Chicago Happenings

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by sock for another post
Very helpful, thank you.

Anyone else? Wonk? Coltrane? mmmm? hello? Any thoughts from you guys would be much, much appreciated.

Good luck. Let us know in the future (privately if you prefer) if/when we have a new Chicago poster to add to the ranks...

[taxwonk]

Originally posted by sock for another post
Very helpful, thank you.

Anyone else? Wonk? Coltrane? mmmm? hello? Any thoughts from you guys would be much, much appreciated.

Unfortunately, all I have on these guys is a general vibe that they have overcome a former reputation for being a sheap sweatshop, and that they are supposed t be pretty decent now. I don't have any real specifics, though.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by sock for another post
Very helpful, thank you.

Anyone else? Wonk? Coltrane? mmmm? hello? Any thoughts from you guys would be much, much appreciated.

I have insight. On or about 2000, their practice group head was a soft-IP guy. They had what seemed like a hodge-podge of IP people. A few interesting litigators, lots of nice patent partners and associates etc.

I must say though, its always fun to watch the interaction between e.g., patent types, e.g., from third tier schools, and soft-IP/non-IP types, from e.g., Michigan and Northwestern or whatever. Its like mixing martians and venetians in the cutthroat GP world. Personally, I think everyone would get along better if they just put the patent people in the penthouse suites and left them alone. But I digress.

I quit keeping track of them long ago, but my understanding was that at least a few of the patent people left quickly to open their own shop. Most of the people I met there seemed like very nice people.

Rumors on this and *other* boards, has the source of any discord possibly being the practice group head. But that's not my bone to pick.

For IP type stuff in Chicago, I swear I'd be interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on Barnes & Thornburgh or Michael Best. There was at least one ugly series of stories coming out of Michael Best last year, but I'm not even sure if I believe it still.

Hello

[taxwonk]

I always believed that Dave matthews's stuf was watery shit. Now he's gone and proven me right.

Thoughts, comments, collective giggles?

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by taxwonk
I always believed that Dave matthews's stuf was watery shit. Now he's gone and proven me right.

Thoughts, comments, collective giggles?

This was so gross that I couldn't bring myself to even smile. Seriously, and I am smiling like a retard 89% of the time, or so I'm told.

I don't believe in coincidence, so however it happened, iI think it certainly wasn't an accident (though I'm not saying they were aiming for anything other than moving water).

That said, I'd love to see the quality of the eyewitness accounts. If someone has a credible eyewitness account of the plate number and the discharge-in-progress, than someone should be going to jail (not necessarily Cook County) for 12 to 18 months for this. This wasn't just a random attack on random tourists, it was a sickening attack on the entire city at a time when the city has enough problems of its own.

Hello

ETA that this is now the poll on chicagotribune dot com. 51% of respondents so far say it matters not that it was Dave Matthews, the whole incident just stinks. I should run for mayor or something.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by taxwonk
I always believed that Dave matthews's stuf was watery shit. Now he's gone and proven me right.

Thoughts, comments, collective giggles?

I think I have proof of his involvement -- according to one of their fansites, they opened their Sunday show with the song "Don't Drink the Water"... :shock:

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
I think I have proof of his involvement -- according to one of their fansites, they opened their Sunday show with the song "Don't Drink the Water"... :shock:

Roe Conn on WLS just went through a list of other possible suspects, since Dave Matthews' people claim their buses were parked at that time and their driver called in from downstate and had a cop verify his "tank" was still full.

Other possibilities in town that night include Loverboy, Linkin Park, Korn (possibly -- where's Coltrane when I need a good corn and poop joke?) and Snoop Dogg (though the bus was not in a cloud at the time of the incident)... DNA testing may be necessary.

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me
I have insight. On or about 2000, their practice group head was a soft-IP guy. They had what seemed like a hodge-podge of IP people. A few interesting litigators, lots of nice patent partners and associates etc.

I must say though, its always fun to watch the interaction between e.g., patent types, e.g., from third tier schools, and soft-IP/non-IP types, from e.g., Michigan and Northwestern or whatever. Its like mixing martians and venetians in the cutthroat GP world. Personally, I think everyone would get along better if they just put the patent people in the penthouse suites and left them alone. But I digress.

I quit keeping track of them long ago, but my understanding was that at least a few of the patent people left quickly to open their own shop. Most of the people I met there seemed like very nice people.

Rumors on this and *other* boards, has the source of any discord possibly being the practice group head. But that's not my bone to pick.

