Those Who Can

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In light of yesterday’s news that Boyd law professor Nancy Rapoport would be chairing a committee to review legal fees and expenses in the Caesars bankruptcy, someone questioned the propriety of having a law professor (and law students as the article suggests) reviewing the fees and expenses of practicing attorneys. It was not a question about Rapoport as much as it was a question about law professors and law students. (It should be noted that although it has been awhile, Rapoport’s Linked In resume does include 5 years in a law firm. It’s also worth noting that she is no longer the Gordon Silver Professor of Law and is now the Garman Turner Gordon Professor of Law at Boyd.)

You’ve heard that saying, “Those who can, do. Those who can’t, teach.” What do you think? Is there any truth to it? Did any of your law school classmates become law professors? Would you like them reviewing your legal fees and expenses? Are there better options for a court to determine the reasonableness of fees and expenses?

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Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 2:31 pm

If you knew anything about Rapoport you would know that she is a bankruptcy expert with experience in these types of monster bankruptcies even after leaving the firm life, for example she worked on the Station Casinos reorganization. She knows her stuff and is a consummate professional.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 9:06 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Nancy, please rewrite your first sentence. A comma after your name and a period after 'life'. And don't forget to place a comma after 'example' in the sentence that follows.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 23, 2015 12:12 am
Reply to  Anonymous

^^^^Nominated for Post of the Day!

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 2:43 pm

Thank you Nancy.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 2:44 pm

Nancy drives a Dodge Stratus.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 3:01 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

FTW

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 4:06 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I've also heard she can do 100 push-ups in 20 minutes.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 3:45 pm

"…the Gordon Silver Professor of Law and is now the Garman Turner Gordon Professor of Law at Boyd"

I assume you're joking. Gordon Silver is the name of a corporation that exists outside the individuals. So, unless Messrs. Gordon and Silver funded that endowment personally, the title of the chair should remain.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 3:49 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Never mind. Just looked. You're not joking.

Gordon Silver should sue, if it's around long enough to do anything about it.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 4:08 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I don't know how these sponsored professorships work, but my guess is that the firm agrees to an ongoing contribution to the law school. So when Gordon Silver went under, Garman Turner Gordon probably agreed to take over the obligation.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 22, 2015 7:50 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Why would Turner be a named partner? Does she have a huge book? And why did Gordon agree to put his name last? Does Garman have a bigger book than Gordon?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 4:26 pm

In Nevada those that can't do run for office. I would say judge but look at how many of those lunatics in Carson City have JD's. Hutchison and Crockett (on the bench) are the only ones I'm aware of that ever had a successful practices.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 6:49 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Judge Earl, Williams, Dorsey, Scotti, Gonzalez were all excellent lawyers.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 7:28 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

kinda sad how short this list is

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 8:32 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Better add Judge Gordon who was very successful in private practice. Cadish as well in addition to a number of successful prosecutors (Herndon, Silver) and crim. defense (Tao, Boulware).

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 22, 2015 4:54 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

I think some of those names might have been doing okay but I would classify successful as taking a pay cut to hold a public office.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 22, 2015 5:15 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Judges who have definitely taken a pay cut from their private practice days:
Gordon
Gonzalez
Cadish
Crockett
Ferenbach

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 22, 2015 6:07 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Hutchinson is still able to practice as Lt. Governor but how many other non judges in politics took a pay cut?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 23, 2015 4:11 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Gonzalez? you're kidding, right?

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 4:41 pm

I don't do bankruptcy, so please excuse me in advance for my ignorance, but are the legal fees already that out of control in the Caesar's matter that a committee needs to be set up? I represent a client with a claim in that case that, while large, is relatively simple. We gave it to a local firm who does not appear to be milking it, but I was astounded at the number of solicitations I received from outside firms to handle our client's claim. They were mostly out-of-towners.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 7:39 pm
Reply to  Anonymous

Solicitations to handle the claim? If true, that is a blatant ethics violation and should be reported immediately.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 6:15 pm

Whilst in law school, I was fairly impressed with my professors–especially those who had gotten published and been on tv shows and written parts of the code. Now with a little perspective, I'm less impressed. It's not that they couldn't hack it in the real world necessarily, but they don't have real world experience and it's hard for them to teach that.

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 21, 2015 11:55 pm

Wasn't Rapoport on the fee committee for the Enron case? She seems to have been an expert witness on a LOT of bankruptcy matters (http://bit.ly/1cQYTx8)

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 22, 2015 12:08 am
Reply to  Anonymous

Yeah. Fee examination is kind of her thing,

Anonymous
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Anonymous
May 22, 2015 12:05 am

MIDNIGHT TRAIN LAWYER SAYS: Guardianship Commissioner Jon Norheim just got fired. The Honorable Diane Cynthia Steele of Family Court will now hear all guardianship matters. CHOOOO CHOOOO!