Page 7 of Maddy's Justice

“And you want outside counsel to represent you,” Marc said, a statement not a question. “When were you served and who else have you talked to?” Marc asked.

While he asked this, he held up the newspaper to Connie and pointed at the story’s byline with the reporter’s name. Philo Anson.

His suddenness at turning serious and more or less taking charge impressed Melanie and Clifford Spenser. The other two, Gavin Blake and Brandon Stafford, both resented it.

“Did you get a copy of the Complaint?” Marc asked Connie.

“No.”

“Why not,” he asked looking at Gavin Blake.

“We wanted to meet with you first,” Melanie answered for him.

“May I see it now?” Marc asked.

“Sure….” Melanie started to say.

“We haven’t made a decision about hiring you. We don’t want this information getting out,” Brandon Stafford said stopping her.

“It’s in this morning’s paper, Mr. Stafford. I know this reporter, Philo Anson. It can’t get much more out than that,” Marc replied while thinking how lucky this dolt was by being born a member of the lucky sperm club.

“He has a point, Brandon,” Spenser said barely suppressing a smile.

Melanie handed Marc a copy of the Summons and Complaint. While Marc, with Connie looking over his shoulder, scanned through it, an uncomfortable silence came over the others.

Rather than read through the entire complaint, both Marc and Connie read the highlights. Each section was headed with a separate count against the firm and Troy McGovern personally. That was followed by a detailed factual basis to support it. There were six plaintiffs, so far, and almost thirty separate counts involving, to say the least, inappropriate behavior by the firm’s litigation star. Both Marc and Connie finished with the impression there was more to come.

“Have you heard this recording?” Connie asked Melanie.

“No, but I know Lori Quinn. If she says she has it, she does,” Melanie answered.

“I know her, too,” Connie said, “and you’re right.

“What do you think?” Melanie asked Marc.

“First thing we do is get the recording verified. Assuming it is your guy on it, we try to get it suppressed,” Marc replied.

“How?” Gavin asked.

“Too prejudicial, not probative, taken out of context, McGovern was kidding around. Anything else we can think of,” Connie replied.

Marc looked at Spenser and asked, “You’re head of litigation, Cliff?”

“Yes, and McGovern and his team work for me,” he answered.

“Tell me about that,” Marc said.

“Troy McGovern has an eight-lawyer team. Eight lawyers, besides himself. They handle our mass torts litigation. Class action suits. We also have, at any given time, thirty-five to fifty junior associates.

“Because McGovern’s team is such a significant money-maker, he can pull as many of those associates as he needs from what they are doing to help when he needs it. Getting a class action ready for trial is a significant task.”

“I can imagine,” Marc said. “How many cases is his team handling?”

“Right now, they have thirty-two,” Spenser replied.

“Sounds like a lot,” Marc said. “That’s a lot of discovery, depositions, investigation…”

“It is. McGovern runs a tight ship and he’s good at it. The value of those lawsuits is enormous,” Spenser said.

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