Adam Smith, Esq.

Adam Smith, Esq. AdamSmithEsq.com August 2009 New York City Print and Mobile-friendly version Forward this email In this issue: • Section 1   Welcome • Section 2   Recap of key articles • Section 3   Special newsletter-only article • Section 4   Individual profile • Section 5   Picture from New York

rodrigo gonzalez fernandez director consultajuridica Dear rodrigo: Welcome to the July 2009 edition of the "Adam Smith, Esq." monthly newsletter.      The question on everyone's mind is whether we are seeing any "green shoots" or not.   Obviously, much of the answer depends on where you sit.  Many smaller and mid-size firms, or the offices of larger firms outside major financial centers, never suffered from the meltdown in the way the classic capital-markets-oriented firms did.  (Famously, Cravath, always the poster child for a New York-centric practice, experienced a reported drop in PPP of 24%.)   If you believe that clients are finally serious about seeking to spend less overall on outside counsel, then they have a limited range of choices.  I suspect we're seeing all of the following kick in: Seeking discounts and other forms of rate reductions from existing "preferred providers." Going to lower-rate firms (thus the generally happier experience of mid-size firms). And dispensing with what could be viewed as "discretionary" legal spending entirely--such as certain litigation. The important question for the longer run is whether these new forms of behavior will endure.  And since you asked, in this newsletter you will find my views. Most importantly, if you have thoughts, comments, or suggestions about this, please let me know.  The editor & publisher is always in. Sincerely Yours, Bruce MacEwen Recap of Key Articles The Happiness of Your Lawyers  uses the annual American Enterprise Institute lecture, delivered last march by Charles Murray, to ask what lessons can be drawn from the European social model for our high-performance law firms.  The moral may be that there are unintended consequences if you try too hard to "take the trouble out of things." 21st Century Armageddon  takes square and I devoutly hope tellingly successful aim at a rather hysterical article proclaiming that a firm's decision to suspend its summer associate program for a year was, well, you can tell from the title.  But my column is really more about new models for associate career paths.  My hypothesis is that firms that adopt models different from the century-old Cravath System will never go back. Law & Surgery, an unorthodox column, asks if you've ever had an experience, as a practicing lawyer, akin to that fictionally described by Ian McEwan as something his protagonist in his recent novel Saturday experiences. Upside of the Downturn is more or less a capsule book review of Geoff Colvin's recently published book of the same name, suggesting 10 things managers (that would be you) can do during a downturn to position your firm more strongly for the recovery.  Hint:  None of them is expressly about cost-cutting. A Conversation with Tomasz Wardynski  introduces you to a strong and deeply engaging character who founded one of Warsaw's leading law firms.  The moral?  "Life is not a fairy tale."   Grim Reaper as Optimist-in-Chief  explores the changing and delicate balance between your roles as heavy-handed and essentially solo bearer of terminally bad news to staff, associates, and partners, with your indispensable role as keeper of the flame of faith in the firm's ever-greater future.  This is why you get paid.   Thus concludes this month's recap of articles. Special Newsletter Article:  What Will Be The Lasting Repercussions on "The Other Side"?   Much ink has been spilled on whether or not we're seeing any "green shoots" in the economy.  As faithful readers know, I'm not buying that theory. Above, I wrote that: If you believe that clients are finally serious about seeking to spend less overall on outside counsel, then they have a limited range of choices.  I suspect we're seeing all three kick in: Seeking discounts and other forms of rate reductions from existing "preferred providers." Going to lower-rate firms (thus the generally happier experience of mid-size firms). And dispensing with what could be viewed as "discretionary" legal spending entirely--such as certain litigation. Here's what I think about all that. 1.   Discounts or other rate reductions without a fundamental rethinking of how law firms perform their various functions are an extremely short-sighted and (I would argue) unsustainable trend.  I have never advised a client to cut rates or offer discounts as I believe it teaches clients to behave badly.   And while clients may claim they appreciate the reduction from (say) $450/hour to $400/hour, their memory will be very short and they will scream bloody murder if you try to go back to $450 from $400--and immediately forget their gratitude at giving them a break in the first place.  Also, arithmetically, perceptions work against you; the cut from $450 to $400 is a cut of 1/9th (11.1%) but the raise from $400 to $450 is a raise of 1/8th (12.5%) The real problem with discounts, besides the quasi-esthetic objection that they display an utter lack of imagination or creativity either on behalf of the client or the firm, is that they train clients to expect discounts and in the process devalue your services. Clients demands' for discounts and push-backs on such practices as billing for first and second year associates may, ultimately, force you to examine the question of what type of firm you are.  Who, that is to say, is your real target market?  If you enjoyed the "rising tide" phenomenon of the first decade of the 2000's, when the compound annual growth rate of revenue of law firms tracked by the Citi Private Bank was nearly 11%/year--and if that was actually all you were experiencing--then you may have to face some difficult days of reckoning. On the other hand, if--fortunate you--your firm's services seriously are worth a premium in good times and bad, then you need to have the courage of your convictions and stick to your published rate card, as it were. The only certainty I can offer you on this score is that Mr. Market will tell you on which side of the divide you primarily stand. 2. The most critical question in this entire debate over what the landscape will look like "on the other side" may be whether clients who have eaten the fruit of the forbidden middle-market firm tree will find that they're satisfied and stay there.  There are no a priori reasons, after all, why the quality of lawyering should be correlated with the cost of living in the firm's primary city.   We may also see graduates from the nation's top-drawer law schools increasingly migrating towards cities not counted among the capital markets centers.  Why?  The increasingly wide recognition that a $160,000 starting salary brings with it heavy billable hour and performance expectations. The concomitant appeal of "work/life balance" options. Willingness to put greater weight on "quality of life" considerations, as the pressure to aspire to succeed in the biggest pressure cookers of all comes to seem dated. And most importantly, the ineluctable downward shift in the demand curve from top-tier firms in top-tier markets for new associates.  