Lawyers Hold Court at Staples

0

For one day last week, summer associates and lawyers in the Los Angeles office of Sidley Austin LLP got to feel like basketball greats. The law firm rented out Staples Center for its annual summer associate-versus-lawyers basketball game, a longstanding tradition in the firm’s Los Angeles office.

“This year, we wanted to ratchet things up a notch,” said Rollin Ransom, the Los Angeles partner who is co-chair of the firm’s summer program. Not only did the firm kick things up a notch by renting out Staples, but Sparks coach Michael Cooper made a surprise appearance, leading the group through stretches and refereeing the game. And Ransom said even those who didn’t play got to experience what it’s like to cheer from the “Jack Nicholson seats.”


In the end, the lawyers defeated the summer associates, 47-35, avenging last year’s loss. “This year, we were able to turn it back around, and look forward to a dominating reign,” Ransom said.


Cell Hang-ups

Amir Soleimanian is better known as Mr. Ticket. The Encino attorney charges anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 to defend speed demons, red-light runners and illegal U-turners who want to fight their traffic tickets to avoid the so-called points that can boost insurance bills. And now, Soleimanian said he is receiving a slew of phone calls about the state’s new hands-free cell phone law.

But Soleimanian doesn’t recommend anyone spend $1,000 for his services to defend a hands-free ticket.

“I tell them, ‘Listen, it doesn’t have a point, so just don’t use the phone. Or if you use it, you just have to pay,’ ” he said.


Green Guy

Tommy Rosen, creator of Eco Gift Expo, an environmentally conscious consumer gift show held annually in Santa Monica, said he tries to live every aspect of his life in shades of green.

Rosen, 41, and his wife, Kia, have an organic garden at their Venice Beach home, which supplies them with most of the produce they eat, using the waste as compost. They don’t use their clothes dryer unless it’s pouring rain and they ride bicycles whenever possible. Of course, they recycle. Rosen even suggests making friends with a local organic farmer to strike a deal on organic goods.

To keep the green vibes flowing, Rosen said he and his wife wake up at 3:30 a.m. to meditate. “We feel very strongly that meditation and personal practice gives you the space and time to create what you want to create.”


Staff reporter Alexa Hyland and contributing reporter Gabriela Gonzalez contributed to this column. Daniel Miller can be reached at

[email protected]

.

No posts to display