For IP type stuff in Chicago, I swear I'd be interested in hearing anyone's thoughts on Barnes & Thornburgh or Michael Best. There was at least one ugly series of stories coming out of Michael Best last year, but I'm not even sure if I believe it still.

Hello

Thanks, everyone for your comments. I'll let everyone know if I'm changing regional affliliations. I'm talking to WHAD soon, so we'll see.

Interestingly, one of the things I found somewhat attractive is the fact that their "IP" department is not just a "patent" department. I will keep my eyes open for any evidence of infighting, though.

Thanks once again,

SFAP

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

She got selected and is hearing a three-day murder trial starting today at 26th and Cal. Apparently she was selected despite saying she would have trouble being impartial if a defendant did not take the stand in their own defense. Hmmm...

What I cannot understand is why this is headline news here. Sure, Oprah is huge in Chicago (sometimes literally AND figuratively), but this is not news. Yes, it's mildly interesting, but that's it.

Link

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
She got selected and is hearing a three-day murder trial starting today at 26th and Cal. Apparently she was selected despite saying she would have trouble being impartial if a defendant did not take the stand in their own defense. Hmmm...

What I cannot understand is why this is headline news here. Sure, Oprah is huge in Chicago (sometimes literally AND figuratively), but this is not news. Yes, it's mildly interesting, but that's it.

Link

Oh, I don't know. I think its sort of news. At least, its something people read when they see it, whereas I still tend to skip lots of other headlines.

Any idea where the murder took place?

He(In other news, Daley has looked like he's on the ropes the past 2 weeks... when was the last thing he's said something bad about George Bush in public?)llo

[mmm3587]

Originally posted by sock for another post
Very helpful, thank you.

Anyone else? Wonk? Coltrane? mmmm? hello? Any thoughts from you guys would be much, much appreciated.

I don't have much else to add. I know of them, but not that much. In my mind, they are among the best-regarded of the truly regional firms in Chicago that try to excel locally, have the occasional national matter and try to be decent places to work. I think that the sweatshop rumors are quite old now; I've worked briefly with or against them on matters, and everyone seemed pretty happy. That was transactional work, but when I last worked with them, when the market was busier in that subject matter than it is now, they were mostly working modified 9-5 schedules, say 8-6 with the occasional weekend or all-nighter.

However, I would be very suprised if they truly match market for anything beyond second years or third years. Or if they match them for people not working 2200 hours a year or more. From what I understand about their billing rates, they probably can't afford to pay rainmakers what they need to if they're reallying paying a bunch of fifrth year associates $185k when they're probably billing at $300/hr or lower.

[mmm3587]

Originally posted by Aloha Mr. Learned Hand
They pay market for 1st tier in Chicago, so a 5th-6th year lateral should be between $160k (5th year) to upwards of $175k (6th year).

I didn't catch this before, but I usually consider

1st year $125,000
2nd yesr $135,000
3rd year $150,000
4th year $165,000
5th year $185,000
6th year $205,000
7th year $225,000

to be market in Chicago, with significant variation and compression beginning in the fifth year. I think that there are at least half a dozen firms that pay on this scale. Many (including perhaps WHAD) also adhere to a modified scheme where they start associates at $125,000 and do raises or approximately $10,000 most years.

[Aloha Mr. Learned Hand]

Originally posted by mmm3587
I didn't catch this before, but I usually consider

1st year $125,000
2nd yesr $135,000
3rd year $150,000
4th year $165,000
5th year $185,000
6th year $205,000
7th year $225,000

to be market in Chicago, with significant variation and compression beginning in the fifth year. I think that there are at least half a dozen firms that pay on this scale. Many (including perhaps WHAD) also adhere to a modified scheme where they start associates at $125,000 and do raises or approximately $10,000 most years.

1-4 is right on, but 5-7 is more compressed than that from the information I have... more like $175k, $190k, $210 give or take 5 each way.

[Say_hello_for_me]

Originally posted by Say_hello_for_me

Any idea where the murder took place?

And to answer my own question, today's (Sun-Times?) indicates Kostner and West End (Lawndale). Basically, not too far from the Kostner exit of the Eisenhower.

[mmm3587]

Apparently, a profane voicemail from one associate to another is circulating via e-mail. Recipient takes the ultimate revenge and mails it all over the country. Sender sounds like an asshole, but uses his and his firm's name; recipient is mentioned only by first name. Regardless, an instant classic...