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Legal community helps chronicle 20-year legal battle of a wrongly convicted man

Legal community is coming forward to right the legal wrong done to Darryl Hunt. Hunt spent 20 years behind bars for a crime he never committed.

HBO documentary films in collaboration with global law firm Clifford Chance U.S., LLP, and area's law schools will screen the film The Trials of Darryl Hunt. The event will be held at the Carolina Theatre on April 19.

The documentary is a story of a 20-year long struggle of passionate people to free Darryl Hunt.

It was in 1984, when Hunt, a 19-year-old African-American, was accused of raping and murdering Deborah Sykes, a young, white newspaper reporter. He was sentenced to life in prison. Ten years later, DNA tests proved that Hunt did not rape Sykes. The findings also doubted his involvement in the reporter's murder. However, Hunt had to spend 10 more years in the prison.

During these two decades, Hunt's defense attorneys and public supporters fought persistently for his freedom. In February 2007, the city of Winston-Salem rewarded Hunt $1.65 million for his wrongful conviction and imprisonment. Hunt also received a reimbursement of $358,545 from the state of North Carolina.

"I'm pleased that we have been able to facilitate efforts to make (the documentary) available to the law school community," said Craig Medwick, Regional Managing Partner for Clifford Chance in the Americas. Medwick also lauded the film for its forceful portrayal of important legal and societal issues in a sensitive and dramatic manner.

In addition to Clifford Chance, various schools are partnering HBO in hosting of the film's special screening. These include area law schools at Duke University, North Carolina Central University, and The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The award-winning HBO documentary is to debut on April 26, exclusively on HBO.

04-17-2007

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Greenberg Traurig reinforces its presence in Tampa

International law firm Greenberg Traurig, LLP, has merged its Tampa practice with Zinober & McCrea P.A. Greenberg Traurig started its Tampa office eight months ago with only four attorneys, which will now increase to nearly 20 owing to the recent merger.

Zinober's founders Peter W. Zinober and Richard C. McCrea, Jr., together with the firm's attorneys, are joining Greenberg's national labor and employment practice group in Tampa office on May 1. The merger will also result in the closure of Tampa firm Zinober & McCrea.

With decades of experience in labor and employment law, attorneys Zinober and McCrea will join Greenberg as shareholders. However, the number of the lawyers joining Greenberg Traurig is not finalized yet. The global firm's labor & employment practice comprises more than 90 attorneys in its U.S. and Europe offices.

The compatibility of the two firm's clients is not likely to create much friction. Phone calls have already been made to Zinober's top clients Walt Disney World and Lowe's Home Centers Inc., to ensure continuation of the book of business.

Zinober declined to reveal the difference in the rates of the 1,675-lawyer international firm and the 13-lawyer boutique. He didn't anticipate much problem from the firm's clients. However, he did concede that some public sector clients may find full-service rates of Greenberg on a higher side.

04-17-2007

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Four members of Mintz Levin top as Washington, DC, Super Lawyers

Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky, and Popeo, P.C. added quite a big feather to its hat with four of its members selected as Washington DC Super Lawyers 2007. The list was published in The New York Times, Washington, DC, edition on March 25. It was also carried by the magazine Washington DC Super Lawyers. The choices were made through ballots sent to more than 35,000 local attorneys. The super four include Charles D. Ferris, David Barmak, Howard J. Symons, and Susan Neuberger Weller.

All of the super four are members of the firm's Washington, DC, office. While Ferris and Symmons practice in the communications section, Neuberger and Barmak practice intellectual property and employment law, respectively. All of the super lawyers have a sterling career and impeccable track records.

Mintz Levin has offices in U.S. and U.K. and falls within the top 100 law firms listed by AmLaw. Founded in 1933, its highly qualified and dedicated 450 attorneys serve clients like public corporations, start-ups and emerging growth companies, investors, academic institutions, and industry associations.

04-16-2007

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Enhancing relationship intelligence of law firms

Today it is critical for large law firms to continually respond to RFPs to achieve the firm's new business targets. Secondly, proposals are becoming more complicated in nature. Market realities coupled with a desire to serve the client better are forcing the law firms to transform their proposal management departments. They are becoming more tech-savvy.

Presently, many large law firms use CRM software InterAction. InterAction assists the law firms in collecting comprehensive client data. Additionally, the software also helps the firm in its decision taking process by transforming this data into the Relationship Intelligence.

Proposal Software, Inc. has recently come out with software that adds value to InterAction through the process of synchronization.

