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RIAA Lawyer Jumps Ship

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the bigger-better-deal dept.

NewYorkCountryLawyer writes "The RIAA's top litigation lawyer, who has been personally leading the RIAA's litigation campaign for the past several years, Richard Gabriel, will be leaving his law practice after getting a job as a state court judge for a 2-year term in Colorado. What this will mean to the RIAA's litigation machine is anyone's guess. Mr. Gabriel has personally argued all of the RIAA's main cases, including Elektra v. Barker, Atlantic v. Howell, Atlantic v. Brennan, Capitol v. Foster, Atlantic v. Andersen, UMG v. Lindor, and London-Sire v. Doe 1, and personally tried the Capitol v. Thomas case, the only RIAA case that has ever gone to trial. He was working directly under the supervision of the RIAA's mysterious 'representative' Matthew Oppenheim."

6 of 181 comments (clear)

  1. New sympathetic venue for RIAA cases by Adriax · · Score: 4, Interesting

    It means they'll file to get every case moved to his courtroom.

    --
    I don't suffer from insanity, I enjoy every minute of it!
    1. Re:New sympathetic venue for RIAA cases by Penguinisto · · Score: 4, Interesting
      That would sort of depend on why he left. If he left due to any acrimony, the RIAA would likely go out of their way to stay well clear of his courtroom (and it would only affect Colorado residents anyway)

      Also, he may have left after sniffing the wind and seeing that other judges are starting to find the RIAA's tactics to be questionable at best... and likely wants to be well clear of the RIAA if/when it finally (okay, hopefully) implodes.

      Finally, even if he did hear any of these cases, he's have two fears constantly on his mind: Appeals, and the possibility that not recusing himself from an case involving his former employer would likely land him in hotter water than by simply recusing himself in the first place.

      Just idle thoughts - standard disclaimers pply, etc. :)

      /P

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
    2. Re:New sympathetic venue for RIAA cases by Penguinisto · · Score: 4, Interesting

      ...I was under the impression that most, if not all, judges start out as lawyers.

      Frighteningly enough, so do most politicians...

      /P

      --
      Quo usque tandem abutere, Nimbus, patientia nostra?
  2. Appointed by Gov Ritter by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Apparently Governor Ritter doesn't realize how corrupt this makes him look. Anyone associated with RIAA is tainted, and now that taint just got on the governor. I hope Colorado voters know this happened.

  3. Re:awesome by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Why, Mr. Gabriel. How nice to see you. Welcome aboard the Slashdot Express ... ticket, please. I don't think that AC was Mr. Gabriel.

    I think it's some new guy they hired, who doesn't know that I'm 60, that I've met Mr. Gabriel a number of times and communicate with him many times a week, and that I understand Mr. Gabriel's job a lot better than Mr. Gabriel does.
    --
    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful
  4. Re:awesome by NewYorkCountryLawyer · · Score: 4, Interesting

    I've been a litigation attorney for almost 30 years. Some of the best friends I have are people I met as spirited adversaries in contentious, lengthy, hard fought, litigations. If you think I have anything against Mr. Gabriel because he was "upholding the rule of law" or advancing "a legitimate gripe" or because he was on the "wrong" side of legal issues.... you don't know me at all.

    --
    Ray Beckerman +5 Insightful