Keeper of the Einstein Rights

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When attorney Steven E. Bledsoe was growing up, he generally got good grades but he was no science whiz.

“I took physics, but I can’t say I was a science nerd or anything like that,” Bledsoe said. “I played high school football and did the least amount of homework possible.”

The high school jock certainly never expected to one day be associated with anything related to the great physicist Albert Einstein. But Bledsoe and his colleagues at the downtown L.A. office of Arent Fox LLP are in fact representing the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, to which Einstein left most of his estate, in its claims over his publicity rights.

Currently, Bledsoe is pursuing a case against General Motors, which put Einstein’s face on top of the body of a shirtless male model in an ad campaign, allegedly without consulting the university. A federal judge in downtown Los Angeles declined to throw out the case last month, putting it a step closer to trial.

“I was a baby boomer and we all grew up in the era when Einstein was considered the smartest man in the world, much as Steve Jobs is considered the entrepreneurial genius of his time,” said the 51-year-old Bledsoe. “I never dreamed I would have the privilege of working on anything on behalf of the beneficiaries of his estate.”

Berkshire Buffeted by Prank

Investor Vadim Perelman turned a few heads last week with an audacious letter criticizing Berkshire Hathaway and its legendary leader, Warren Buffett.

In his letter, Perelman said he is “deeply concerned” about Berkshire Hathaway’s recent stock performance, expressed outrage over Buffett’s $100,000-a-year salary and recommended Charles Munger, the 88-year-old vice chairman, be appointed Buffett’s successor.

But those gasps turned to chuckles once it became clear when the letter was sent: April Fools’ Day.

“I’m not a prolific joker, but we thought this was a funny enough concept,” said Perelman, 29. “People who know us found it to be generally very funny.”

The managing member of L.A.’s Baker Street Capital Management LLC, Perelman said he has “nothing but the highest respect” for Buffett and he figured that any investment professional would be able to see the satire in the letter.

After Perelman and his partner thought up the idea a few months ago, they even got the Oracle of Omaha himself to sign off on it.

“We sent him a copy of letter to get his blessing and he blessed it,” Perelman said.

Staff reporters Alfred Lee and Richard Clough contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by Editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].

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