Sure, if you're Harvard (or Yale or Stanford or Columbia or ...) top of your class, the world will always be your oyster.  But if the market pushes everyone down one rung on the ladder, as it were, realism may become a virtue. If this trends kicks in at noticeable scale, regional and middle-market firms may find themselves able to move readily up the talent food chain.  Please understand something here:  Terrific lawyers have always broadly populated firms outside the AmLaw 50, 100, and 200, and have always populated cities of fewer than 1-million or 100,000 residents.  I know that and you know that.  My only point is that clients who have heretofore doubted that on general principles or simply never experienced that or never had the courage to reach outside the "safe" name-brand mainstream may at last discover it for themselves. The counter-argument to this is that sophisticated and "premium" transactions and litigations are generally performed in major global legal and financial centers because that's where the highest-wattage brainpower tends to aggregate--and it's not just lawyers, but investment bankers, accountants, management consultants, and every other related profession requiring talent (graphic artists, marketers, etc.)  I happen to believe that the ever-accelerated interconnectedness of our world has only increased, not decreased, the desirability and necessity of people congregating in places like New York, London, and Hong Kong.   But there's no copyrighting ideas and brilliant lawyering isn't limited only to certain geographic latitudes.     Quote of the month   By directing his industry in such a manner as its produce may be of the greatest value, he intends only his own gain, and he is in this, as in many other cases, led by an invisible hand to promote an end which was no part of his intention.  Nor is it always the worse for the society that it was no part of it. By pursuing his own interest he frequently promotes that of the society more effectually than when he really intends to promote it. Adam Smith, The Wealth of Nations, 1776   The working of self-interest is generally beneficent, not because of some natural coincidence between the self-interest of each and the good of all, but because human institutions are arranged so as to compel self-interest to work in directions in which it will be beneficent. Edwin Cannan, Economic Review, 1913   The invisible hand which guides men to promote ends which were no part of their intention, is not the hand of some god or some natural agency independent of human effort; it is the hand of the lawgiver, the hand which withdraws from the sphere of the pursuit of self-interest those possiblilities which do not harmonize with the public good. Lionel Robbins, The Theory of Economic Policy in English Classical Political Economy    3. As an economist, I've often viewed litigation as essentially a zero-sum game, with, to be sure, a nice juicy cut for the lawyers.  If you start from that premise, then the decision whether or not to pursue a "discretionary" litigation (one not involving an existential threat to the business, or a non-negotiable reputational issue) should come down to a simple cost/benefit analysis.   The question remains why litigation has not behaved in its classic counter-cylical fashion and risen up to save all our bacon.  My operating hypothesis on this is that one major characterisitic of litigation that has changed since the last downturn is e-discovery.  And the implications of e-discovery are two-fold:  First, it obviously, vastly, increases costs before you even get to the courthouse (or summary judgment motion) door.   This is not an enticing prospect in this environment.    But the second is, I believe, perhaps even stronger:  Given the rather shocking track record of people to spout off in emails in the most irresponsible, damning, and blissfully colorful ways, I suspect many clients are afraid that if they open the door to e-discovery they will discover they've invited snakes to their own garden party.   Your thoughts?    Will we indeed see litigation recover to its "normal" level where it is the pursuit of business objectives by other means?  My instinct is that the remarkably sophisticated apparatus we have developed through which to deploy litigation, as war, as battle, as strategy, as tactic, as maneuver, as feint, is far too nuanced and powerful not to make a comeback.   But that's only an instinct.  I would truly be interested in your reflections, observations, and, yes, instincts.     So What Does This Mean?   There you have my thoughts on the key ingredients that will help determine what "the other side" may look like.   Taking them in incorrect order: As for 3, the question whether litigation will come back, and at what scale, I believe it's only a matter of time before it does resume.  Clients' (and lawyers') aggressive instincts have not been bred out of the species, only temporarily suppressed because of a remarkably inhospitable environment at the moment.  But I stand ready to revise my views based on your comments. As for 1, the question of whether discounts is the last word in creative billing alternatives, you have my view that it is an embarrassingly simple-minded distraction which does nothing to fundamentally advance the conversation we ought to be having with our clients about value:  How they perceive it, how we think we deliver it, and the conversation no one has launched yet in a serious way, which is attempting to get our arms around what clients think they mean by "quality" and what we think we mean.  [Hint:  According to JD Power, Lexus was the #1 highest-quality car brand in 2008, with 84 problems per 100 vehicles.  Overall, the card industry aveage was 108 problem sper 100 vehicles.  The point is not how tiny marginal differences can loom so large but that even for Lexus, zero defects is not a goal.  We might learn something from this.  Sometimes very very good indeed--but not perfect--is quite good enough.] Finally, #2 is the Great Unknown. What will clients who have experienced the service of non-top-tier, non-capital-markets-centered firms choose to do?  Not to be reductionist about it, but they have three options:  Decide these firms do indeed serve their needs for all practical purposes, and permanently divert a large portion if not almost all of their spend in their direction.  Alternatively, continue to employ them for non-"bet the house" matters so long as there seem to be no major screw-ups.  And finally, return to the buying habits of the palmy boom days when "nobody ever got fired for hiring Skadden."  (I paraphrase, but you get the gist.) I honestly do not know where clients will come out on this--nor, accordingly, where we will.    But many of our future careers will be determined by how this works out.  And the response of individual firms, individual managing partners, executive committees, practice group and office leaders, partners and rising associates, and C-suite staff, will help determine how this works out.   We are not bystanders.       Comments or thoughts on this article? The editor is always in.

