Florida

3d DCA Watch -- Good Things Happen in Threes Edition

Posted on December 03, 2008
Ahh to be young again, when my days were filled with wondrous yet pointless legal exercises, such as carefully reviewing an actual book to "shepardize" a case.Yes I was wide-eyed and reckless then. I would pull crazy stunts, like file serial petitions for a writ of common law cert over minor discovery orders, hoping against hope that -- just this one time -- the 3d would pluck my lucky petition from among the many crying out for instant attention and then order briefing -- Holy Hail yes briefing! -- on my desperate, nay pathetic, plea for immediate judicial intervention...

Car Talk With Jose Astigarraga!

Posted on December 03, 2008
It's bad enough the CEOs of the big three American automakers have to travel from Detroit to DC in their own crappy cars and will therefore break down and need a lift somewhere near Akron, but now the always dapper Jose Astigarraga has taken to using disparaging American car metaphors to describe the plight of big firms:Jose Astigarraga, chairman of the 18-attorney litigation firm Astigarraga Davis in Miami, said the difference between boutiques and big law firms essentially boils down to the difference between driving a Lincoln Town Car and a Ferrari...

God Punishes Broward Voters By Giving Them The Courthouse They Deserve

Posted on December 02, 2008
Everyone knows the Broward courthouse sucks. The stupid elevators, floors that don't match, bad parking, oh let's be honest -- it is just plain gross.What's even worser are some of the judges you encounter once you are inside. No wonder they are so surly sometimes -- would you want to go to work in that building every day?Still, those schmarty Broward voters rejected a bond issue in 2006 that would have built a regular courthouse instead of the dying, decaying rubble-like structure that presently houses all those prickly jurists...

Face Dances, Part 2

Posted on December 02, 2008
Inquisitive reader 1:24 poses an interesting question in the thread to the preceding post:SFL are you really that worried your identity will be known if you post a picture of your beard? How about just the left side of your face?This is a somewhat sensitive topic...

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The Dreamy and Always "Ideologically Compatible" Frank Jimenez.

Posted on December 02, 2008
My fast-talking street urchin buddy and DCBA Prez Timmy Ravitch sent me only his 14th email this hour, and for some strange reason I decided to throw caution to the wind and actually open it.After recalling the terrible plight of the former comptroller of Nigeria who managed to procure $26...

Movember Month Success!

Posted on December 01, 2008
Well thanks to all you big-hearted mensches who contributed to our Movember facial hair growth charity project. Alas, it is true I could not scale the heights of the Burt Landy handlebar mountain, but I'm proud to say we ranked # 1853 nationally and raised enough money to be invited to the big Movember gala, which we happily attended in New York...

Wet N' Wild South Florida Monday

Posted on December 01, 2008
I tell you, you go away for some sublime windsurfing for a few days, and all hail breaks loose.Let's take a look at all the legal doings in the news today:Adam Trop takes the first post-Florida Supreme Court tobacco case to trial today in Broward circuit court...

Vote for SFL, You Plebes!!

Posted on December 01, 2008
What do you know, our dopey little blogshop has somehow managed to make it onto the ABA Journal's 2008 Blawg 100. (Insert Groucho joke here.)You can see the full list here (actually, there are quite a few good blogs on it).Apparently, we're in the running for "Best Regional Blog," and you can vote for us here...

Facial Hair, Per Your Request

Posted on December 01, 2008
It wasn't easy, but with some able assistance from a willing partner, a little mood music, and a few dry Gibsons I was able to capture the full splendor of my facial hair for charity project.Enjoy.(Ok ok I was kidding.)Late Update:Alrighty folks, please see above...

3d DCA Watch -- Special Ham-And-Egger Israeli Thanksgiving Day Edition!

