Betrayed (Rosato & DiNunzio, #2)(44)
“No.” Bennie charged down the hallway. “The boxes are from Singer Crenheim. It’s those new matters in Bendaflex.”
“The damages trials, so soon?” Judy looked over at Mary, whose mouth dropped open in surprise. They followed Bennie left into the law library, a cozy room lined with tan lawbooks surrounding a round mahogany table. More cardboard boxes sat piled on the table and floor. “Yikes, are these mine, too?”
“Sure.” Bennie glanced back, smiling. “It’s a real coup to get that much referral business from a firm like Crenheim. They picked us over every firm in Philly.”
“But how did you get the files so fast?” Judy swallowed hard, because it looked like a done deal. “We only talked about this on Friday.”
“I know, but it’s New York.” Bennie led them through the library, down the hall toward the file room and the office safe. “They don’t waste any time, and I told him to have the documents couriered to us on Saturday. I knew I’d be in the office.”
Judy steeled herself. “Bennie, I’m not sure we should take these cases. I want to talk it over with you.”
“What’s to talk about?” Bennie tossed over her shoulder. “Also, they’re paying us on a flat fee, not an hourly basis, which is typical for this work. Fifty grand a case is all we get. I figure each case is a three-to-five day trial, and if you staff it with a paralegal and Allegra, you can bring each case in at thirty-five grand. Make that happen, so we keep a profit margin.”
Mary interjected, “Bennie, I think Judy deserves a say—”
“Got it, Mary.” Judy waved her off, because it was time for the big-girl panties. “Bennie, before we even talk fees, this is such a big commitment of time that—”
“I know, I love it.” Bennie led them to the file room, opened the door, and flicked on the light, illuminating a grayish Formica counter and the rolling shelves of active case files beyond. “Marc said there were seventy-five or seventy-six different trials. That will take us two to three years down the line. Guaranteed billings every quarter, totaling 3.75 million. Wow!”
“I’m worried it will consume my entire practice.”
“You’re damn right it will.” Bennie led them down the aisle toward the supply room. “It’s a game-changer for you.”
“That’s exactly my problem.”
“You have a problem?”
“Yes, I have a problem.”
Bennie stopped in her tracks and did an about-face in the aisle, with a mystified smile. “Are you serious?”
“Bennie, I don’t want to work those cases.” Judy didn’t dare look over at Mary, who stood aside in stunned silence. “I’m dreading the subject matter, the time, it’s all too much—”
“You won’t have to do it by yourself. We’ll crunch the numbers and see how many people you can hire.” Bennie brightened, grinning as if she’d gotten a great idea. “In fact, wait, I take that back. You run it by yourself, the whole shebang. Personnel and all. You decide whom you want to hire and whom you can fit in the budget, considering the billings you’re bringing in. Run the litigation like a partner. Run it efficiently. Lean. Don’t hire a lot of expensive experts. Make us 20 percent.”
“But I’d be chiseling away at how much a guilty company should pay someone they wronged. It’s not justice. Hell, it’s not even law.”
“It is justice.” Bennie frowned, puzzled. “The punishment should fit the crime. It’s about fairness. No company should pay more than someone was harmed. That’s why they hired us, and they’ll pay us well.”
“They hired us because they don’t want to do it.”
Bennie pursed her lips. “They hired us because it’s too expensive for them to try the cases in Philly and put up a bunch of associates in a hotel.”
“But it’s soul-killing. We’re on the wrong side of the question.”
“What are you talking about?” Bennie looked at Judy like she was crazy. “We defend the law. Everybody’s entitled to a defense, even asbestos manufacturers.”
“Bennie, let’s be real. This isn’t first-rate legal work.” Judy knew it was politically incorrect to say so, but it was true. “We always get the best cases, referred or not. Antitrust, First Amendment, civil rights, constitutional law, high-profile murder defense, big-stakes commercial litigation. We’re a quality shop.”
“We’re a business.” Bennie’s eyes flashed, but her tone remained cool. “We make law and we make money. There’s no shame in taking those asbestos cases, and it keeps the lights on. Don’t be a law snob. Furthermore, it’s an opportunity for you. If you do a good job, and you will, they’ll send us more.”
“What, more damages cases?” Judy threw up her hands. “Why not other mass torts? Yaz. Pradaxa. Coumadin. Hip implants. It’s a no-win for me. If I do a good cleanup job, I’ll get more to clean up.”
“You want to be real? I’ll be real.” Bennie met her gaze with naked frankness. “Carrier. You’re a brilliant lawyer, a lawyer’s lawyer. If I need a legal scholar, you’re my first choice. If I need an elegant brief, you’re my first choice. If I need cutting-edge case analysis, you’re my first choice. I truly value what you do here, as an associate. Your litigation strategy is aggressive and creative. That’s why I give you my cases, to work. Do you hear me?”