The Hudson Legal "Environmental Law" Project

This project is being staffed by three agencies: Hudson, EP Dine and Epiq. The person who runs the review is the same woman who ran the infamous Hormonal Replacement Therapy review many years ago on East 45th Street for the firm out of Newark that does work with breast cancer and asbestos. Her name is Laura Kibby. Loud, arrogant and extremely fake.

You are paid a flat rate, you worked set hours but have the flexibility of coming in between a window, there is an elaborate conflicts form, they conduct interviews--they prefer environmental lawyers! The team leaders watch everyone, you are not allowed to bring your cell phone, especially ones with cameras---there are no notes allowed, and no books, bags nor purses. You must leave stuff in a holding area--holding pen.

There is no internet access, yet there is an obsolete cafe with old IBM computers. You are also monitor if you get up too much to go to the bathroom.

If you do well you become a permanent employee for Epiq---there are tons of ass kissers on this project.

Are you ready to give up your phone for a year?

Are you ready to be treated like a 7 year old?

Are you ready to be incommunicado during business hours and while your children are in school?

Tower Legal Staffing, Inc

"This is your new home, Rapunzel. I will come every day and visit. It is better if you were away from the city and this is the place I have chosen. Years passed and the child grew -- if they could have seen her. But, locked in her tower deep in the woods, no one saw her."

Tower is a true sweatshop especially if you work out of their premises, right next to Trinity cementery---inadequate bathrooms, crammed review rooms, unfriendly or contemptuous staffers with the exception of one--who is very professional. One has to input the time sheet at a common computer so someone can see your information, the internet area is right in the waiting room/reception.

I heard that if you sit next to recruiter's office they do not want to hear chatter.

Ask people to give a fall report of agencies with a countdown--today we start with Tower!

My Favorite "Scam Blogger"

"The real problem may be that Kevin Costner was proven correct in 'Field of Dreams.' If you build it they will indeed come. But they came and only found cornfields." - Jerome Kowalksi

When you mention the word "scam blogger" what comes to mind? For most people, it's undoubtedly the image of a young, disgruntled, heavily indebted recent graduate. A self-professed "scam blogger" by the name of Jerome Kowalski recently came across my radar, however. Contrary to being young, disgruntled, and/or unemployed, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that Mr. Kowalski was actually an older, successful, and seasoned practitioner. His most recent article, "What If They Built A Law School And Nobody Came?" is the most pointed, well-researched, and damning expose of the law school scam that I have ever come across. I invite you to peruse it here:

http://www.jdsupra.com/post/documentViewer.aspx?fid=6945bcc9-1e12-4ea1-8edf-aec6405d27c1

Frankly, I think the "law school scam busting movement" could benefit a bit more from the maturity, credibility, and guidance of older practitioners. Too often, the criminal cartel law school deans (and their enablers in the ABA) try to brush off legitimate criticisms of their corrupt practices, as the handiwork of a small group of young, rogue, discontented graduates. Clearly, "scam blogging" by reputable/ more established members of the profession can only help shatter this gross mischaracterization. Speaking out isn't necessarily easy, however. As Kowalski notes, there is a certain institutional, self-imposed "wall of silence" against speaking out:

"These conclusions are not mine alone. At least four law firm managing partners, a number of other prominent lawyers and several law school professors have shared these conclusions with me. However, they openly expressed fear about making public statements supporting these obvious conclusions because they all felt they would be seen as pariahs, shunned by the profession, insofar as the practicing lawyers were concerned, they expressed the fear that their firms’ recruiting activities would be hampered at important schools; the academics also expressed the concern of being shunned by their colleagues, since, in effect, they would be encouraging significant unemployment among the academic community."

Steven Zack Takes Over The Reins At The ABA

Stephen Zack's four main initiatives for his royal reign will be to preserve the justice system (whatever that means), civic education (provide more funding to the American Federation of Teachers), hispanic legal rights (amnesty), and disaster preparedness (close gitmo). Clearly, Mr. Zack wants to use his position to brandish political credentials and gain influence in Democratic circles.

As for the issues of regulating the profession, accrediting law schools, exploding debt, ABA schools that blatantly falsify marketing statistics, former biglaw associates scrubbing toilets, and corrupt deans channeling money through and sitting on the boards of directors of non-for-profit (in name only) lending institutions, he is notably silent.

When it comes to the issue of outsourcing entry-level legal work to the Indian subcontinent however, Zack is a little more proactive:

In remarks to the commission, ABA President-Elect Stephen Zack said that although he is "agnostic" on the issue of outsourcing, he recognizes that the lack of an official ABA position on the subject is a real problem. An opinion on outsourcing issued by the Standing Committee on Ethics and Professional Responsibility, ABA Formal Ethics Op. 08-451 (2008), has been taken by others as a formal ABA endorsement, he noted. . . . . The ABA House of Delegates needs an opportunity to consider outsourcing, he said.

