Lawyer Takes His Case to the Whisky

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Mark Sullivan is a senior litigation paralegal for Century City law firm Cox Castle & Nicholson. He’s also the firm’s resident rocker.

Earlier this month, Sullivan led the firm’s two-year-old band, Castle of Rock, in a battle of the bands charity event at the Whisky a Go Go in West Hollywood.

The band, formed at the urging of firm partner Preston Brooks, was up against five bands from other local law firms for the event, called Law Rocks.

Sullivan, 50, the band’s lead singer, wore leather pants and belted out tunes, including “Mr. Brightside” by the Killers. He performed with four other firm employees and his 20-year-old son, Alexander, on the keyboard.

Sullivan, who gets most of his stage time in as band leader at his Torrance church, said he was thrilled to play with his co-workers to raise money for the Western Center on Law and Poverty.

“That night was really a lot of fun,” he said. “Everyone was really into it because it was for charity.”

The firm and its band raised about $12,000 for the legal services non-profit in Koreatown and won second place for overall talent.

Sullivan said runner-up status didn’t dampen the mood – he was just excited to have played on a stage frequented by many great musicians before him.

“Playing such a historic venue was an absolute treat as a musician,” he said.

Out of the Past

When David Charles isn’t running ad agency KesselsKramer in Chinatown, he is moonlighting as a filmmaker.

His latest work with contemporary L.A. artist Gary Baseman is expected to be released during the Sundance Film Festival next year.

The film, “Mythical Creatures,” is a documentary about Baseman’s journey to uncover how his parents survived the Holocaust in the Ukraine.

Charles, 33, met the artist after working with him on another short film. After hearing the story of Baseman’s parents two years ago, he decided to make a documentary out of it – one that also weaves in animation and performance art.

The two have butted heads on the creative direction of the film, but Charles said they have respect for each other’s opinion and a solid creative partnership.

“We are really passionate about making this film a new beginning of how the Holocaust is told for the future generations of the world,” he said.

Staff reporters Bethany Firnhaber and Subrina Hudson contributed to this column. Page 3 is compiled by editor Charles Crumpley. He can be reached at [email protected].

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