The integration of both software platforms enables Proposal's Proposal Management and Production System (PMAPS) to directly access the data organized by InterAction. It ensures more competency, uniformity, and reliability of the collected data regardless of target.

04-16-2007

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In a conflict of service and money, law firm sides with humanity

Houston-based law firm Baker Botts has volunteered to represent the Center Serving Persons with Mental Retardation in its fight against the Houston City authorities. The authorities plan to displace the Center and sell its property.

On March 23, the Center received a letter from the director of real estate with the City of Houston. The letter asked the Center to sign a short-term lease of three years and agree to then evict the place. The letter also spoke about the authorities' plan to sell the Center's property.

"We think the center should stay exactly where it is and continue to provide the services it is providing, and we hope the city agrees with that," asserted Baker Botts' lawyer Irv Terrell.

The Center, set up in 1950, serves more than 600 persons with mental retardation and other developmental disabilities.

According to the Center's Board member, Jack Manning, the Center is in possession of a 99-year lease signed in 1963 on the property of five acres. Additionally, it has a preferential right to a 30-year renewal on the remaining one acre. "These leases have been honored by seven Mayors," informed Manning. He questions Mayor Bill White's idea to evict the mentally retarded to increase the City's revenue.

Differentiating the value of the Center's services in comparison with the City's motive to do real estate housekeeping, C. Wayne Johnson, the president of The Center's Board of Governors, brings forth the problems in shifting the Center.

Former city attorney John Wildenthal opines that the Center's services are more significant for the citizens than the rent or sale money planned to be generated from the property.

"Save the Center" campaign is getting support from different quarters. While around 4,700 people have signed an online appeal disapproving the city officials' step, about 200 supporters and residents of the Center took out a rally recently in support of the Center's stand.

04-13-2007

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Sorry doctor, you can't avoid lawsuit!

A doctor said "I'm sorry" to a middle-aged patient after failing to fix the woman's eyelid even after the second operation. This news has ruffled many a feather in the legal community.

Dr. Michael Migliori, an ophthalmic plastic surgeon and lobbyist for the Rhode Island Medical Society, is reported to have operated the patient twice before fixing her eye lid. After the second operation, the doctor said: I'm sorry. He wasn't sued.

Can the two magic words 'I'm sorry' save a doctor from a lawsuit? The incident is not first of its kind. This is a challenge before the legal community.

According to the American Medical Association, 29 states have enacted evidentiary rules that make expressions of sympathy following an accident or error inadmissible in civil court to prove liability.

However, apology laws vary from state to state.

In the words of AMA, the legislation, normally referred to as "I'm sorry" laws, promotes full confession of mistakes or errors in judgment. It dismisses physicians' and hospitals' apprehension that their admission of guilt would be used against them in a court of law.

It remains to be seen how legal community reacts to the doctors' admission of guilt and their escape from the lawsuit.

04-13-2007

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Market realities of a law firm's closure

After 47 eventful years, midsize law firm Rider Bennet is closing down on May 31.

"It's like seeing a landmark disappear," commented Daniel Kleinberger, a law professor at William Mitchell College of Law. The news has dismayed the legal community.

At its peak in early 2004, Minneapolis law firm Rider Bennett had 140 attorneys. What caused the firm's closure despite it being profitable?

"Rider Bennet failed to compete in today's increasingly challenging legal marketplace," announced Steve Plunkett, the firm's managing partner in a press release. It was losing its ground to firms with more lawyers, and more resources, he added.

In Kleinberger's opinion, the rise in salaries of entry-level associates along with greater marketing and advertising demands have changed the traditional business model for law firms.

Reportedly, the issue of senior attorneys' compensation made Rider Bennet vulnerable. "And when those attorneys left for other firms, they took their clients with them," acknowledges Plunkett. However, the clients' strong bond with their lawyers rather than the firm as a whole is likely to help Rider Bennet's remaining 91 lawyers, too. The clients most likely won't desert them when they relocate to other firms.

The downfall of the firm is attributed to the market realities. Law firms now need to compete in the marketplace like any other business.

The legal community has nothing but praise for the contributions of the folding firm. "An excellent, high class, operation; a lot of energy, lot of integrity, lot of intelligence, a lot of great people,'' is how Kleinberger portrays the firm.

"The firm was known for its humane culture. It encouraged its partners to be involved in things beyond the law," admires Sheryl Ramstad, a judge on Minnesota's tax court and a former partner of the firm. She praises the firm lavishly for its practice of allowing women to go part-time and offering sabbatical programs to partners.

Ramstad hopes the firm's closure doesn't mean an end to such humane practices.

04-12-2007

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