Profile of an Individual Anthony Davis | Partner in Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP |  New York   I have known Anthony for a few years, and have particularly appreciated his perspective on New York and the US, since he's a Brit (educated at Cambridge [BA and MA]), as well as NYU (LLM), but one who is now thoroughly re-socialized as a New Yorker.   Anthony has an unusual perspective on and insight into what you might call the anthropology or the sociology of the legal profession, since his practice (as you'll see) focuses on how things can go wrong.   --Bruce What I actually do (as opposed to my job description):   I am a lawyers' lawyer.  I advise law firms on every aspect of law firm management and risk management, with a strong emphasis on demonstrating how improved management systems translate directly into improved service to clients, client satisfaction and law firm profitability.  Most frequently this involves helping firms upgrade their client selection and client intake management policies and systems, but it also encompasses advising firms on calendar and docket systems, fee (especially alternatives to time charging), billing and collection policies, document management, every aspect of practice group and law practice management, and partner and associate compensation structures.  Since effective risk management often involves helping to insure that policies and procedures are understood and uniformly operated at every level of a law firm, I spend a great deal of time presenting professional responsibility and risk management continuing legal education programs.  I frequently act as an expert witness in disqualification, fee dispute and malpractice cases.  I also co-teach a course (Anatomy of Large Law Firms) at Columbia University School of Law and, in addition to occasional law review articles, write the regular bi-monthly Professional Responsibility column for the New York Law Journal.   Most memorable previous job I had:   I began my career as a practicing barrister in London, handling criminal matters, including the trial of a major fraud case at the Central Criminal Court (better known to Americans as the Old Bailey).   What I thought I'd do when I was growing up:   Become a latter day "Rumpole of the Bailey."   Why I ended up in the legal profession:   I envisaged a career as a trial lawyer because I thought I had some aptitude for public performance, but wasn't sure if I could make it as a theatrical actor.   Best aspect of my work:   Positive feedback from lawyers and law firms that they have been helped by my counsel.   Worst aspect of my work:   Time spent in airports and away from home.   Pivotal moment in my career:   In 1992, during the aftermath of the "Savings and Loan" crisis, the federal government sued the Kaye Scholer law firm and I wrote a column in the New York Law Journal the theme of which was in the form of a question: If one was a partner of a prominent law firm and was told that the government had frozen the firm's assets until claims against the firm had been resolved, wouldn't one wonder how this had come about and what might have been done to avoid the problem? For the first time in my awareness, I used the words "risk management" in print.  At least one person read my article because shortly afterward Professor Mary Daly called me to say that she had been invited to speak at a symposium on the Kaye Scholer case in Texas to be held the following spring, but since she was unable to attend she had suggested that I might be interested. But she warned me I would have to contribute a full-length law review article. I agreed, and attended the symposium, held at the South Texas School of Law, and indeed I turned my New York Law Journal piece into a full length article. By a series of twists and turns not necessary to relate, that article in turn ultimately led to the writing of the book, "Risk Management: Survival Tools for Law Firms" and its publication by the Law Practice Management Section of the ABA.   The writing of that book, and the efforts that followed to get the attention and interest of the insurers who write lawyers' professional liability insurance for lawyers and law firms, led me to the conclusion that it might indeed be possible to develop a full-time practice advising lawyers and law firms on issues relating to law practice generally, and specifically to risk management. Accordingly, in the mid 1990's I decided to embark on a significant career change, including moving to a law firm that was prepared to support my rather radical practice development scheme. Now, almost fifteen years later, I am at Hinshaw & Culbertson LLP, a national firm, and part of an entire practice group--Lawyers for the Profession®--that advises lawyers and law firms all over the United States and internationally on every aspect of the law governing lawyers.   Most surprising event in your career to date:   When I learned of the existence of the Association of Professional Lawyers ("APRL") – proving that there were other lawyers around the country with similar interests and practices to my own.   Most influential person(s) in your life:   My high school history teachers (if you have seen the play or movie "The History Boys," you will have an inkling of an idea), and my "Pupil Master" (the barrister with whom I did my mandatory apprenticeship at the English bar), the late Michael Hill, Q.C.   Dream job I'd have if I were independently wealthy:   Exactly what I do now.   Advice I'd give to a college student asking about going to law school:   If the reason you want to be a lawyer is because you believe it is a career that offers the opportunity to earn a substantial income, do something else as you will be very unhappy.  On the other hand, if you have some idea as to what you want to accomplish for other people by being a lawyer, go for it!   Best books I read in the past year or two:   Most thought provoking: "The Black Swan: The Impact of the Highly Improbable" by Nassim Nicholas Taleb. . Best book on a legal subject: "Eat What You Kill, The Fall of a Wall Street Lawyer" by Mitt Regan.   Historic figure I'd most like to have dinner with:   Winston Churchill.   Favorite City:   Paris.   Favorite art form (performing or otherwise):   Music, especially Country and Western (favorite performer: Patty Griffin), and the music of Handel, Bach and Beethoven (favorite performer: New York Philharmonic).   Ten years from now, how will the legal industry have changed?:   Caveat: I have learned to be very humble when it comes to making predictions – I have never found a crystal ball that worked!  That said, I will venture some guesses: (i) The billable hour will not disappear, but it will progressively decrease as the preferred method of billing for legal services.  (ii) Leverage will cease to be the principal driver of law firm profitability.  Lawyers and firms will be profitable in direct proportion to the way in which they learn to work smarter, not  harder.  (iii) As a direct corollary to (i) and (ii), the most successful law firms will be those who hire only those associates they wish to retain permanently, that spend significant capital continually training the lawyers that they hire, and that reward based on competences acquired.  (iv) "Big Law" will survive, albeit with many fewer players.  (v) Boutique law firms with proven special expertise in their chosen arenas will flourish.   Globally, the predominance of the U.S. based law firms may be seriously threatened as a result of the ability of English and, probably other European law firms, to establish true multidisciplinary practices, to partner and share fees with nonlawyers and, to a lesser extent, to accept investment capital from nonlawyers, all as a result of the changing regulatory climate overseas.  The U.S. based firms are likely to be hamstrung by the U.S. state based regulatory system unless ways can be found that will permit the separate national regulation of law firms that operate in more than one state.   Anything else you want to add?:   If I have learned only one principle from teaching and practicing law in the United States for 35 years, it is that the debate about whether the practice of law is predominantly a profession or a business is utterly misplaced.  The practice of law is both a business and a profession.  Lawyers and law firms are most effective in serving clients and in generating an appropriate livelihood when they adopt good business practices that conform to the applicable laws and rules of professional conduct.      Nominations? If you know someone you think would be fascinating to profile here, please let us know!  The only rule is that you can't nominate yourself.  (But surely you could recruit a shill to do so anonymously, so go for it if you'd like.)   Picture From New York Van Cortlandt Park, in the Bronx, is the fourth largest park in New York City, with 1,146 acres.    It contains the Bronx's oldest building, the Van Cortlandt House (1748) as well as the oldest municipal golf course in the United States, the Van Cortlandt Golf Course (founded 1895).   Among other things, it's world-famous among cognoscenti for its cross-country running course, a rugged path that traditionally hosts the national cross-country championships and is virtually a shrine to metropolitan area runners.   The terrain is the result of millions of years of geologic activity with steep ridges the only remnants of a once formidable mountain chain long since broken down by glaciers passing and plain old erosion.   When the Dutch landed in New York (New Amsterdam to them), the land where the park now lies was inhabited by the Weckquaesgeek Indians, who sold much of it to the Dutch West India Company in 1639.  In turn, the company solid it to Netherlands native Adriaen Van der Donck in 1646.  When he died in 1655, the Indians attacked and re-took the park, forcing the Dutch to retreat to New Amsterdam.   In 1693, the Englishman Frederick Philipse acquired the property from Van der Donck's widow and proceeded to sell most of what is today's park to his son-in-law (who would subsequently become a Mayor of New York), Jacobus Van Cortlandt.  The family would live on and farm the land for nearly the next 200 years.   New York City finally took title to the land in 1888.   The final stop on the uptown #1 subway line (the 7th Avenue/Broadway local from the original IRT system built in 1904) is 241st Street and Van Cortlandt Park.

