Lawyers Behaving Badly Face Consequences of Their Corruption in Wise-Cracking Satire
Philadelphia/New York, September 20, 2022 ― Naïve young attorney Ryan Coleman jumps feet first into the hedonist world of wealth and power at the core of class-action law and finds himself in way over his head in Filthy Rich Lawyers, Book One: The Education of Ryan Coleman.
From author and attorney Brian Felgoise, who has been practicing class-action law for more than 25 years, and co-author David Tabatsky, Filthy Rich Lawyers is a satirical legal thriller filled with scenarios loosely based on real-world interactions that Felgoise had with lawyers, judges and plaintiffs.
“I laughed out loud at the salty wise cracks on most every page,” said Matt Flynn, author ofMilwaukee Jihad. “But underneath the lightning paced humor is a serious message about corruption in class action litigation. Filthy Rich Lawyers is a hilarious satire about a very real problem.”
The story begins in a Texas courtroom, where Ryan Coleman, a young, ambitious lawyer from Philadelphia, is chasing his share of a class-action lawsuit involving a multi-national defense contractor. After getting reprimanded by the judge for speaking out of turn, Coleman meets Robert Smalley, a brilliant attorney and borderline criminal who boasts that, “I have the greatest practice of law in the world because I have no clients.”
Included in the cast of colorful characters is Eugenia “Gene” Cauley, a female shark in the male-dominated legal world whose life spirals tragically out of control, and Randy Hollis, an insanely successful lawyer turned multi-billionaire, who is pursuing his ultimate American dream: buying a professional football team. Coleman becomes Hollis’ “errand boy,” but as Hollis is investigated by journalists, law associations and government agents, Coleman must decide if he wants to remain in this sordid circle.
Federal prosecutor Patrick Coyle wants to take Hollis down because of an old grudge. He aligns with Dick Dickey, former Secretary of Defense and CEO of a military contractor, to ruin Hollis and Coleman. When an escort mysteriously dies in Hollis’ penthouse, Coleman becomes an unwitting accomplice and must choose between protecting his boss and saving his marriage, or telling the truth and risk going to prison.
Filthy Rich Lawyers reveals the surprising ways in which our system of class-action law enables (mostly) men to get ridiculously wealthy and behave like sophomoric frat boys.
“How they use their money and power will shock, amuse and entertain readers,” Felgoise said. “As media billionaire Mortimer Zuckerman once said, referring to some lawyer’s self-indulgence and unbridled hubris, ‘Practicing law is the exact opposite of sex. Even when it’s good, it’s bad.’”
About the Authors
Brian M. Felgoise, Esq., is a graduate of Temple University Law School and has been practicing class-action law for more than 25 years, including cases where billions of dollars have been recovered for class members who lost a significant amount of money.
David Tabatsky has authored, co-authored and edited many novels, including The Boy Behind the Door, Friends Like These, The Marijuana Project, The Battle of Zig Zag Pass and Drunk Log. His memoir, American Misfit, was published in 2017. Tabatsky was consulting editor for Marlo Thomas and her New York Times bestseller, The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2. To learn more, please visit: www.tabatsky.com.
For more information about their book, visit www.filthyrichlawyers.com.
Filthy Rich Lawyers, Book One: The Education of Ryan Coleman
Publisher: Speaking Volumes Inc.
Release Date: October 2022
ISBN: 978-1645407829 (paperback)
ISBN: 978-1645407812 (eBook)
