One night a year, lawyers can live out their rockstar dreams. Banding Together, supporting Gifts for the Homeless, drew lawyers from 25 firms, ExxonMobil, and the government—all bringing the noise and/or funk, heretofore known as "the goods." (Sorry, there's still legal speak beneath these rockers.)
Sutherland's band
Sutherland Comfort raised more than
$45K and put on quite a show, complete with a mash-up of
Eminem's "Lose Yourself" and
Macklemore's "Thrift Shop." Above, litigation associates
Andrew McCormick and
Naseem Nixon and biz dev manager
Andrea Christman. The firm drew a large crowd in matching shirts ("Sutherland Comfort:
Please listen responsibly"). Their first song was dedicated to summer associates—Fighter, by Christina Aguilera. Take a look at the lyrics: After all you put me through, You'd think I'd despise you, But in the end I wanna thank you, 'Cause you made me that much stronger.
The
winning team, which raised more than
$48,000: The
Unnamed Party. Now we'll reveal their names. Above, Hunton & Williams partner
Ellis Butler, Paul Hastings associate
Katie Delsandro, PH support staff
Annick Kamuhanda and
Tony Fabic, and PH associate
Ryan Chiachiere. Not pictured: PH global banking chair
Jerry Comizio playing guitar, PH DC employment law chair
Ken Willner on the sax and keyboard, and Arent Fox tech manager
Colin Snyders on
drums.
This event is the brainchild of Kirkland environmental transactional practice chair
Walt Lohmann, who's on drums above. He was inspired after seeing a journalist battle of the bands at the National Press Club 15 years ago. (He's talented at law, fundraising, and music—the group was approached about playing outside events.) His band members in
The Soul Practitioners are Kirkland's
Mark Schottinger, Williams Mullen's
Jon Lucier, and Dawson & Associates'
Steve Dawson. Walt tells us this is the first time he's played in Banding Together since '08, when a Kirkland colleague who'd been in the band passed away.
Banding Together started ten years ago, with seven bands raising $10K; this year,
18 bands raised
$277K. Latham's
Estoppelgangers not only had great name but also got creative with
beat-boxing and an
a cappella song.
DC Councilman and mayoral candidate
Tommy Wells emceed part of the night. The event raises funds for Gifts for the Homeless with "
Chicago-style" voting for bands: each dollar is one vote, and you're encouraged to vote early and often. (As one announcer put it: you can pay with cash, credit cards, or
negotiable instruments.) Every penny goes toward buying clothing for homeless men, women and children. It's raised more than a
million dollars over its existence.
Mintz Levin gathered alumni for its second annual reunion recently at
Hill Country Barbecue. Among the
60 there was Senator
Mo Cowan, above with lit partner
Paul Pelletier. Cowan was a Mintz Levin anti-money laundering compliance practice chair before becoming
Gov. Deval Patrick's CLO and chief of staff. Then Patrick appointed him to fill Kerry's vacant Senate seat. When
Sen. Tim Scott was appointed to fill Jim DeMint's seat, it was the
first time in history that two black senators served at one time.
Discovery Communications VP
Catherine Carroll, Mintz Levin health law chair
Karen Lovitch, Merck director of public policy
Erin Darling. Alums enjoyed fresh margaritas, smoked chicken sliders, cornbread, and veggie tacos.
Mintz Levin member
Tara Corvo, Verizon Enterprise Solutions managing assistant AG
Kecia Boney Lewis, and Mintz Levin communications chair
Howard Symons. As a communications associate, Kecia worked with Howard and Tara on advising cable and telecom clients on
FCC matters.
Two communications partners, from different firms: Wilkie Farr's
James Casserly and Mintz Levin's
Ben Griffin. They used to work together advising cable clients like
HBO.