Posted on November 26, 2008
Hi kiddies, it's a glorious Wednesday and yet I am still here in the office. Why the hail is that?A better question -- why are you?Go home, spend some time with your spouse, children and/or significant other(s). Give thanks. Help someone else out. That's what it's all about anyways, right? I mean, haven't you all seen Scrooged?Still, there is no rest for the resplendently robed yet weary coffee-swillers down south, who toil silently in their prefab concrete courtroom bunker, dispensing PCAs like Thanksgiving turkeys at a Sarah Palin cookout, who must week after week feed the insatiable need for justice created by all you busy state court practitioners -- yes dear readers it's a very special Turkey Day edition of what those of us in the know like to call...

Why Not Me, Lord?

Posted on November 25, 2008
Ok, tell me if this ever happened to any of you.A couple walk into your office. Apparently, the husband left his camera phone at McDonalds.Not a big deal, you say?True, but this little bugger had a few naughty pictures saved on his device.And now those photos are all over the intertubes, and his wife is more than slightly embarrassed...

BREAKING -- Judge Lederman Holds Gay Adoption Ban Unconstitutional

Posted on November 25, 2008
Miami Herald story here: Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Cindy Lederman Tuesday declared Florida's 50-year-old ban on gay adoptions unconstitutional -- a ruling state lawyers immediately said they would challenge.The ruling sets the stage for Frank Gill, a gay man from North Miami, to adopt two foster children he has raised since 2004...

Bad Idea Major Nelson -- Neil Shniderman Wanted to Keep Jeannie In Her Bottle

Posted on November 25, 2008
I don't know Fort Lauderdale attorney Neil Shniderman and I have never had a case with him.After reading this recent opinion from the 4th DCA, I can safely say Mr. Shniderman did not grow up watching any sit-com TV.According to the opinion, the guy was not truthful about whether he had a critical signed guaranty in his office safe, and more or less misrepresented to the Court and opposing counsel by implying the existence of the document, when he knew the whole time the signed guaranty never existed...

Stormy Monday -- More BigFirm Layoffs; Possible Silver Lining?

Posted on November 24, 2008
Every time I turn around I see more layoffs and terminations.I know a lot of you are lone wolf gunslingers, but for those who seek safety in numbers the lay of the land looks pretty rocky: Mayer Brown: 33 attorneys and 55 support staff gone.Brown Rudnick: 20 attorneys, 20 staff members and three paralegals gone...

SFL Saturday -- Bench and Bar Edition

Posted on November 22, 2008
Anyways so I roll up to the Diplomat Hotel yesterday morning looking, as 'trane noted, resplendent in my Van Dyke and feeling good about our profession after the tremendous showing of support for Ben on Thursday.As I entered the Convention Area I spied a fit, older gentleman ordering a double at the hotel bar...

Tips To Help Spot SFL Tonight!

Posted on November 20, 2008
So I hope to see you all tonight at the Ben Kuehne fundraiser.To enhance your chances of a successful meeting with your humble South Florida legal blogger, I offer the following tips:1. As many of you know, I am on an intense diet. Thus, do not expect me to be chowing down on the many delectable eats that will be offered, unless they are serving oysters, ginseng, and vitamin E...

Vioxx Lawyer Will Need Major Drugs To Get Through Holiday Party

Posted on November 19, 2008
Look I know many of us are cutting back and watching our expenses as we get ready to do holiday lunches, holiday parties, and hand out holiday gifts. But this news from Vioxx lawyer Mark Lanier is simply a full frontal assault on my musical sensibilities:Yet another famous singer will perform at this year?s annual holiday party hosted by Houston personal injury lawyer Mark Lanier, and any tween guests are likely to be pleased...

3d DCA Watch -- Oops I Did It Again Judge(!) Edition

Posted on November 19, 2008
Ok kiddies it's a fine cool hump day and like many of you, I have brought out my sweaters, vests, boots, scarves, hats, shawls, jackets, gloves, and firewood to celebrate South Florida's descent into sub-70 degree temperatures.As cool as it is this morning, however, there is an even colder wind blowing north from that heat-controlled, fortified concrete courtroom by the highway, as our resplendently robed judges swill hot coffee yet dispense cold justice, and this week the chilly winds of reversal are all blowing directly into an open window at 73 West Flagler...

