest prices on the globe!!

Step right up! Get your cheap legal work done here!!

Anonymous said...

They charge by the page no? The LPOs completely commoditize the work and offer "cut rates" for gutter service. The don't do hourly.

You get what you pay for!

Anonymous said...

Why are we seeing so much patent work being advertised lately?

Maybe that's the field to get into.

Someone said recently that with the recession/depression, bankruptcy, home foreclosures, and patent work will be growing most.

I can understand BK and foreclosures, but patent???? Why??

If you check DC Craigslist you see like 3-4 new patent jobs mentioned every day. Seems like it's booming, but I don't see the connection between patent work and the bad economy. Maybe I'm missing something...

Anonymous said...

1230

My guess- there's a tech boom or two or three on the horizon. It's not related to the economic cycle. It's happening despite the downturn. In fact, the down turn is probably slowing it down. It's also difficult to find attorneys with the the necessary skills set.

Anonymous said...

One reason is that they have brought it back from India. In a recent decision, the PTO declared it virtutally illegal to offshore patent work.

Hence, it's coming back. Once we eliminate the tax incentives to offhsore the same will happend for other work.

Anonymous said...

6:55 -

Based on your witty post i can only assume that your hate comes from being unemployed and it's comments like that that do my heart good to think that you are out of work. It's not just the competitive pricing that has led to the outsourcing of much of the document review that used to be done in this country; it's also the general malaise and ineptitude that is found in some contract attorneys. I hope the market picks back up and you still can't find work!!!

Anonymous said...

3:00 flame. The LPO thing is nonsense. Few ever actually used the LPO sweatshops and the little they've had is coming to an end. No wonder the bitter hucksters are busy whining. Nobody is buying their lies anymore.

Anonymous said...

^ I really wasn't defending LPOs but calling out the biggots on this site who hide behind anonimity.