27 February 2007
Lawyers file injunction against Snakes on a Plane
Portrayal of lawyers described as "cold-blooded"
CHICAGO, Ill. -- In a press conference held here today, Samuel Federsteen, Executive Director of the United States Bar Association (USBA),
released a statement saying that his organization is taking legal action against the
producers and distributors of Snakes on a Plane.
 In the
statement, Federsteen stated, "The portrayal of traveling lawyers as snakes
is an absurdity that that does little to build trust in the legal
profession, enhance our image or
boost our income. The reputations of the USBA and its members have has
been seriously damaged by depicting attorneys as emotionless, callous,
cold-blooded and even dangerous. Therefore the USBA is filing petitions
with the attorneys general in all 50 states to prohibit any further
distribution or presentation of Snakes on a Plane until or unless
its producers can show evidence that viewing the movie does not adversely
influence the attitudes of those viewers toward attorneys."
When someone from the press corps pointed out that the antagonists in
the movie really were snakes, Federsteen responded, 'Well... ah... that
doesn't make a bit of difference because the damage has already been done."
According to a source at the USBA, on August 18, 2006, the very same day
that Snakes on a
Plane was released for showing in movie theatres nationwide, over 12,000
lawyers were passengers flying to Scottsdale, Ariz. for the Annual USBA
Convention and Exposition. Although the vast majority of attendees
were arriving by private or corporate jet, many members complained that
it was no coincidence that the same day so many lawyers were air
passengers, Snakes on a Plane hit the big screens across the
country. "To the USBA leadership," said the source, "the implication was
obvious."
Indeed Mr. Roger Serpentes, who delivered the keynote address on "The
Three I's of Legal Practice: Income, Integrity and Income" at the
Convention and Exposition, became so upset upon learning of the movie's
release that, according to his publicist, "his blood ran cold" during
his presentation.
In a related story, Ambol, Lance and Chasser, the USBA's public
relations firm, issued a press release that the organization is in talks
with Joe Francis to produce a documentary film titled "Lawyers Gone
Wild."
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