Would you really want to work with this guy?
September 21, 2003
I've got to give some respect to Tulane 3L Matthew Toll to a certain extent to send this letter to some law firms where he'd like to work. I'm sure that some firms who wouldn't mind having an associate like this:
I am utterly unconcerned with having any sort of personal life outside of the office. I would work 100 hours a week, 52 weeks a year if required. I do not feel that collecting fees for 3000 hours of work (not merely "billing" but "collecting") my first year would be unrealistic... I will work nights, weekends, holidays, vacations, whatever. if my mother's funeral was the day of a key deposition, I would do the eulogy via teleconference after the deposition. If my wedding was on the date of a key trial, the wedding would be postponed. If the wife to be did not like it, I would inform her that wok comes before EVERYTHING ELSE and that if she does not like this, she is free to find a competing husband. Please understand that if I do not see the light of day (arrive at work before the sun comes out, go home after it is pitch dar) for the next 30 years, if I have to eat all meals in the office or even sleep in the office, I would accept that opportunity eagerly, with open arms and with a big smile on my face.
I tend to think that balance in life is important. Can one be a good lawyer (or good anything) without taking time away to reflect and recharge? How can you relate to other people if all you do is work and occasionally sleep?
Toll goes on to unnecessarily patronize his audience by explaining the nature of volunteering, using italics:
I spent the summer after my first year of law school volunteering (i.e. without pay) for an organization known as the Lousiana Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts."Posted by Andrew Raff at September 21, 2003 11:48 PM
Is this guy serious, or is he making fun of any firm that would seriously want an associate like this? Judging by what The Smoking Gun page says, Toll is serious, which means he's seriously sick. He deserves any firm that will hire him after this, and any woman who would consider marrying him.
Ick.
Posted by: ambimb on September 22, 2003 03:18 PMIs this guy serious, or is he making fun of any firm that would seriously want an associate like this? Judging by what The Smoking Gun page says, Toll is serious, which means he's seriously sick. He deserves any firm that will hire him after this, and any woman who would consider marrying him.
Ick.
Posted by: ambimb on September 22, 2003 03:19 PMI think that anyone who has ever gone to law school can name a person or two from their first-year section who would write a similar letter.
Posted by: Andy on September 24, 2003 07:03 PMIt's too bad that we have people like Mr. Toll in this world-- they are just the kind of folk who bring shame to a wide variety of professions. In Matt's case, the legal field will suffer. He provides the evidence that the profession is jam-packed with egomaniacs and self-interested, scheming turncoats. Humorous he may be-- but I pity the client(s) that get screwed in the process. Some, like clients who seek a criminal defense lawyer, will end up going to jail due to his wild-eyed ignorance; but I have a feeling most will just get robbed blind. Because at his core, Matthew Toll is all about the money.
Posted by: Carl on May 4, 2004 03:15 AMWell, karma is a real biznitch. Toll demands $70K a year, fat bonuses, etc., and certainly wants a job at a "prestigious" firm. Well, Mr. "exceptional" is now doing family law for a sole practicioner in Fort Myers, Florida.
Not a bad fate for a freakin' uptight snob. His Wharton classmates must be laughing their butts off!
http://www.lawyers.com/vera_bergermann/jsp2860199.jsp
Posted by: Aris on December 16, 2004 08:52 PMWell, karma is a real biznitch. Toll demands $70K a year, fat bonuses, etc., and certainly wants a job at a "prestigious" firm. Well, Mr. "exceptional" is now doing family law for a sole practicioner in Fort Myers, Florida.
Not a bad fate for a freakin' uptight snob. His Wharton classmates must be laughing their butts off!
http://www.lawyers.com/vera_bergermann/jsp2860199.jsp
Posted by: Aristotle on December 16, 2004 09:08 PM