Fuente:
Difundan libremente  este artículo
CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN .
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en "Responsabilidad Social Empresarial" de la ONU
Diplomado en "Gestión del Conocimiento" de la ONU

 

www.consultajuridica.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
www.respsoem.blogspot.com
Oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 2451113 y  8854223- CEL: 93934521
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  GESTION DEL CONOCIMIENTO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – ENERGIAS RENOVABLES   ,  asesorías a nivel nacional e  internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

'Israel: LGBT center shooting in Tel-Aviv'

'Israel: LGBT center shooting in Tel-Aviv'

by Gilad Lotan

It is becoming ever more evident that Saturday's deadly shooting at a Tel Aviv LGBT center was a product of pure hate. Witnesses claim a gunman wearing black attire began shooting at Cafe Noir killing three people and wounding at least eight more. Two of the dead were identified by Israel Radio as a 17-year-old girl from Holon and a 24-year-old boy from Givatayim.  Police launched a massive manhunt for the perpetrator, but have not found any traces yet.

Assaf Levanon writes in Hebrew:


Ever since the news article on the massacre in the LGBT center in Tel Aviv was published, social networks have been flooded with acts of solidarity towards the victims. Hundreds of users have changed their profile image on facebook and twitter to the pride flag with a black line or memorial candle. Ever since the shooting, Israeli online networks have been continuously discussing the topic, condemning those who deem responsible, particularly Knesset members from the Shas ultra-orthodox party.

During the minutes following the events, twitter users started to display their anger and frustration:
"I want a pride march in Jerusalem that will surround the Knesset and then enter. I want hostages!" - Riki Cohen
"This murder is unacceptable! Stonewall happened in New York 40 years ago! What if some of the injured just came out?" - Dafna Talmon
"My deep sorrow to the kids who need to explain to their parents how they reached the hospital..."

Throughout the night, Israeli users provided their opinions online, reacting to the television coverage:
"a request to the TV broadcasters: please wait with the mobile video until the technology gets better. Blurry and stuck, hurts the eye!" - Edna
"Is there a broadcaster who doesn't slightly pause before saying the words 'homo-lesbian'?

Turns out that Ma'ariv's website NRG does not take part in any type of filtering. Users were horrified by some of the comments which showed up on the news site. One of the offending comments read: "Shooting indiscriminately at the public is dumb, because there's the chance that you murdered a person who is not gay."
"What's happening on NRG is atrocious. It is important to respond to each and every homophobe," - Tzvika Bashor reacted.

