Canadian Lawyer

w w w . C A N A D I A N L a w y e r m a g . c o m N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 5 25 the suggestion that the account is a par- ody, insisting: "We're the most reputable firm on Bay Street." Based on past tweets, Bad Legal was named for its founding partner Arthur P. Bad, who according to firm lore, died on the job, and remains forever on the minds of his former workmates: "He's embalmed in the lobby." Still, doubts about the firm's existence persist. Last year, Bad Legal publicly refused to comment on its own specula- tion that the feed was run by Rob Centa, the managing partner of Toronto litiga- tion boutique Paliare Roland Rosenberg Rothstein LLP. Centa politely declined the chance to comment for this story. There are, however, a few suspects that can be more conclusively ruled out as Bad Legal's alter ego. Barring elaborate diver- sionary tactics, Sean Fine, the Globe and Mail's justice reporter, can be crossed off the list after branding Bad Legal's creators "supercilious legal types." He also blocked the feed following a spat over the Supreme Court of Canada's 2014 Senate reform reference decision in which Bad Legal teased: "You guys are cute when you try to play lawyer." Former Canadian Lawyer columnist Ezra Levant followed suit after Bad Legal corrected his suggestion that Canadian Supreme Court justices are appointed for life, rather than retiring at 75. "Without his business, our defamation group is just not viable," Bad Legal mourned. Mitch Kowalski, a lawyer, author, and confirmed member of the Canadian legal Twitterati, says he's pretty certain that the Bad Legal tweeter must have a solid background in legal practice. "A lot of what they talk about are the sorts of things that you realize after a number of years in practice. Then they just ratchet it up about 1,000 per cent," says Kowal- ski. "It's an over-the-top caricature of a lawyer, but like all the good ones, there's an element of truth at the heart of it for people to recognize." Despite its sometimes edgy approach, Bad Legal could actually improve the rep- utation of the legal profession as a whole in the long term, says Kowalski. "Lawyers are such a dour lot at times. We can be very serious about everything and also exceptionally sensitive. That's something we have to get over as a profession," he says. "If we can understand ourselves, how people view us, and show that we can poke fun at ourselves, that probably improves our image." Adam Dodek, a University of Ottawa law professor and Bad Legal devotee, puts Bad Legal's popularity down to irreverence and wit. "It is very smart and biting satire, which exposes hierarchy, abuses, sexism, and plain stupidity in the law and the legal profession," he says. Bad Legal has a slightly different take: "We've tapped into a deep vein of self- loathing in the legal community, and we're interested in finding out just how far we can depress that plunger. People seem to respect us for our unflinching honesty and lax approach to solicitor-cli- ent privilege," s/he said. The willingness to dole out free legal advice in return for a retweet probably helps, too: "You won't get that kind of value from @TorysLLP or @Osler_law." Kowalski says he has no idea who Bad Legal is (isn't that what the real tweeter would say?), but he hopes deep down their cover doesn't get blown. "I think it's going to really hinder the creative process of that person if they're revealed. Anonymity allows you to say stuff that you never could if it was all coming back to you," he says. Bad Legal has no problem with the amateur sleuths on the case: "Occasion- ally I'll drop hints, like names of col- leagues, references to cases I'm working on, my social insurance number." And there's an alluring prize on offer for the most successful: "If anyone can crack the code, you can bet Bad Legal LLP will hire them." @BadLegalLLP on . . . Bad Legal Work-life balance: My plans this weekend include working on a deal and neglecting my family. Incidentally, if you work for me, those are your plans too Customer service: We offer three kinds of legal services: bad, slow, or expensive. You can pick any two Free speech: I don't agree with what you say, but for $900/hr I will defend to the death your right to say it Discovery: I could never in good conscience advise a client to shred incriminating documents. Lighting them on fire is the way to go Business development: Pretending to enjoy this hockey game has really helped me bond with my client. #NHLFaceOff #FrontRow Women in the workplace: Women like it when I call them missy, sweet- heart, or darling. I know this because they have never complained to me, their boss, about it Legal tech: I give BlackBerry phones to all my employees. It prevents them from playing fun apps or making friends at parties Client confidentiality: People laughed at me for sticking with paper records, but they're hacker- proof. Unless you physically open the cabinet. It doesn't lock Criminal law: The best part about losing a criminal trial is that the awkward conversation with your client is pretty short Social media: Remember that nothing you say on social media can be used against you in court. #probably Family: Based on the amount I pay in private school tuition, I figure I have 3 or maybe 4 children Diversity: At Bad Legal LLP, the only thing whiter than our collars is our skin Lawyer wellness: Anyone at the office suffering from mental illness must wear the Anti-Stigma Sombrero so that they can be identified & treated respectfully Management style: Being a good employer means knowing how to motivate #millennials. In my experience, they respond well to threats of violence Courtroom etiquette: Yes I'm drinking a coffee in the courtroom. And if you try to take it from me, I will fight you Legal research: Just told an articling student to find that case with similar facts that totally shows I'm right. I don't remember the name. #KeepLooking IT IS VERY SMART AND BITTING SATIRE, WHICH EXPOSES HIERARCHY, ABUSES, SEXISM, AND PLAIN STUPIDITY IN THE LAW AND THE LEGAL PROFESSION. - ADAM DODEK, University of Ottawa

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