from the won't-anyone-think-of-the-lawyers? dept.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg is taking Shakespeare's phrase "let's kill all the lawyers" to a different level. On Monday, he sued many of the attorneys who represented a New Yorker named Paul Ceglia, the man who claimed Zuckerberg promised him half of Facebook back when Zuckerberg was an 18-year-old Harvard University student.
"The lawyers representing Ceglia knew or should have known that the lawsuit was a fraud—it was brought by a convicted felon with a history of fraudulent scams, and it was based on an implausible story and obviously forged documents. In fact, Defendants’ own co-counsel discovered the fraud, informed the other lawyers, and withdrew. Despite all this, Defendants vigorously pursued the case in state and federal courts and in the media," Facebook said in a New York Supreme Court suit [PDF].
Ceglia faces trial next year on accusations that his lawsuit—in which he claimed half ownership of Facebook—was a fraud. He has pleaded not guilty and faces a maximum 40-year prison term if convicted.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by skullz on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:30PM
After reading through that NYSC PDF I have to take my hat off to Zuckerberg's lawyers. They did a good job: things like incorrect timezone offsets and faded marks on the contract where it was pinned to dry. Not a fan of Facespace but nice job.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by frojack on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:37PM
Still, lawyers going after lawyers... Once the money changes hands, it will be swept under the rug.
Zuk doesn't need more money, but those lawyers will miss it, and zuk's lawyers will enjoy it.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 2) by skullz on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:46PM
Maybe I'm being naive here but I saw it as someone with the clout to do so defending a tech company from moochers.
I know that it is all about the money and people with money wanting MOR money but hopefully it will send a message to lawyers that they can't just make stuff up to get money or they might lose their money.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by frojack on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:57PM
I'd feel better if he was suing them for their licence to practice law.
No, you are mistaken. I've always had this sig.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday October 22 2014, @01:29AM
The way most legal bars work, being convicted of something like this is a direct prescription to losing your license to practice law. So they just might lose their license. And frankly, I hope they do. As much as I despise facebook, I despise lawyers more, and having more lawyers losing their license's when the pull stunts like this would deter the other bottom feeding fools from trying it themselves.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:42PM
I know this line was put in to try to bestow a sense of worldliness and to give off an air of being well-read, but not only does it not make any sense within the context of the paragraph, but AnonTechie clearly doesn't know the context of the line in the play. I understand that you're putting your quote-a-day calendar to good use, but if you don't know what the hell the quote means, you shouldn't embarrass yourself by using it.
(Score: 2) by skullz on Tuesday October 21 2014, @09:53PM
Please, enlighten us. Because my source [enotes.com] seems to think this was a ploy by someone who was trying to curry favor with a guy who wanted to set himself up as king after getting drunk so it makes just as much sense as when anyone else uses it.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:33PM
And how is Zuckerberg taking this "to a different level" unless it means that he is taking it to a meaning that is completely different than any interpretation of the Shakespeare line (except, of course, for the fact that "lawyer" is in the line and this is a story with lawyers in it), which in that case would be correct.
For me, I like to say that I'm taking the phrase "There was never yet philosopher that could endure the toothache patiently" to a different level when I use dental floss. Hmmm, I sound pretty damned profound, don't I?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:54PM
I took it in the meaning you attribute to the phrase. That Zuck is making an example of these guys in order to intimidate anyone from suing him and/or facebook for any reason, legitimate or not. He's not literally killing them, but he's doing the next best thing he can to squash any threat to his dominance.
(Score: 2) by Ryuugami on Wednesday October 22 2014, @04:45AM
He's not literally killing them, but he's doing the next best thing he can to squash any threat to his dominance.
I'd say this means that the different level he's taking it to is actually one or more levels below the original phrase. To take it to a higher level he'd have to, I dunno, burn their bodies and piss on the ashes or something.
If a shit storm's on the horizon, it's good to know far enough ahead you can at least bring along an umbrella. - D.Weber
(Score: 1) by lizardloop on Wednesday October 22 2014, @07:57AM
It's just another example of "click bait" phrasing that seems to be creeping in to every news head line. It's sad that editors allow it on this site.
(Score: 3, Funny) by arslan on Tuesday October 21 2014, @10:00PM
My first reaction to this is like Homer Simpson in the episode where he accidentally killed his pet lobster while giving it a warm bath on the kitchen top. As he ate him he cried and laugh at the same time.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward on Tuesday October 21 2014, @11:39PM
...having so much money that you can actually afford to use the legal system.
(Score: 2) by hemocyanin on Wednesday October 22 2014, @03:34AM
I get the Ceglia's suit was dismissed because it was thought there was fraud or forgery involved, but then again, he really actually did hire Zuckerberg to do some programming for him and I could certainly imagine that he might have gotten a pitch from Z for money. It may well be that Ceglia's screw up was to try to make his case stronger by faking some additional documents, but by getting caught, the truth got thrown out with lies. One thing is certain, Z can hire as many lawyers and expert witnesses as he wants, and you can certainly buy experts who'll swear to one thing or another and come up with reasons to state that the documents are forged. And Z's latest ploy, going after the lawyers themselves, is an obvious means of deterring other lawyers from suing him in other suits which may be perfectly legitimate beefs. Anyway, short of killing children and posting videos on facebook, Z can do whatever he wants.
(Score: 2) by GungnirSniper on Wednesday October 22 2014, @02:51AM
Zuckerberg's ultimate goals here are to make any other attorney dreaming of suing him think twice, and hopefully to disbar the shady shysters involved. The Bar has some ethical standards, now let's hope they uphold them.
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