After the first updates on this event started coming through, Facebook and Twitter users began expressing their shock and disbelief towards the Israeli mainstream media coverage. "It is unbelievable. An hour after the LGBT community shooting, channel 2's reporter Yoav Even is interviewing Yaniv Vaitzman, and presenting him as 'Ivri Lider's ex-boyfriend'. The blood has not dried, the murderer still free, the horror is still being processed, and the important information that we are getting from channel 2 is that here in front of us Ivri Lider's ex-boyfriend is being interviewed! Amazing how pure entertainment gossip, not connected at all to the shooting, gets mixed in this same report." - Sagi Ben-Nun, Journalist, written on Facebook.

 
The image above has been used by for many Israeli Facebook and Twitter users for their profile.

And finally, here's the translation of part of Hani Zuvida's written reaction:

I turn to you all educators and parents, we are all part of the same cauldron. This is an intolerable situation. Seems like we have no social convention. Back to natural selection where the strong survive. No, I am not interested in a police state, but our lives and our children's lives are not to be abandoned. Educate your sons and daughters. But most of all start with yourselves. Respect others and do not project hate speech upon any social group. Be tolerant.

Fuente:
Difundan libremente  este artículo
CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN .
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en "Responsabilidad Social Empresarial" de la ONU
Diplomado en "Gestión del Conocimiento" de la ONU

 

www.consultajuridica.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
www.respsoem.blogspot.com
Oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 2451113 y  8854223- CEL: 93934521
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  GESTION DEL CONOCIMIENTO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – ENERGIAS RENOVABLES   ,  asesorías a nivel nacional e  internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

LOBBY: Drug, Energy Firms Buck Lobbying Decline .ArticleComments (4)more in Politics ».EmailPrinter

Drug, Energy Firms Buck Lobbying Decline

By BRODY MULLINS and T.W. FARNAM

WASHINGTON -- Drug makers and oil-and-gas companies boosted their lobbying in Washington during the three months ended June 30 amid a flurry of congressional action on health care and climate legislation.

But overall, Washington's lobbying business continued to slump as the economy pinched budgets at some big companies and trade associations.

Companies, nonprofits, unions and other organizations spent $814.6 million to influence Congress and the Obama administration in the second quarter, down 1% from $825.3 million during the same three-month period in 2008, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of lobbying data. The data were supplied by the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.

The decline continues a rare recession in Washington's lobbying business. But groups at the center of big legislative pushes still invested heavily to sway lawmakers.

The campaign by President Barack Obama and congressional Democrats to overhaul the nation's health-care system provided a big boost to lobbyists for health-industry interests. Drug manufacturers increased lobbying spending 13% to $68 million in the second quarter from a year earlier, according to the data.

Pfizer Inc. spent $5.6 million on lobbying in the quarter, up 82% from the quarter last year. Amgen Inc. reported a 19% increase in expenditures to $3.4 million. GlaxoSmithKline increased spending by 27% to $2.3 million in the period, according to the data.

A representative for Pfizer didn't respond to requests for comment.

Kelley Davenport, a spokeswoman for Amgen, said that as a regulated company, Amgen lobbies Washington "in an effort to effectively shape health-care policy and ensure patient safety and access to products."

Kevin Colgan, a spokesman for Glaxo, attributed the company's rise in lobbying spending to "the timing of certain annual expenditures and by some organizational changes."

Overall, the health-care sector reported a 5% increase in lobbying expenditures to $133 million, making it the single largest spender on lobbying of the 10 major industry sectors tracked by the Center for Responsive Politics. Health-insurance companies increased lobbying activity by 11% to $7.8 million, according to the data.

Labor unions increased spending by 4% in the second quarter from a year earlier, to $10.6 million, according to data from the center.

The AFL-CIO spent $1 million in the April-to-June period, an increase of 23% from a year earlier. The federation is lobbying on issues including the health overhaul and a bill that would make it easier for employees to join labor unions.

The Blue Green Alliance, a coalition of labor and environmental groups, registered to lobby for the first time in the second quarter. It reported spending $720,000 in the period, making it the second largest labor group by expenditures.

Debate over a broad-ranging climate and energy bill prompted more spending by energy interests. Chevron Corp., ConocoPhillips, BP PLC and other oil-and-gas companies increased spending on lobbying by 30% to $37.7 million in April, May and June of this year, compared with the same quarter in 2008. That coincided with the House debate over a sweeping climate-change and energy bill.

ConocoPhillips doubled its lobbying spending to $3.3 million during the second quarter; Chevron increased spending 88% to $6 million; and BP posted a 54% rise in lobbying spending to $4 million, according to the data.

Exxon Mobil Corp. cut quarterly lobbying expenses by 16% from the same period in 2008 to $4.3 million.

Representatives for Chevron, ConocoPhillips and BP said that part of their increase in spending is the result of an increase in dues paid for lobbying to industry trade association the American Petroleum Institute. A spokesman for Exxon didn't respond to requests for comment.

Wall Street, once a rich and fast-growing source of lobbying money, is showing the lingering effects of last year's financial crisis. Wall Street firms spent $109.4 million on lobbying in the second quarter, down 4% from the same period in 2008, according to the data.

Write to Brody Mullins at brody.mullins@wsj.com and T.W. Farnam at timothy.farnam@wsj.com

Printed in The Wall Street Journal, page A3

Copyright 2009 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit

www.djreprints.com

Fuente:
Difundan libremente  este artículo
CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN .
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en "Responsabilidad Social Empresarial" de la ONU
Diplomado en "Gestión del Conocimiento" de la ONU

 

www.consultajuridica.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
www.respsoem.blogspot.com
Oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 2451113 y  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  GESTION DEL CONOCIMIENTO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – ENERGIAS RENOVABLES   ,  asesorías a nivel nacional e  internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

Sotomayor Vote Likely Late Next Week

Sotomayor Vote Likely Late Next Week

A confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor will be one of the last things the Senate does next week before it adjourns for its August recess, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said today.

