Bar Associations
Lawyer Band Practices in Judge’s Chambers
Posted Jul 10, 2008, 11:52 am CDT
By Debra Cassens Weiss
Blanche Manning
Photo courtesy KCR Ensemble.
A federal judge who plays the saxophone allows a group of 35 Chicago lawyers who play in a jazz group called the Barristers Big Band to practice in her chambers.
U.S. District Judge Blanche Manning of Chicago, an accomplished musician who also performs and records with the KCR Ensemble, is the accommodating judge, the Am Law Daily reports. The publication interviewed John Vishneski III, a lawyer at Reed Smith who handles logistics for the band.
Vishneski said lawyers have busy schedules, so only about 25 lawyers show up for concerts.
The band, an offshoot of the Chicago Bar Association Symphony Orchestra, will hold a noon concert this Friday across from the Dirksen Federal Building in Chicago. It holds its practices on Monday evenings.
Related Stories
- Courts in Chicago Struggle to Protect Domestic Violence Victims
3 hours, 48 minutes ago - Fla. School Board Lawyer May Get Nearly a Year of Paid Vacation
4 hours, 16 minutes ago - We Won’t Evict Unless You Do Your Job, Illinois Sheriff Tells Lenders
10 hours, 9 minutes ago - Ex-Lawyer Convicted for Misleading Clients at ‘Divorce With Dignity’ Clinic
11 hours, 51 minutes ago
Related Topics
Commenting has expired on this post.
Comments
Posted by kay sieverding - 3 months, 1 day, 3 hours, 20 minutes ago
I think that all federal court building office space should be treated as if it contained defense department secrets. All the cleaning staff should have thorough security clearances and should clean in teams. There should be security cameras in every area and the tapes should be kept and reviewed. No person not employed should be allowed in the office areas. All the files should be kept locked or encrypted and there should be a formal procedure for accessing them.
I have been interested in the subject of staff use of the court office space for personal entertaining because I have been closely following the news coverage related to Judge Edward Nottingham in Colorado. As reported by Denver 9 News, Judge Nottingham spent $3,000 at a strip club where he had problems remembering what happened and he had prostitutes delivered to him at his son’s condo and one other location. It occurred to me that it was possible that the judge had prostitutes delivered to his office after hours. I got that idea because I formerly had a government office and I could come and go whenever I wanted. I blogged on this subject on a 9 News of Denver article about the investigations of Judge Nottingham and asked about after hours use of the court for entertaining and no one denied it.
I asked the marshals in Madison WI whether the judges can entertain in the courthouse and they looked at me like I was crazy. They said that after hours the U.S. Courthouse in Madison is totally locked down.
When the judge has the band in her office, do they all leave together?