The Petersen Automotive Museum on Wilshire Boulevard was the place to be the other evening! My good friends Harland and Adam Braun invited me to attend the 56th Annual Criminal Courts Bar Association’s installation dinner. There are two places I love when it comes to museums, one is this one and the other The Getty, I can spend hours and days just roaming around either of these places.
Well there was everyone who is anyone in the criminal defense world here in Los Angeles. I was impressed with the number of judges present. One of the highlights was when Linda Deutsch received the Journalism Award, Linda has been bumping around the courts for AP for 40 years! You know, she looks fabulous! There were several awards for different categories, the one that caught my ear was that of Special Award to Kevin McDermott. Kevin represented the company commander whose men were accused of the massacre of civilians and cover up in the Iraqi town of Hadithah in 2005. After two weeks of trial Kevins client was exonerated and evidence uncovered during his investigation revealed that the allegations were both overblown and false! What he had to say was priceless, great job Kevin! God bless all of the brave men and women in uniform.
One of my NOT favorites was there, Mark “Gagagosh”, who I think looked at me and then turned away…..Hmmm maybe he thinks I don’t like him? It is not that I don’t like him, I just think that Harland or Adam would be better choices, almost anyone would be a better choice, that’s all! You know it is not fair, I don’t know what it is I don’t like about him? Everything? Hmmm not sure. Another attorney I was introduced told me he was well aware of who I was, you wrote that I should shut my pie hole. Oooops! “Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how did you enjoy the play?” This guy I do remember, he was representing Pellicano and was dressed very nice and spoke well. I am sorry, but that just came to me and I never ever mean to be cruel in my comments, just a little humor folks (and he made quite an impression, I still cannot remember his name). While admiring an amazing 1925 Rolls Royce I was standing next to a very distinguished gentlemen and we began talking and it was none other than Peter A. Lauzon, a partner with the very distinguished firm of Phillips, Lerner, Lauzon & Jamra…Amazing Grace, we all remember her? We had a nice discussion and folks it is people like this that separate the little players from the big boys & girls. Phillips, Trope, Meyer, Jamra, Mannis, Lowy, Cohen, Rale, Knowles, Olson, Kiley, I could go on and on but these are just a few of the “partners” in very significant divorce firms and if you ever get to speak to them for a few minutes, you soon see why they are where they are.
Greg Katz, a reporter with the Los Angeles Daily Journal, was making the rounds and we chit-chatted, he is a cute kid with a very engaging smile. Till he asked what good cases I am working on, I looked at him and he smiled at me and I told him “you will do well in your chosen profession”…cute, nice smile and the next thing I am being quoted and wondering why I said that.