Reid spoke at a news conference surrounded by civil rights leaders celebrating the imending confirmation. He said he's still trying to work out the details of the floor debate with Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), but he insisted Republicans will have plenty of time to debate the meaning of speeches Sotomayor has given and her involvement in the reverse-discrimination case Ricci v. DeStefano.

"I'm going to make sure that senators can talk about that speech another 30 or 40 times, or about that case another 50 or 60 times," Reid said. The Senate, he said, is "going to work long hours" over the next week-plus as it heads toward an expected Aug. 7 adjournment.

Several Republicans have said they will not support postponing a confirmation vote until September.

Posted by David Ingram on July 29, 2009 at 12:36 PM in Sotomayor Nomination | Permalink

Digg This | Save to del.icio.us

TrackBack

TrackBack URL for this entry:
http://www.typepad.com/services/trackback/6a00d83451d94869e201157151d156970c

Listed below are links to weblogs that reference Sotomayor Vote Likely Late Next Week:

http://legaltimes.typepad.com/blt/2009/07/sotomayor-vote-likely-late-next-week.html
Fuente:legaltimes.typepad.com
Difundan libremente  este artículo
CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN .
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en "Responsabilidad Social Empresarial" de la ONU
Diplomado en "Gestión del Conocimiento" de la ONU

 

www.consultajuridica.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
www.respsoem.blogspot.com
Oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 2451113 y  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  GESTION DEL CONOCIMIENTO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – ENERGIAS RENOVABLES   ,  asesorías a nivel nacional e  internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

lawyerschile:

AFTERNOON UPDATE Prosecutors Go Long in Closing Arguments for Ex-Rep. Jefferson In the minutes before closing arguments began this morning in the trial of former Rep. William Jefferson (D-La.), U.S. District Judge T.S. Ellis III offered a bit of advice to prosecutors who had suggested their presentation could last a full two hours. "My son is an entertainer," said Ellis, a judge in the Eastern District of Virginia. "And he can't hold my attention that long." The word of caution seemed to go unheeded. Senate Must Move on Legal Nominees, Leahy Says Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), speaking at the start of a committee meeting, expressed frustration that the Senate has not confirmed any nominees to the federal judiciary this year. In all, he said, there are 17 nominations that the Judiciary Committee has sent to the full Senate and that are still awaiting confirmation. Sotomayor Vote Likely Late Next Week A confirmation vote for Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor will be one of the last things the Senate does next week before it adjourns for its August recess, Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said today. After Three Wins Against SEC, Eugene Scalia Sides With the Commission To the commissioners of the Securities and Exchange Commission, Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher's Eugene Scalia has become a familiar and frustrating presence. During the past five years, Scalia has won three of the five U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit cases challenging rule changes by the SEC. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT The American Lawyer Awards Winners will be presented with their awards at Cipriani's in New York City, on October 28, 2009. The American Lawyer Awards will be attended by over 500 noteworthy professionals in the legal community for an evening of socializing with their peers and recognizing those who have achieved honors. On Remand, Federal Judge Criticizes D.C. Circuit Ruling in Sturdza Suit There was a sense back in May that Judge Henry Kennedy Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia had been there, done that. He seemed miffed that a federal appeals court had kicked back to him a lawsuit that was first filed more than a decade ago. D.C. Bar's Litigation Section Fires Off on Fenty's Move to Cut Legal Services Funding The D.C. Bar's Litigation Section jumped into the debate over the District's budget today, issuing a statement opposing Mayor Adrian Fenty's proposed cuts to the civil legal services community. The cuts would reduce the money set aside for the legal services community by $1.8 million -- a 50 percent reduction from the funding approved by the D.C. Council this spring. FTC Delays Enforcement That Would Affect Lawyers In a victory for those who fear federal regulation of the legal profession, the Federal Trade Commission said today it is delaying enforcement of new rules designed to prevent identity theft. ABA ANNUAL MEETING COVERAGE Chicago bureau chief Lynne Marek is reporting on the American Bar Association's 2009 Annual Meeting on our daily blog. Souter, Holder, Fitzgerald, Coakley and more... Of course, we'll be there for the speeches by former Supreme Court Justice David Souter and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder Jr. But look for many more names of legal luminaries as we cover the ABA annual meeting. Trying to Kick-Start the Appeal of the ABA in 2009 It may not come up in speeches and panel discussions, but one topic likely to crop up over cocktails is the appeal of the ABA today. The association's leadership has hired a major marketing firm to help it shore up its waning membership at a time when layoffs at big law firms, less need for regional referrals and a real or perceived political slant to the ABA have reduced membership to less than half the profession. SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT High-Performance eDiscovery The US government has launched an historic economic stabilization program as the market meltdown triggers massive litigation and other legal disputes. How do legal professionals cut processing time and costs as the complexity of litigation increases? How can information in the enterprise be governed to protect the ongoing interests of the business and reduce risk? Attend this webinar and find out.		If you have Twitter account, you can now follow NLJ Editor in Chief David L. Brown at twitter.com/davidlbrownjr. Follow him for links to key stories and updates from the NLJ newsroom. You can also track news on Twitter from the NLJ's Washington bureau at twitter.com/legal_times.
MOST POPULAR STORIES Supreme Court clerks get less buck for their bang Heck no, he won't go, said lawyer to client A Peek at What Williams & Connolly Pays Ghost Writers INADMISSIBLE Struggling firms find safety net at Bingham A dozen themes frame Sotomayor hearing Supreme Court increases burden on age bias plaintiffs Government Jobs Elusive for Laid-Off Lawyers After the crash

