Charlie gets some new Clients - Part 1

by hackney125

Charlie Young is an Associate at the law firm Hemp and Associates. He has kept his previous association with the White House secret. When the Santos administration decdes to pay staff legal fees he uses his cinnection to land the work. Helen Santos who has her own problems on the advice of Donna engages Charlie as well

Charlie gets some new clients – Part 1

The regular weekly associates meeting at Hemp and Associates was winding down Philip Arbuthnot who was the supervising partner responsible for all the associates cleared his throat and said. 'As you know the White House has decided to appoint an associate to give advice to the White House staff. Under the scheme the White house will pay the fees for the advice only if the attorney is approved by them. Now does anyone have any ideas how we get o the list?' Charlie Young was about to say something when William Shavers III said. 'We should do a number of high gloss full color brochures with details of all the partners and all our significant cases. Then we should send them to all the key people at the White House.' Charlie thought William was an idiot but he was the marketing expert which means he spent more money on gaining clients than anybody else. So Charlie was looking forward to making him feel stupid.

'Sir, if I may I have a cheaper idea.' Charlie said before he could continue William said 'You do not do cheap with the White House. We will be competing with all the top Washington firms we need to pull out all the stops.' 'What is your idea Charlie?' Philip asked. 'I am having dinner with Josh tomorrow so will ask him what is needed. Then we pitch it accordingly.' 'Asking somebody's assistant is not enough we need to be courting all the top people.' William scoffed. Charlie had to try hard to hide the smile because he knew what was coming, he said. 'When I said Josh I was referring to Josh Lyman the White House Chief of Staff I think he is high enough. Everybody in the room turned to look at Charlie. Philip said 'We will go with Charlie's idea as it seems to be the best one.'

The following evening as Charlie was leaving William came up to him and asked. 'So where is this dinner with Josh going to be in case we need to get hold of you?' Charlie knew that what he meant is so he could gate crash the meeting. 'It is his turn to host so I and Zoey are going to his house so you can get me on my cell. I have to rush or I will be late.' After Charlie had left William noticed that he had not taken the marketing brochure he had dropped by earlier.

Charlie was relaxing in a winged armchair in the study of Josh's house with a whisky in his hand. Josh had a red wine and was seated in another winged armchair the two were talking sport. Zoey and Donna were finishing off the dinner none had started talking about work. It was an unofficial rule of these monthly meetings that there is no shop talk until after dinner. The head of Josh's security detail, Jonathan, came into the study and handed Charlie a note. Having read the note Charlie said in an exasperated tone. 'Tell the prick that we are already eating and cannot be disturbed I will see him in the morning.' After Jonathan left a curious Josh asked 'What was that about?' 'Work it can wait until after dinner.' Half an hour later they all sat down to dinner, Zoey was seated next to Josh. Donna was seated next to Charlie. When dinner was finished Charlie said. 'So Josh this idea of having attorneys paid by the White House to represent the staff how does the firm I work for get on the list?' 'Is that what that note was about?' 'Yes, the associate who does the marketing wanted to see me to give me a brochure for you to persuade you to put us on the list.' 'Well no need to sweat it we are appointing individual attorneys not firms and if you want it you are on the shortlist to be appointed. You will be able to use other attorneys to help.' Everyone knew that what Josh meant was that Charlie would be appointed and the shortlist was a fiction. 'Thanks I would be interested. When is the announcement?' 'Wednesday next week.'

Donna now joined in. 'Charlie can you fit me in on Monday to see me in your office. I will need about an hour plus an hour for the security detail to do a sweep and secure the room.' 'Sure I will fit you in for 12 and we can have lunch after. What is it about?' 'The appointment is to be in my name but in fact Helen will be the person you will actually be advising.' There are few people who can refer to the First Lady by her first name Donna was one of them. Charlie noted that Donna had not given a subject matter. Donna realising this and to avoid confusion added. 'It is alright it is not about a divorce. If it was the meeting would be at our office.

The following Monday at 11 William came into Charlie's office and asked. 'Why do you need the small conference room from now until 1 if you do not have a meeting?' Before Charlie could answer his secretary came in and said. 'There is a team of secret service agents here for you.' 'Show them to the small conference room and tell them that the meeting will be in there.' A confused secretary said 'Sure shall I get them coffees as well.' 'No there will be busy.' When the secretary had left William asked. 'What is the secret service doing here? I take it you will need me for your 12 noon appointment.' 'No to the second and a security sweep in relation to our first.

At 12 noon Donna and her security detail arrived. Charlie having been forewarned met Donna at the lifts to accompany her to the small conference room which for the last 30 minutes had been guarded by two secret service agents. Once they were in the room William appeared and tried to join the meeting but the guards pushed him away with a warning that next time he would be detained. After 10 minutes a transmission was heard over the secret service agents' microphone. 'Chaffinch is on her way.' 'That means the First Lady is in the lift. Charlie you better go and meet her.' Donna said. Charlie went to meet his other guest at the lift. When the lift arrived apart from the First Lady Zoey was also in the lift with their respective security details. 'Darling that was the most secure elevator ride I have had in four years. This is Helen Santos she is joining your meeting with Donna.' 'Mrs Santos I think we should move to the conference room as Donna is waiting and I do not want you to be detained by my colleagues.'

In the conference room when Donna and Helen were seated the First Lady took out a jam jar that was half filled with notes. 'First, during this meeting anytime anyone calls me anything other than Helen they have to put $5 into the jar. Second, Charlie I do not know you but you come highly recommended so you are to have control of any action we discuss. I do not need a Partner to handle these matters.' 'That will be fine with me ma'am.' Helen pointedly held up the jar and Charlie put $5 in it.

'Right first thing I wanted to discuss is your appointment as Special Counsel to the Office of the First Lady. You will advise me and my staff on matters of both a personal and a professional nature. For this you will be paid a retainer of $500,000 a month. If that is agreeable to you there is one urgent matter I need to discuss.' 'That all sounds fine I will arrange for the firm to bill you for the retainer every month on the 14 of the month. What is the other matter?' 'There are rumors going around that I am bisexual and that I have molested some of my staff to the point that they have left. I want advice on how to deal with the rumors.' 'That depends are they true?' Helen looked at Donna who nodded encouragingly. 'Yes they are.' 'Well that narrows down our options. The best solution would be a non admission admission.' 'Is that not a contradiction?' Donna caught on to what Charlie meant and kicked herself for not thinking about it herself. Entering the conversation Donna said 'No ma'am it is not what Charlie means is that you issue a statement that refers to the rumors and without admitting that they are true apologise for the behaviour. I can work with Annabeth on a statement and run it by Charlie before it goes out. Now where are we going for lunch?' Conor, who was in charge of Helen's detail, said. 'I booked the upstairs room of a restaurant a short distance away. I was not aware that Bootbag would be joining us but that would not be a problem.'

That afternoon when Charlie came back from lunch Philip called him into his office. 'I hear you had some influential visitors before going off to lunch.' 'Sort of, I am not sure how influential they are. But I was the only one of the four of us who did not have a security detail. I take it that William is complaining that he should have been in the meeting with the new client.' 'Yes he felt that he should have been given the opportunity to properly market the firm.' 'Well the announcement is being made on Wednesday. We have the Office of the First Lady as a client. She does not want a Partner to handle the work. I am to handle it. Also we will be paid a $500,000 a month retainer. So I think I did alright without William.