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Check this out -- first, a little background: we live in a neighborhood in St. Louis where most of the homes are quite old (by US standards) and have been, or are being, rehabbed. Our house, for example, was built in 1893 but was ripped to the studs in 2006 and a new, modern home was built inside the shell of this old Victorian home. Most of us in the neighborhood have dealt with builders at some point or another -- in my case, we bought the house from the rehabber.
To make a long story short, after extensive efforts to work something out amicably, we were forced to sue the rehabber that sold us the house. I can honestly say I'm not pissed at the guy, but he owes us quite a bit of money -- too much to just let go -- and although he's promised to pay us, he hasn't done so. At some point, you've got to do what you've got to do.
Well, that was about a month ago, and the attorney handling the case for me just gave me the first pleading filed by the defense attorney -- and it's a friend of mine that lives like two blocks from me. Not a friend like he was in my wedding party or anything, but I know him well enough that his number is in my phone, he's been to my house when I've had people over, and we've had more than a few beers together. Also, he and I worked on the Obama campaign together, and because he's the neighborhood association president and I'm the webmaster of the Neighborhood Ass'n website, I'm in regular communication with him. I'm stunned that he took the case.
I realize that business is business, and there is a large part of me that thinks I'm overreacting to this. In my practice, I rarely have any personal animosity for the people I'm litigating against (unless they've done something so egregious that I view it as an affront to common decency, which does happen) and have no problem turning it on and off. In my role as attorney (as opposed to a litigant), I routinely handle cases where the other attorney is a friend of mine and that's part of the deal -- go hard between the whistles, but leave it on the field. With that said, though, seriously dude, WTF? He may not technically have a conflict of interest -- which, I guess, is why he felt free to take the case -- but it's just bad practice. As attorneys, we are duty-bound to zealously represent our clients which, because of the adversarial nature of litigation, comes at the expense of the opposing party. I would never, ever take a case where I was duty bound to see to it that a friend of mine got as little as possible, even if I thought they were 100% wrong.
To put it another way, by taking the case, he is representing to his client, the world, and most importantly me, that he will make it his goal to ensure that we lose this case. I probably wouldn't do that to someone I knew personally, let alone someone I consider a friend.
Fuck this douche. Christmas card list just got a bit shorter.
[/rant]
To make a long story short, after extensive efforts to work something out amicably, we were forced to sue the rehabber that sold us the house. I can honestly say I'm not pissed at the guy, but he owes us quite a bit of money -- too much to just let go -- and although he's promised to pay us, he hasn't done so. At some point, you've got to do what you've got to do.
Well, that was about a month ago, and the attorney handling the case for me just gave me the first pleading filed by the defense attorney -- and it's a friend of mine that lives like two blocks from me. Not a friend like he was in my wedding party or anything, but I know him well enough that his number is in my phone, he's been to my house when I've had people over, and we've had more than a few beers together. Also, he and I worked on the Obama campaign together, and because he's the neighborhood association president and I'm the webmaster of the Neighborhood Ass'n website, I'm in regular communication with him. I'm stunned that he took the case.
I realize that business is business, and there is a large part of me that thinks I'm overreacting to this. In my practice, I rarely have any personal animosity for the people I'm litigating against (unless they've done something so egregious that I view it as an affront to common decency, which does happen) and have no problem turning it on and off. In my role as attorney (as opposed to a litigant), I routinely handle cases where the other attorney is a friend of mine and that's part of the deal -- go hard between the whistles, but leave it on the field. With that said, though, seriously dude, WTF? He may not technically have a conflict of interest -- which, I guess, is why he felt free to take the case -- but it's just bad practice. As attorneys, we are duty-bound to zealously represent our clients which, because of the adversarial nature of litigation, comes at the expense of the opposing party. I would never, ever take a case where I was duty bound to see to it that a friend of mine got as little as possible, even if I thought they were 100% wrong.
To put it another way, by taking the case, he is representing to his client, the world, and most importantly me, that he will make it his goal to ensure that we lose this case. I probably wouldn't do that to someone I knew personally, let alone someone I consider a friend.
Fuck this douche. Christmas card list just got a bit shorter.
[/rant]
and make sure your dude wins for you (clearer?) (as mud) gone.
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