One thought went through Michael Kurosky's mind as he sat at the defense table with the other members of his legal team and their client: He hated everything about this case. As an early-career associate at Endicott, Watson & Johnson, one of Manhattan's premier law firms, he didn't get to pick his cases; they were assigned to him. Michael liked corporate law. That's why he had chosen EW&J over other firms, but he liked quiet technical work like drawing up contracts, analyzing the tax code, explaining federal regulations to his clients. What he didn't like was a fight, and this case was a big one.
The company that Michael's firm represented was in a death match with a rival company over intellectual property rights regarding an obscure, but essential, mechanical device used universally in hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" as it was widely known, the controversial process by which chemicals were pumped under high pressure into shale rock in order to obtain natural gas. The fracking boom had turned North Dakota into one of the richest states in the country, poured huge profits into Texas-based companies, and turned most of Appalachia into a giant gas well. The patent case that Michael was fighting was worth millions - maybe hundreds of millions - to the competing companies. But the hostility between the two litigants was not only fueled by competition for huge profits, there was personal animosity between the CEOs that went back decades. These guys hated each other. The vicious animosity spread like a disease to everyone involved in this case. Michael had lead his group through four months of negotiations with lawyers from the other side to try to get an out-of-court settlement, but to no avail. Now it had come to this, a full-blown civil suit that was anything but "civil" in tone.
Although the CEOs would probably liked to have a knife fight on the streets of the Big Apple, they did what all corporations do. They hired lawyers to be their gladiators. Michael's chief adversary was Kate Cogliano, the lead attorney for the other side. Throughout the long, failed negotiations Kate had been aggressive in her tactics, besting Michael on several occasions. Once in court she had become downright vicious in her cross-examinations and in sidebar conferences with the judge and Michael. She raised objections at every possible opportunity, or so it seemed to Michael. He had come to dislike her with great intensity, and enjoyed every time when he had scored a point on her. In fact, often in Michael's mind the contest in the courtroom was less about the two corporations' positions than it was about a personal and heated battle between him and Kate.
Presently, Kate was examining one of her own witnesses. The witness' testimony was highly technical and relevant only insofar as providing a broad background for the plaintiff's legal strategy. Michael already knew what the witness was going to say; they had taken his disposition in detail months ago. Consequently, Michael was not paying much attention to the witness, allowing him to focus on Kate.
Kate Cogliano appeared to be close to Michael's age of 31, and also of similar height (5'10") and body type (lean, well-toned). She was wearing the nearly universal female lawyer uniform, a black business suit with a skirt that ended just above her knees while standing, and a black jacket over a white, silk blouse, all clothes from Saks or some other expensive store. Notwithstanding his anger toward Kate, he couldn't help but notice that she filled this suit out rather well. Through her business attire there were hints of a nice, firm ass, and deliciously sculpted breasts. Her shoulder-length dark hair framed quite an attractive face. Still, when Michael looked at her he felt no attraction, only anger.
In planning his tactics for today's trial - Day 8 and counting - Michael had briefly considered roughing up Kate's current witness just as a way to jab at her, but he decided against doing so. Roughing up a seemingly decent man testifying about highly technical manners could backfire with the jury by making Michael look mean. So just a few mild challenges to the witness' testimony would suffice.
As Kate finished her examination of her witness, Michael rose to approach the witness box as Kate was returning to the plaintiff's table. They both reached the narrow opening in the railing that separated the lawyers' tables from the judge's bench and the witness box at about the same time. A small hesitation in Kate's step or a slight rotation of her body counterclockwise would have allowed them to pass each other effortlessly. Instead, Kate slightly hastened her step causing her to give Michael a small, but sharp hip check as they passed. She didn't apologize. At that instant Michael's tactic changed. He was about to slash her witness to pieces, all the time looking over his shoulder throwing imaginary darts in Kate's direction.
The company that Michael's firm represented was in a death match with a rival company over intellectual property rights regarding an obscure, but essential, mechanical device used universally in hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking" as it was widely known, the controversial process by which chemicals were pumped under high pressure into shale rock in order to obtain natural gas. The fracking boom had turned North Dakota into one of the richest states in the country, poured huge profits into Texas-based companies, and turned most of Appalachia into a giant gas well. The patent case that Michael was fighting was worth millions - maybe hundreds of millions - to the competing companies. But the hostility between the two litigants was not only fueled by competition for huge profits, there was personal animosity between the CEOs that went back decades. These guys hated each other. The vicious animosity spread like a disease to everyone involved in this case. Michael had lead his group through four months of negotiations with lawyers from the other side to try to get an out-of-court settlement, but to no avail. Now it had come to this, a full-blown civil suit that was anything but "civil" in tone.
Although the CEOs would probably liked to have a knife fight on the streets of the Big Apple, they did what all corporations do. They hired lawyers to be their gladiators. Michael's chief adversary was Kate Cogliano, the lead attorney for the other side. Throughout the long, failed negotiations Kate had been aggressive in her tactics, besting Michael on several occasions. Once in court she had become downright vicious in her cross-examinations and in sidebar conferences with the judge and Michael. She raised objections at every possible opportunity, or so it seemed to Michael. He had come to dislike her with great intensity, and enjoyed every time when he had scored a point on her. In fact, often in Michael's mind the contest in the courtroom was less about the two corporations' positions than it was about a personal and heated battle between him and Kate.
Presently, Kate was examining one of her own witnesses. The witness' testimony was highly technical and relevant only insofar as providing a broad background for the plaintiff's legal strategy. Michael already knew what the witness was going to say; they had taken his disposition in detail months ago. Consequently, Michael was not paying much attention to the witness, allowing him to focus on Kate.
Kate Cogliano appeared to be close to Michael's age of 31, and also of similar height (5'10") and body type (lean, well-toned). She was wearing the nearly universal female lawyer uniform, a black business suit with a skirt that ended just above her knees while standing, and a black jacket over a white, silk blouse, all clothes from Saks or some other expensive store. Notwithstanding his anger toward Kate, he couldn't help but notice that she filled this suit out rather well. Through her business attire there were hints of a nice, firm ass, and deliciously sculpted breasts. Her shoulder-length dark hair framed quite an attractive face. Still, when Michael looked at her he felt no attraction, only anger.
In planning his tactics for today's trial - Day 8 and counting - Michael had briefly considered roughing up Kate's current witness just as a way to jab at her, but he decided against doing so. Roughing up a seemingly decent man testifying about highly technical manners could backfire with the jury by making Michael look mean. So just a few mild challenges to the witness' testimony would suffice.
As Kate finished her examination of her witness, Michael rose to approach the witness box as Kate was returning to the plaintiff's table. They both reached the narrow opening in the railing that separated the lawyers' tables from the judge's bench and the witness box at about the same time. A small hesitation in Kate's step or a slight rotation of her body counterclockwise would have allowed them to pass each other effortlessly. Instead, Kate slightly hastened her step causing her to give Michael a small, but sharp hip check as they passed. She didn't apologize. At that instant Michael's tactic changed. He was about to slash her witness to pieces, all the time looking over his shoulder throwing imaginary darts in Kate's direction.