Free Attorney-Client Privilege by Pamela Samuels Young Page A

Lamarr’s attorney and offer to accept a reduced award in exchange for their agreement not to file an appeal. I’ve done that in other cases.”
    “A reduced award?” Tonisha hissed. “That jury gave me two-million dollars and I want every penny of it.”
    Explaining to Tonisha that she wouldn’t actually receive the whole two million was a battle Girlie would fight another day. After attorneys’ fees, costs and taxes, Tonisha would be lucky to clear five hundred thousand.
    Girlie looked at the clock. Time for a Tonisha break.
    “I’m late for a meeting,” she said. “I’ll figure something out and call you later.”
    She ended the call with Tonisha still yapping about her money.
    “Hey, how’s the sexiest attorney in L.A.?” Christopher Biltmore stepped into Girlie’s office and closed the door behind him.
    Girlie grimaced. From an annoying client to an even more annoying colleague. Not a good omen for the remainder of her day.
    “Hello, Christopher,” Girlie droned.
    He plopped into a chair in front of Girlie’s desk. There was nothing attractive about her colleague. He was shaped like a potato with toothpicks for arms and legs. But everyone envied his brilliant legal mind.
    “You know,” Christopher began, “I thought it was really strange that you lobbied so hard to take on Big Buy as a client after Harrison retired. Everybody knows the CEO is a control freak and a first-class witch. So I’ve been scratching my head trying to figure out what you knew that I didn’t.”
    The competitiveness between law firm associates paled next to the backstabbing rivalries that could erupt between partners battling over a new client. Like Girlie, Christopher was a junior partner at Donaldson, Watson and Barkley.
    “You really have to stop it with all the conspiracy stuff, Christopher. I just saw an opportunity for a great new client.”
    Christopher leaned back in the chair. “No way. There’s more to the story, so spill it.”
    There was indeed more to the story, but Girlie wasn’t about to share the real deal with a loudmouth like Christopher.
    “I was looking for a change of pace,” she said. “Something a little more low profile.”
    Christopher laughed like he was being tickled.
    “That’s bull. I still can’t turn on the TV without hearing a sound bite from you about that Legends player. How many talk shows did you do? Fifty? And by the way, if you ask me, your client was just as shady as that football player. How in the hell did you pull that off?”
    “They call it legal talent, sweetie pie.”
    He chuckled. “So, are you going to tell me why you went after Big Buy? Or am I going to have to tell you what I know?”
    That was more like it. Christopher was here because he had information he wanted to confirm. “I’m listening,” she said. “Tell me what you know.”
    “I just heard that the Welson Corporation is planning a buyout of Big Buy. Nice move. You handle Big Buy’s employment work now and once the buyout is complete, Welson is likely to consider you for their legal work as well. And voilà, you’ve got a new mega client.”
    “Welson is buying Big Buy?” Girlie widened her eyes in exaggerated shock.
    Despite the strict secrecy surrounding the merger, Girlie had learned about it months ago from an investment banker she was screwing. The kind of blow jobs she gave could make a man give up his mother. The forthcoming buyout was indeed one of the reasons Girlie had lobbied so hard to win Big Buy as a client. But she would have to come up with a better cover story to appease Christopher.
    “I knew nothing about it. I swear. You know how I like to win, right? Well, don’t tell anybody, but I really thought I was going to lose my case against Lamarr Harris.”
    “No way. You walked around here acting like you’d already won even before you picked a jury.”
    That was part of Girlie’s allure. She acted like a diva, thus she was a diva.
    “Anyway, what does that have to do with Big