Jaime Gorelick said that the commission's work on outsourcing will be put out for public comment, so that by the time the report comes before the delegates at the 2011midyear meeting it will be "fully vetted."

http://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&q=cache:_EXqCwjSoDIJ:www.abanet.org/ethics2020/bnart.2.pdf+Stephen+Zack+outsourcing&hl=en&gl=us&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgolEijPapNAS7ZO-cG8rGgSIh27e2LPLpefs_zctgjOOdgLikBY5_eVq0yPcGHYdWVabZ2j6Xevg2wblpmkMEtEY95ynReA7dSnAUZ8e7gZGR1TMewVwKnMe8uhsc37tupTXfi&sig=AHIEtbSs8P4HIsWVdh1UAJgL-17Jr-7-zw

Jaime Gorelick remember, is that horrible bank lobbying creature that took slush money from Sallie Mae and unsuccessfully tried to kill off the student loan reform bill last year. She also took $26.4 million away from Fannie Mae, money which was later found by federal regulators to have been given out because management manipulated earnings. Talk about ethics!

http://fdlaction.firedoglake.com/2010/02/05/bank-lobbyist-jamie-goreleck-endangers-student-loan-reform/

Make no doubt it, for however "agnostic" Mr. Hack pretends to be, the ABA will indeed put their full seal of approval on Indian outsourcing later next year. Thanksgiving dinner will be served up early next year and the turkeys will be you and me!

The Autumn Of Discontent

I hope TTT writes about the new payment model being used by all of the agencies:
rates are low.
- OT is rare and starts at 40 not 35.
- More of flat rates.
- No osha guidelines whatsoever---inoperable bathrooms, non-ergomanic chairs, locked fire exits.
- Some places do not even provide air since client will not pay for it.
- Others do not even provide drinking water which is required by law.
- A posting with links of agencies and how to report hazardous environs needs to be published.

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Helene Diamond's ridiculous questionnaire. Don't buy into the b.s. They are only interested in your response to question #8. As the overworn cliche goes, you can apply Mascara and pile on 20 layers of make-up to a pig, but it is still just a pig. No matter how you cut it, providing a representation as to an estimated rate of review of documents without actually seeing or handling the documents is clearly unethical.

QUESTIONS FOR DOCUMENT REVIEW CANDIDATES


1) What types of issues have you looked for in the course of your reviews? Forensic accounting, FCPA, patent, pharma reviews/technical issues, FDA regulatory issues, financial issues
a) Are you usually looking at one particular issue or several?
b) Are they discrete or complex?


2) What is the extent of discretion you have used in reviewing the documents?
a) Is the review essentially objective or subjective in nature?
b) Is the decision regarding whether the issue is implicated clear on the face of the document or does it require thoughtful consideration?

3) In what types of cases have you been involved?
a) Are they criminal or civil?
b) What has been the nature of the civil cases, i.e claim disputes, patent issues, securities issues, pharmaceutical matters, class actions?
c) Are they on the plaintiff’s side or defense?

4) What has been the purpose of the reviews?

5) What types of electronic platforms or systems have you used?

6) What other functions have you done in the databases, i.e. running searches?

7) What is the range in size of the reviews, i.e. how many documents in total?

8) What is the rate of review, i.e. how many documents can you review in one day on average?

Election Volunteers

TTT, I'm wondering if you'd be interested in posting this volunteer opportunity for Tuesday. Part of the reason we still have white collar sweatshops in NY is because of corruption in Democratic primaries in NYC. If we have legal monitors this coming Tuesday, it can mean a difference of thousands of votes, which is basically an election.

Volunteer for Election Protection: Be a Legal Monitor on Sept. 14

What: Attorneys and law students are needed to be legal monitors at poll sites to protect voters rights on a crucial election day in New York City. In most past elections, there have been significant complaints about problems at the polls in certain areas, problems that have led to voters being disenfranchised.

Where: In the Bronx and other areas throughout New York City.

When: On Tuesday Sept. 14th, lawyers are needed all day from the opening of the polls at 6am to the closing at 9pm.

Who: We are in need of licensed attorneys (in NY and other jurisdictions, including international) and law students. You will not be working on behalf of any candidate; you will be working to ensure that the system operates in a manner that is fair to all candidates.

Why: To protect the rights of voters. To gain training in election law. To meet key people involved in election protection and grassroots activism in New York City. To ensure the system works as it should and that people are not unfairly turned away from the polls. To have fun!

Contact: electionprotectiondrive@gmail.com

Has Helene Diamond Lost Her Mind?

"We have an immediate need for admitted document review attorneys - we have a document review project in our offices (25 West 31st Street, NY, NY 10001) starting on MONDAY, September 13th @ 900am.

Rate: The pay rate is based on an incentivized pay structure. You will receive a base pay rate of $25/hr, and at the end of the project you will receive a bonus check based on group performance and productivity."

Are you serious, lady? $25/hr is insulting enough, but to base pay upon "group performance and productivity" is downright laughable. Last time I worked for you, I was promised a "professional" working environment, but while you sat on your duff in your cushy office, I was shoved into an unventilated broom closet with an angry bipolar girl off her meds, an inappropriate sexual deviant, and a sweet talking con artist who skimmed along without doing any work. The way it works is this: I code the documents, you place and are responsible for the quality and work ethic of the candidates. Don't penalize me for your incompetence in having to find quality candidates with your insulting, bottom feeding slum rate.