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How do sophisticated lawyers negotiate sentencing terms?

By Douglas A. Berman

The WSJ Law Blog here and here provides effective coverage and links concerning famed lawyer Mel Weiss's decision to enter a deal to agree to plead guilty in a case alleging improper kickbacks.  The plea deal can be accessed here, and it is an interesting read.  I was particularly interested in paragraph 15, which sets forth the agreed upon sentencing terms.  And for some reason the parties came up with a range of 18 to 33 months imprisonment.  I think they got these terms from the top and botton of a range of guideline ranges, but it is fun to just speculate about how the big-time lawyers on both sides approached this part of the plea negotiations.

Full post as published by Sentencing Law and Policy on March 21, 2008 (boomark / email).