More on Milton Ferrell

Posted on November 19, 2008
I've already covered the tragic loss of Milton Ferrell, and our condolences go out to his many friends and family.Today's Herald story adds some heartbreaking dimension to his final days: The scene unfolding in the intensive-care unit was extraordinary...

More Smart Decisions By Our School Board

Posted on November 18, 2008
So they spend good money to hire Murray Greenberg, he recommends they cut a deal, and they go ahead and fire her outright: Rejecting the advice of a special counsel, the Miami-Dade School Board on Tuesday voted to fire a School Board attorney who accepted a moving payment from the school system but never moved to Miami-Dade County...

Good Lord -- Unintended Positive Effects of The Recession

Posted on November 18, 2008
Sure for us in the legal profession we can expect cheaper gifts and crappier wines, and no year-end bonuses this year.Things are not all bad, however. Specifically, columnist David Brooks has hit on one unabashedly positive effect of our bleak economic times:Recessions breed pessimism...

Gerry Richman Hates To Count Votes More Than Twice.

Posted on November 18, 2008
Well I was regaled this morning by John the shoeshine guy, who filled my head outside the courthouse with stories of Sugar Mountain, with the barkers and the colored balloons.Actually he was telling me about his old outlaw days, before he found God, and how he used to help out all the high-priced lawyers, bankers, politicians, and muckety-mucks up therein DC-land, where dope, hope, and bloat all live in cozy three-part harmony...

News Flash: The Economy Sucks, The Market Sucks, But I Am Still Awesome.

Posted on November 18, 2008
For whatever reason, the ABA wants to know what dear readers of this crappy little blog think about the job market and the state of the economy. I've already told them, but they apparently want to know what you think, too.You can fill out the survey here...

Scott Rothstein Gets the Love.

Posted on November 17, 2008
I don't know who Scott's publicist is, but this Sun-Sentinel article is proof-positive that he or she should get an immediate raise:Columnist Michael Mayo provides some insight into lawyer Scott Rothstein, who's become influential in Broward -- and beyond...

AmLaw 200 Fired List

Posted on November 17, 2008
There are other blogs documenting the atrocities in terms of layoff and terminations at our nation's biggest firms, but they're coming at such a dizzying pace it's instructive to see them all gathered in one place.Fortunately, you can see continuing coverage and a collection of recent articles on the largest firms here...

Milton Ferrell Jr., RIP

Posted on November 17, 2008
Billy Shields reports that Milton Ferrell has passed on:Prominent Miami attorney Milton M. Ferrell Jr. has died from complications of mesothelioma, a form of cancer linked primarily to asbestos exposure, his firm confirmed today.Ferrell started his legal career in Miami in 1977 when he joined his father?s legal practice handling criminal defense work...

SFL Friday -- Mr. Blue Sky

Posted on November 14, 2008
So it's a sunny Friday, I'm going to ignore that the Dow is down 245 this afternoon, and try to focus on the positive. Maybe I still have a slight post-election bounce, or maybe it was having the pleasure of seeing Gore Vidal speak to an overpacked house yesterday evening at the Miami Book Fair, but I can't help but feel things are due to get better, and that small steps are being taken in the right direction...

No Fireworks At White & Case Holiday Party; Why Not Cancel Christmas, Too?

Posted on November 14, 2008
Sure it's one thing for White & Case to lay off associates and staffers because of our dire economic times, but this is too much:[T]he 2,400-lawyer international firm will be going ahead with the event at a midtown Manhattan restaurant, reports the Wall Street Journal Law Blog...

It's Carver Time!

Posted on November 13, 2008
You are hungry, and must be fed.

Jack Thompson Now Muckraking From Inside the GOP Governor's Convention

Posted on November 13, 2008
Please please please let's not get all Jack-Thompson-chronic here, but I see Mr. Jack has taken out his pencil and pad and is now working the beat for conservative humanevents.com, reporting on the GOP Governor's convention going on at the Hotel Intercontinental this week...

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