Fuente:
Difundan libremente  este artículo
CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN .
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en "Responsabilidad Social Empresarial" de la ONU
Diplomado en "Gestión del Conocimiento" de la ONU

 

www.consultajuridica.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
www.respsoem.blogspot.com
Oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 2451113 y  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  GESTION DEL CONOCIMIENTO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – ENERGIAS RENOVABLES   ,  asesorías a nivel nacional e  internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

People With Diabetes Are Suffering Needlessly - Help Stop The Crisis

People With Diabetes Are Suffering Needlessly — Help Stop The Crisis View this e-mail as a Web page Add news@diabetes.org to your address book

		Donate Now >
Help Stop The Diabetes Health Care Crisis Take a stand now and help us fight for access to adequate and affordable health care for all people with diabetes! Change the Future of Diabetes — Now! Dear rodrigo: Today I'm sending this email because I need your help to stop the health care crisis affecting people with diabetes. Let me explain. My name is Gina Gavlak. I'm a registered nurse from Ohio. I'm also one of nearly 24 million Americans living with diabetes. I've lived with type 1 diabetes for 29 years. Growing up, my parents made sure I had access to the supplies and education I needed to manage this life long disease — even when this meant they had to pay out-of-pocket costs. But many of my patients are not that lucky. Which is why we urgently need health care reform! Imagine needing to ration your diabetes supplies so much that you need to re-use your syringes over and over again … Then imagine that your old syringe breaks off in your leg, but you wait and hope it will work itself out like a splinter. It doesn't and causes an infection that sends you to the emergency room and nearly costs you your leg. That actually happened to one of my patients! I believe my patients and all people affected by diabetes deserve better. Will you join me in supporting our efforts to improve health care for people with diabetes? With Congress debating the issue of comprehensive health care reform, we have an extraordinary opportunity to change the future of diabetes — for good. Your gift of $50, $75, or $100 will immediately go towards the Association's efforts to improve health care and to stop the diabetes epidemic through critical advocacy, research funding and education programs. My health is one of my greatest accomplishments. I am living proof that complications can be prevented by having access to diabetes equipment, supplies and education. We must take action to make sure every person with diabetes has access to the care they need to protect their health. The American Diabetes Association is the voice of people with diabetes. Please make a contribution today to make accessible, adequate and affordable health care for people with diabetes a reality. Thank you for your passion and commitment. Together we can one day stop the suffering caused by diabetes. Sincerely, Gina Gavlak Registered Nurse and Vice Chair of the American Diabetes Association's Advocacy Committee

Fuente:
Difundan libremente  este artículo
CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN .
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en "Responsabilidad Social Empresarial" de la ONU
Diplomado en "Gestión del Conocimiento" de la ONU

 

www.consultajuridica.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
www.respsoem.blogspot.com
Oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 2451113 y  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  GESTION DEL CONOCIMIENTO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – ENERGIAS RENOVABLES   ,  asesorías a nivel nacional e  internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile

LAWYERSCHILE: TPM BLOG

 

07.22.09 -- 9:48AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)

A Spain-Shaped Lesion on His Taint

Colbert took on ACORN last night in a hilarious interview w/ chief organizer Bertha Lewis, who was a great sport, but still, as everyone is, a victim of Colbert. Lewis actually previewed the segment with a blog post last night at TPMCafe.

--David Kurtz

07.22.09 -- 9:14AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)

Specter In Trouble?

Ultra conservative Pat Toomey has surged into a tie with Arlen Specter in a general election matchup in the Pennsylvania Senate race, according to a new poll. Toomey also out-polls Joe Sestak, though there's a high number of undecideds in that matchup because neither candidate has high name recognition.

--David Kurtz

07.22.09 -- 9:11AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (1)

TPMDC Morning Roundup

Arlen Specter refunded $224,000 in the last quarter to donors disgruntled about his party switch. That and the day's other political news in the TPMDC Morning Roundup.

--David Kurtz

07.22.09 -- 7:00AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (0)

What Happened Yesterday?

Yesterday in 100 Seconds: Blue in the Face

--Ben Craw

07.21.09 -- 9:57PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (53)

Trump Card

Chris Matthews whips out Obama's birth certificate in interview with "Birther Bill" co-sponsor Rep. John Campbell (R-CA).

Kind of like Dorothy throwing water on the Wicked Witch.

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 6:31PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (72)

Fox News: Surgeon General Too Fat

In what has to be among Fox News' all-time lowlights, Neil Cavuto had a segment a short while ago on whether the new surgeon general nominee, Dr. Regina M. Benjamin, is "too fat" for the post. Seriously. In support of this argument, they had on as a guest some guy wearing a "No Chubbies" T-shirt. Again, I'm serious. Watch.

Late Update: It's not just Fox. ABC has a straight news story about Benjamin's weight. I don't remember C. Everett Koop being svelte. But then he wasn't black or a woman.

Later Update: The Fox guest is quite a character. His name is Michael Karolchyk, and he runs an outfit in Denver called the Anti-Gym (NSFW), a fitness club with an emphasis on getting clients in shape for sex: "With live DJs, cage dancers, and our elite co-ed Ravish Room, Anti-Gym boasts the hottest facilities and clientele in Denver."

Read more »

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 6:03PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (9)

The Day in 100 Seconds: Blue in the Face

Full-size video at TPMtv.com.

