Laptop Spying Civil Case Ended

[mrjarrell]

Well, the civil case in the laptop spying case is over and the big winner in the payout is the lawyer. Of the two students involved in it one got $175,000 and the other got $10K. The lawyer walked away with a cool $425,000. Where the rest went, I have no idea. The insurance is going to pick up the tab and the tax payers will get hosed, as usual, for the criminality of the schools administrators (who got to walk away scot free).

Pa. school settles laptop webcam spying suits for $610,000 - chicagotribune.com

 

[Blue Tile Spook]

Hopefully there is a followup to this story telling that the administrators responsible for this were fired and fined.

 

[dross]

Well, the civil case in the laptop spying case is over and the big winner in the payout is the lawyer. Of the two students involved in it one got $175,000 and the other got $10K. The lawyer walked away with a cool $425,000. Where the rest went, I have no idea. The insurance is going to pick up the tab and the tax payers will get hosed, as usual, for the criminality of the schools administrators (who got to walk away scot free).

Pa. school settles laptop webcam spying suits for $610,000 - chicagotribune.com

Your implication seems to be that the lawyer should have received less money.

 

[phylodog]

Your implication seems to be that the lawyer should have received less money.

I would whole heartedly agree with that implication.

 

[mrjarrell]

Your implication seems to be that the lawyer should have received less money.

A lot less. That's a major problem I see in lawsuits all the time. The lawyers are the real beneficiaries, not the victims. Not saying they shouldn't be justly rewarded for their work, but many times these sums are just not in line. The two kids received a pittance and they were the aggrieved parties in the matter. At least the case is finally over, tho. Too bad the governments actors didn't get their comeuppance, tho.

 

[eldirector]

Whoa... So no criminal charges? The citizens of that county paid these two kids (and their lawyers) that kind of cash, and they are OK with it?

At the very least, everyone involved needs canned! If I cost my employer that kind of cash, I'd be gone immediately.

 

[rambone]

A 20:80 settlement ratio is pretty absurd.

These pervert administrators should have been locked up.

 

[dross]

Maybe they should negotiate a better deal with another lawyer.

Plaintiff's attornies' clients who win must pay for all their clients who lose.

Sometimes what sounds like a lot might only be a little. Sometimes what sounds like a little might be a lot.

If you don't know anything about baseball, it seems odd to be happy when your team only hits the ball one third of the time.

 

[Disposable Heart]

As Jan Schlichman said (and paraphrased here): Your chances of winning in court are worse than Russian Roulette. So why does anyone do it? They don't; they settle. But to get there and who ever spends the most money wins. Which causes them to spend more money. He who comes to their senses first, loses.

 

[kludge]

Later evidence unearthed in the case showed that he was photographed 400 times in a two-week period, sometimes as he slept in his bedroom, according to his lawyer, Mark Haltzman.

Were I in a position of authority I'd be launching a criminal investigation. Sounds really pervy to me.

 

[Leadeye]

The education/industrial complex working as it should. Favored groups, in this case lawyers, get big bucks. Hardhead fool administrators get paid either way and move on the next mess. Kids don't receive any better education and taxpayers have to pay up.

 

[mrjarrell]

Were I in a position of authority I'd be launching a criminal investigation. Sounds really pervy to me.

They did launch one and the prosecutor declined to follow through and press any charges.

 

[ATOMonkey]

As in any case (except forced labor), the lawyer is paid what he is worth.

Would the parents have received any money had they tried the case themselves? What if they used a less expensive lawyer who wasn't as good? Even $10k is better than zero.

Also, I doubt this lawyer worked alone out of his house. That settlement will be used to pay his staff, any other lawyers that helped out, his overhead for his office, etc etc. The lawyer has also invested his opportunity cost to attend law school, plus the cost of the school itself. Like any business owner, the majority of the risk falls on his shoulders, and he wants to see a return on his investment.

When you look at his take home pay, you would probably feel a little better about how the wealth was distributed.

 

[E5RANGER375]

Your implication seems to be that the lawyer should have received less money.

thats a great observation. I'd say your right. A lot of lawyers are part of the problem and not the solution. while one could look at this situation as the students walked away with more than they had before, its still very sad to see this lawyer walk away with sooooooooo much more than their clients.

 

[E5RANGER375]

As in any case (except forced labor), the lawyer is paid what he is worth.

Would the parents have received any money had they tried the case themselves? What if they used a less expensive lawyer who wasn't as good? Even $10k is better than zero.

Also, I doubt this lawyer worked alone out of his house. That settlement will be used to pay his staff, any other lawyers that helped out, his overhead for his office, etc etc. The lawyer has also invested his opportunity cost to attend law school, plus the cost of the school itself. Like any business owner, the majority of the risk falls on his shoulders, and he wants to see a return on his investment.

When you look at his take home pay, you would probably feel a little better about how the wealth was distributed.

when I hire someone for a job, lawyer, doctor, plumber, hooker .....

my last thought is if im paying them enough so they can pay off their school bills.
anyone ever notice how EVERY stripper says they are "going to school" ? its a line, and she isnt getting one more dollar bill from me

 

[Ramen]

when I hire someone for a job, lawyer, doctor, plumber, hooker .....

my last thought is if im paying them enough so they can pay off their school bills.
anyone ever notice how EVERY stripper says they are "going to school" ? its a line, and she isnt getting one more dollar bill from me

The lawyer's pay should be negotiated up front. If the kids' parents didn't like the 20/80 split then they should have found one of the many other attorneys to take the case at a better rate.

 

[ATOMonkey]

when I hire someone for a job, lawyer, doctor, plumber, hooker .....

my last thought is if im paying them enough so they can pay off their school bills.
anyone ever notice how EVERY stripper says they are "going to school" ? its a line, and she isnt getting one more dollar bill from me

LOLz... I'm not saying that it should be part of your thought process, but it's definitely part of the thought process of the hooker when she determines her selling price.

Same for the lawyer. He bills $200/hr as labor cost, not his take home pay. His labor cost is the sum of his salary, the salary of his employees, and all his overhead. It's just like any other business.

Also, employing a lawyer is still cheaper then employing a UAW member, and the lawyer will defitely make more money for you.

 

[printcraft]

Lawsuits are routinely a set fee of 33% if they are settled out.
50% if you go to trial + fees.

You don't need a lawyer to go to court, you can be your own lawyer and you can keep all of the money for yourself.

 

[Disposable Heart]

Lawsuits are routinely a set fee of 33% if they are settled out.
50% if you go to trial + fees.

You don't need a lawyer to go to court, you can be your own lawyer and you can keep all of the money for yourself.

Without barrister training though: You get what you pay for! Some folks can barely control themselves if you fart in public, let alone a stressful and HIGHLY structured rhetorical structure such as a court room.

 

[PatriotPride]

If you want to be an idiot and go Pro Se, go for it. Seems to be a fair situation here in regards to the attorney. He had a contract with the party who retained him, and when it was all said and done he walked away with what he earned. They could have retained an attorney for far less, but as in any business, you get what you pay for. It's a Free Market---people are free to retain whichever attorney they choose.