Bitter Lawyer

10 Things You Will Do While Studying for the Bar

The ten things you will almost always do during the weeks of studying for the bar exam.

Valerie Beck, Chicago Chocolate Tours

by Bitter Success on January 5, 2009 in Interviews

What’s your current job and title? I’m the president and founder of Chicago Chocolate Tours. What is a typical day like for you? A typical day for me is chocolate-filled, of course! Entrepreneurship is about making something visible that would have remained invisible. Chicago Chocolate Tours is growing and booming, and most of my focus [...]

Loose Ends, 1-5-09

by Bitter Newsroom on January 5, 2009 in News

Quick headlines from the Bitter Newsroom: U.S. Senate Majority Leader (and old trial lawyer) Harry Reid weighs in about the constitutional power to ban Roland Burris, Blagojevich’s pick to fill Obama’s vacant Senate seat. Burris is a “tainted appointment,” but he says there’s room to negotiate. Because it’s always about negotiating the taint. [Reuters] It’s [...]

I Like Summers

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by Matthew Richardson on January 5, 2009 in Columns

Summer associates out there, take caution—you are being judged both as a professional and as a potential hookup.

Loose Ends, 1-3-09

by Bitter Newsroom on January 3, 2009 in News

Quick headlines from the Bitter Newsroom: Give Heather Locklear some prescription drugs, and she gets all wet and reckless on ya. [New York Daily News] Who’s that Havard Law School dean on the US Supreme Court short list? It’s you, Elena Kagan! Woop woop. [Boston.com] Update 1/4: [Boston.com] Detroit criminal defense lawyer James Howarth realizes [...]

Loose Ends, 1-2-09

by Bitter Newsroom on January 2, 2009 in News

Quick headlines from the Bitter Newsroom: In-house legal advisors offer their 2009 “personal and professional resolutions.” And while “Looking busy and keeping my job” should fall into both categories for all of them, it’s all handled in a boring fashion like when someone answers “What are your weaknesses?” in a job interview. [Law.com] Chicago’s Kirkland [...]

Loose Ends, 12-31-08

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by Bitter Newsroom on December 31, 2008 in News

Quick headlines from the Bitter Newsroom: In the game “Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon,” everyone’s practically a Ponzi victim. He’s the newest notable to have lost scrilla in the Madoff debacle. [Reuters] Straight from the sued horse’s mouth: “A Washington lobbyist sued The New York Times and several of its reporters and editors Tuesday, charging [...]

Be Funnier: A Guest Post from an Annoyed Reader

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by Bitter Contributor on December 31, 2008 in Columns

It’s tough being a lawyer these days. Miniscule bonuses, salary-freezes, layoffs, snippy partners, boring work (if you’re lucky enough to even have any work). But what makes things even worse are the incessant, sophomoric, sexual comments on this blog! Guys, can’t you think of something better to say than “Poo-say?” Can’t you make a more nuanced point [...]

Loose Ends, 12-30-08

by Bitter Newsroom on December 30, 2008 in News

Quick headlines from the Bitter Newsroom: The psycho Santa gunman who struck on Christmas Eve wasn’t only out to ho-ho-hose his ex-wife’s family. Her divorce attorney was on the naughty list too. [San Francisco Chronicle] And that’s not the only divorce attorney pissing off wannabe divorcees. Married feuders are unable to cleanly split because the [...]

Temp’s a Bitch

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by Bitter Temp Guy on December 30, 2008 in Columns

Mrs. Donut has screwed me for the last time, I realize as Swiss Miss glides into the conference room and sits down across from me. Ordinarily, I’d be pleased that a hot woman was sitting across from me, but not today—not when she’s about to ruin everything. It’s the first day of a new assignment, [...]

Twenty Bitter Ends of 2008

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by Michael Estrin on December 29, 2008 in Columns

Bitter years come and go, but 2008 was one for the record books. Here are the moments and personalities that made 2008 a wonderfully bitter year to remember. 1. Bitter Bump & Grind Illinois lawyer Scott Robert Erwin’s decision to cut his legal fees for a stripper in exchange for nude dances cost him a [...]