Out of the ashes

Still brash, bold and rebellious, the swashbuckling lawyer who took on chemical companies in the tale now known as “A Civil Action” has something to say about the judicial system: It’s not working. Jan R. Schlichtmann contends that the arena where he became a hero brings out the worst in people. It turns lawyers into pit bulls, and it shortchanges clients and the public, he says.  “Our system is not serving the public interest,” he remarks, looking out at the ocean... More

Hedge fund employee sues over order to be more effeminate

Hedge fund employee sues over order to be more effeminate An employee at one of the country’s top hedge funds has filed a lawsuit claiming that his boss ordered him to take female hormone tablets so he could pursue a “less aggressive” investment style. Andrew Tong, 37, says he was ordered to take the pills, which he bought on the black market, so he could fit in with a more laid-back group of asset managers. He claims the pills caused him to start wearing women’s clothing... More

Think about this before you throw away the holiday cards

 david.yas at exhibitAnews.com You’re probably just about ready to toss your pile of holiday cards. If you’re like me, you’ve displayed all the cards on a credenza, one at work and one at home. I don’t see that collection of cards as a sign of how popular I am; I see it as documented black-and-white proof of how popular I am. Of course, the phenomenon of holiday cards is not as simple as it might seem. Look at the cards you received from people who sent them from their... More

Top verdicts of ’07 fetch big bucks in Massachusetts

1. $101.7 million Four wrongfully imprisoned for decades What happened: The government was ordered to pay for its role in wrongfully sending four men to prison for a 1965 murder in Chelsea, after it was discovered that the FBI withheld evidence that they had been framed. Two of the men died while in prison. The discovery of secret FBI files that were never turned over during the 1968 trial prompted a judge six years ago to overturn the murder convictions of the two surviving men. The plaintiffs’... More

7 tips for returning holiday gifts

It’s 2008! The holidays are over. You’ve unpacked from your trip to the in-laws, and the gaudy gift box containing that hideous sweater, scarf or yet another pair of bunny slippers is now parked on your dining room table. But ’tis the season for complicated return policies. If you’re thinking, “I’ll just bring it back tomorrow,” you may end up having to re-gift those bunny slippers. Here are some secrets for many happy returns. 1. Stores can have any return... More

Customer’s lawsuit against CVS bitter pill for pharmacy to swallow

david.frank@exhibitAnews.com CVS was prescribed a spoonful of unpleasant medicine recently when one of its customers took it to court and subsequently won his lawsuit against the pharmacy. A judge ruled that the customer, whose name and address were taken from a prescription list and used as part of a mailing campaign without his permission, was entitled to monetary damages because CVS failed to notify him that it was profiting from the arrangement. CVS argued that it had not engaged in any unfair... More

For top dog at MSPCA, cracking down on animal abuse is all in a day’s work

david.frank@exhibitAnews.com While everyone and their brother seem to have weighed in on the federal dog-fighting case pending against Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Michael Vick, few bring the perspective of Peter E. Gollub. As director of law enforcement for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Gollub has had to deal with a few — though perhaps less well-known — Vick “types” of his own. During his three-and-a-half-year tenure at the MSPCA,... More

For NHL’s new head honcho, position is dream come true

david.frank@exhibitAnews.com Things are so good with local sports right now that even Boston lawyers are cashing in on the karma. Take Paul Kelly, for example. When the white-collar criminal lawyer answered his phone last June, little did he know that by the end of the conversation, he would be on his way to landing one of the most powerful positions in professional sports. Dave Poulin — a former National Hockey League forward — was on the line offering an opportunity most fantasy-sports... More

Should ticket-scalping be legal?

“It should be illegal because you’re cutting out a lot of people’s opportunities to get regularly priced tickets.” — Robert Levesque, Salem “Ticket-scalping should be legal for the simple purpose that it’s not always easy to get tickets to things, and it gives us an opportunity to actually go and see a show.” — Arnas Gasparonis, South Boston “It should be legal. I don’t see what the harm is.” — Glee Mollan, Topsfield “Sure,... More

Legal Briefs

Video helps case of amnesia-victim On a winter evening, a woman was knocked unconscious when she was hit by a car on Route 133 in Andover. Due to retrograde amnesia, she was unable to remember anything about the incident, during which she sustained multiple fractures. The driver claimed that she was traveling at the speed limit and never saw the pedestrian until after the accident. The driver also claimed that the pedestrian walked into the side of the car and was outside of the crosswalk. In investigating... More

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