Number two on the legal team was a woman named Judy Beck, another veteran of the mass tort wars. She said, “All of us feel the same, Reuben. Our research is better than theirs, if they actually have any. Our experts are better. Our proof is better. Our lawyers will be better. Perhaps it’s time we counterattack and throw everything we have at the enemy.”
“My thoughts exactly, Judy,” Massey said. “You guys have a strategy?”
Nicholas Walker said, “It’s evolving, but for now we go through the same motions, make the same public comments, watch and wait and see who files what and where. We look at the lawsuits, study the judges and the jurisdictions, and we pick our spot. When the stars are all aligned-the right plaintiff, the right city, the right judge- then we hire the hottest gunslinger in town and push hard for a trial.”
“This has backfired, you know,” Massey said. “Don’t forget Klervex. That cost us two billion.” Their miracle blood pressure pill was destined for greatness until thousands of its users developed horrific migraines. They- Massey and the lawyers-believed in the drug and rolled the dice with the first jury trial, which they fully expected to win in a slam dunk. An overwhelming victory would dampen the tort bar’s enthusiasm and save Varrick a ton of money. The jury, though, felt otherwise and gave the plaintiff $20 million.
“This is not Klervex,” Walker said. “Krayoxx is a much better drug, and the lawsuits are much weaker.”
“I agree,” Massey said. “I like your plan.”
CHAPTER 15
At least twice a year, and more often if possible, the Honorable Anderson Zinc and his lovely wife, Caroline, drove from their home in St. Paul to Chicago to see their only son and his lovely wife, Helen. Judge Zinc was the chief justice of the Supreme Court of Minnesota, a position he had been honored to hold for fourteen years. Caroline Zinc taught art and photography at a private school in St. Paul. Their two younger daughters were still in college.
Judge Zinc’s father, and David’s grandfather, was a legend named Woodrow Zinc, who at the age of eighty- two was still hard at work managing the two-hundred-lawyer firm he’d founded fifty years earlier in Kansas City. The Zincs had deep roots in that city, but not deep enough to keep Anderson Zinc and his son from fleeing the harshness of working for old Woodrow. They wanted no part of his firm and left Kansas City, and this had caused a rift that was just beginning to mend.
Another rift was brewing. Judge Zinc did not understand his son’s sudden career change and wanted to get to the bottom of it. He and Caroline arrived in time for a late lunch on Saturday afternoon and were pleasantly surprised to see their son at home. He was usually at the office, downtown in a tall building. On a visit the previous year, they had never actually laid eyes on him. He came home after midnight on a Saturday, then left to return to the office five hours later.
Today, though, he was on a ladder cleaning the gutters. He jumped down and hurried to greet them. “You look great, Mom,” he said as he lifted her up and spun her around.
“Put me down,” she said. David shook hands with his father, but there was no hug. The Zinc men did not hug each other. Helen appeared from the garage and greeted her in-laws. She and David were both grinning goofily about something. He finally said, “We have some big news.”
“I’m pregnant!” Helen blurted.
“You two geezers are about to be grandparents,” David said.
Judge and Mrs. Zinc took the news well. They were, after all, in their late fifties and many of their friends were already grandparents. Helen was thirty-three, two years older than David, and, well, it was certainly about time, wasn’t it? They digested this amazing news, rallied nicely, then offered congratulations and wanted details. Helen gabbed away as David unloaded their luggage and everyone moved inside.
Over lunch, the baby talk eventually subsided, and Judge Zinc finally got down to business. “Tell me about your new firm, David,” he said. David knew damn well his father had dug and dug and found what little there was to know about Finley amp; Figg.
“Oh, Andy, don’t start that,” Caroline said, as if “that” were a raw subject that should be avoided. Caroline agreed with her husband and believed David had made a serious mistake, but the news of Helen’s pregnancy had changed everything, for the future grandmother anyway.
“I told you on the phone,” David said quickly, anxious to have this discussion and get it over with. He was also prepared to defend himself, to fight if necessary. His father chose a career that was not what old Woodrow wanted. David had now done the same.
“It’s a small two-man firm with a general practice. Fifty hours a week, which gives me time to fool around with my wife and keep the family name going. You should be proud.”
“I’m delighted Helen is expecting, but I’m not sure I understand your decision. Rogan Rothberg is one of the most prestigious law firms in the world. They’ve trained judges, legal scholars, diplomats, and leaders of business and government. How can you just walk away from that?”
“I didn’t walk away, Dad, I ran. And I’m not going back. I hate the memories of Rogan Rothberg, and I think even less of the people.”
They were eating as they spoke. Things were cordial. Andy had promised Caroline he would not provoke a fight. David had promised Helen he would not engage in one.
“So, this new firm has two partners?” the judge asked.
“Two partners and now three lawyers. Plus Rochelle, the secretary, receptionist, office manager, and a lot of other things.”
“Support staff? Clerks, paralegals, interns?”
“Rochelle handles all that. It’s a small firm where we do most of our own typing and research.”
“He’s actually home for dinner,” Helen added. “I’ve never seen him so happy.”
“You look great,” Caroline said. “Both of you.”
The judge was not accustomed to being outnumbered or outflanked. “These two partners, are they trial lawyers?”
“They claim to be, but I have my doubts. They’re basically a couple of ambulance chasers who advertise a lot and survive on car wrecks.”
“What made you choose them?”
David glanced at Helen, who looked away with a smile. “That, Dad, is a long story that I will not bore you with.”
“Oh, it’s not boring,” Helen said, barely suppressing laughter.
“What kind of money do they make?” the judge asked.
“I’ve been there three weeks. They have not shown me the books, but they’re not getting rich. And I’m sure you wanna know how much I’m making. Same answer. I don’t know. I get a piece of what I bring in the door, and I have no idea what might walk in tomorrow.”
“And you’re starting a family?”
“Yes, and I’ll be home for dinner with my family, and T-ball, and Cub Scouts and school plays and all the other wonderful stuff parents are supposed to do with their kids.”
“I was there, David, I missed very little.”
“Yes, you were, but you never worked for a sweatshop like Rogan Rothberg.”
A pause as everybody took a breath. David said, “We saved a lot. We’ll survive nicely, just wait and see.”
“I’m sure you will,” his mother said, switching sides completely and now fully aligned against her husband.
“I haven’t started the nursery yet,” Helen said to Caroline. “If you’d like, we can go to a great shop around the corner and look at wallpaper.”
“Perfect.”
The judge touched the corners of his mouth with a napkin and said, “Associate boot camp is just part of the routine these days, David. You survive that, make partner, and life is good.”
“I didn’t sign up for the Marines, Dad, and life is never good at a huge law firm like Rogan because the