--Ben Craw

07.21.09 -- 5:49PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (134)

A Seminal Moment?

TPM Reader AB:

Just to mention something that is obvious, but hopefully not overlooked, i.e., if this country cannot pass a bill which insures that every citizen has access to medical care, which every developed country has managed to do (and got done many many years ago), there is something very fundamentally and structurally wrong with this country.

Such an event, in my mind, would confirm that we live with a completely corrupt and dysfunctional form of government. Forty nine states, each with bicameral legislative bodies, some of which have distinguished themselves recently with unabashed levels of incompetency and cluelessness. Then, graft a federal government over that, which is also bicameral, the non-representative portion of it being filled with officials who are certifiable morons and/or who are bought and sold like whores by wealthy contributors.

Talk about a Waterloo.

This is a defining moment in our history. Do we fulfill our supposed status as a "shining city on a hill" or continue our long slow decline into a second rate oligarchy?

I am not one prone to hyperbole.

I believe this to the depths of my soul.

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 5:14PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (29)

I Got Him Right Where I Want Him

Sen. Jim DeMint: Obama "played right into my hands."

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 5:12PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (11)

More Ethics Trouble for Palin

Hard to say from this AP article how much of this ethics violation is on Sarah Palin herself, and how much might have been the result of her legal defense fund being improperly set up or not kept at sufficient arm's length. We're trying to get ahold of the new report.

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 3:36PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (7)

Digging In

The Chamber of Commerce is rolling out an anti-public option campaign with the slogan: "Don't Drag Down Health Care Reform."

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 1:30PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (83)

Can They Do It?

Since the fiasco of 1994, health care has been a drum Democrats have banged away on at election time with the more or less open understanding that it would be safely stowed away again after November. But now we're at a point where we should soon see whether this is an issue that can ever be conquered or dealt with in any real way. The Dems went into this round with as many advantages as they're likely ever to have -- a president with commanding authority, big majorities in Congress and a mood in the country that seemed decidedly favorable if not quite sold on the prospect of major reform. The one big exception to this favorable picture was the near collapse of the country's economy (which ain't nothing), but which the White House has nonetheless (and with real merit) argued is a reason for moving now on health care reform rather than delay.

But a series of developments over just the last couple of weeks have transformed this from what seemed like almost a done deal to a really, really tough challenge. Health care is a really complex issue. And the entrenched interests are probably as powerful as any other issue a president can face. Let's not pretend it's even close to easy, ever. But conservative Democrats are digging in on the cost front; the insurance companies have a hold over a lot of senators and representatives on the public option; and for a number of reasons, the president's own popularity has come down significantly.

It is definitely true that the president is still quite popular. But his numbers are now the sort that don't necessarily scare elected officials on the margins or give reassurance to House Democrats in marginal districts. And let's face it, a lot of these members of Congress are simply owned by different parts of the health care industry -- something that a president needs a lot of public support to overcome.

This is a clearly testing time for Obama. But much more for the Democrats. If not now, really, when? Is the hill just too steep?

--Josh Marshall

07.21.09 -- 1:29PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (9)

Delay = Death For Reform

More from the Blue Dogs who are fighting health care reform. "We've gotta slow things down," Rep. Dan Boren (D-OK), a key Blue Dog, said on Fox today.

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 1:12PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (11)

Big Deal

Looming over the health care negotiations has been the absence from the Senate of Ted Kennedy and Robert Byrd for health reasons, denying Dems two of their much-needed 60 votes. But as of today, Byrd is back at work.

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 12:59PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (11)

Just Dance Tax

The GOP's latest effort to get hip is a Lady Gaga parody video that Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA) played at the weekly Republican conference meeting this morning.

Not in the same league as that rap that made the rounds a couple of months ago, but still cosmically lame.

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 12:54PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (9)

Who's the Boss?

House Blue Dogs are heading to the White House for a meeting with the President to demand delay on the health care bill. A House aide brags: "The landscape will change after that meeting." Oh, really?

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 12:10PM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (6)

FBI Noose Tightening on Murtha?

Another defense contractor with ties to Rep. Jack Murtha (D-PA) pleads guilty.

--David Kurtz

07.21.09 -- 11:51AM // RECOMMEND RECOMMEND (4)

GOP Slow Rolling Sotomayor

Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee have succeeded in delaying a committee vote on her nomination for another week.

--David Kurtz

Recent Archives

July 19, 2009 - July 25, 2009
July 12, 2009 - July 18, 2009
July 5, 2009 - July 11, 2009
June 28, 2009 - July 4, 2009

Click here to view the full archive

Fuente:
Difundan libremente  este artículo
CONSULTEN, OPINEN , ESCRIBAN .
Saludos
Rodrigo González Fernández
Diplomado en "Responsabilidad Social Empresarial" de la ONU
Diplomado en "Gestión del Conocimiento" de la ONU

 

www.consultajuridica.blogspot.com
www.el-observatorio-politico.blogspot.com
www.lobbyingchile.blogspot.com
www.calentamientoglobalchile.blogspot.com
www.respsoem.blogspot.com
Oficina: Renato Sánchez 3586 of. 10
Teléfono: OF .02- 2451113 y  8854223- CEL: 76850061
e-mail: rogofe47@mi.cl
Santiago- Chile
Soliciten nuestros cursos de capacitación  y consultoría en LIDERAZGO -  GESTION DEL CONOCIMIENTO - RESPONSABILIDAD SOCIAL EMPRESARIAL – LOBBY – ENERGIAS RENOVABLES   ,  asesorías a nivel nacional e  internacional y están disponibles  para OTEC Y OTIC en Chile