Heed a word of caution from Stephen Susman (pictured), Mr. Litigator himself, and a founding partner in Susman Godfrey. Susman says he just spent the past month trying three cases in Houston, Austin and Indiana, which he believes would have settled before trial if the credit market hadn't crashed. "Every litigator knows you make money settling cases, not trying them," Susman says. He forecasts that, as long as the credit crunch exists, lawyers will keep getting clients, keep trying cases, but not make much money. In general, even when lawyers win, says Susman, the other side appeals, and payment remains a far-off concept. As far as his firm's New York office, which started as an experiment back in 2005, Susman says the Manhattan digs are where all the new clients walk in, figuratively speaking. "When the economy goes in the toilet, the toilet gets flushed in New York City, and if you are a plumber, you want to be near the toilet," Susman says. The metaphor definitely has to stop there.
-- Miriam Rozen