So Robert ``Baretta`` Blake gets accused of murdering his wife. He hires the esteemed law firm of Willy, Cheatem & Howe to defend him in the case. In the meantime he thinks to himself, Hey, I may as well try to make some money on this deal. So he asks Willy, et al to go to all the major movie studios and see if they`d like the rights to the inevitable movie about the whole saga. Willy finds a studio interested in the movie rights and negotiates a deal, works out all the contract language, makes sure Baretta will get a share of any income should the studio decide to also produce a tv program (those syndication revs can be awesome), etc.

Now as things come about, during the murder trial Willy accidentally lets it slip in court that Baretta actually told him that he did do the murder. Baretta is convicted and is awaiting sentence.

The question, you legal students out there, is Baretta legally obligated to pay Willy, et al for negotiating and finalizing the movie contract, even though Willy`s blunder will probably cost Baretta his life. Should the 2 acts, while surely intertwined, be looked at separately. And can it be argued that Willy,et al, knowing that Baretta was probably going to lose the murder case (and therefore not pay them for that, since he`d ultimately be dead), purposely said they would handle the murder case for free, knowing they would be able to make up for lost revenue thru the movie contract.

Pertinent questions - Did Willy, et al have any experience in negotiating movie contracts and therefore brought something valuable to the table during negotiations? I`m thinking probably not, but haven`t done the proper research to come to an absolute conclusion. Could Baretta have won his murder trial with different lawyers, or would they have been just as blabby as Willy? My understanding is that Baretta is appealing the murder conviction, but is still willing to use Willy and the boys to sue the gun manufacturer because if they had never made the gun he would have never shot his wife.

Brian, I appreciate your rabble rousing lately. I`m just not sure we have the power to actually get anything done this way. I would rather hope to come up with a way to force management to be accountable for their actions/decisions thru some kind of litigation or other pressure. Again, not sure that way could be effective either.

Keep `em on their toes.