Posts Tagged ‘Michael Wolff’

Former Mo. Supreme Court’s Michael Wolff weighed in on the court’s decision whether lawmakers have the power to restrict damages available to plaintiffs who sue doctors. Stated the learned Wolff:  “I wrote a concurring opinion in a case two years ago (Klotz vs. St. Anthony’s Med Center) in which the court said the new caps could not be applied to cases that occurred before the legislature enacted them, that says the caps violate the right of the injured person to have a jury determine the amount of his or her damages.  There are some cases, now pending, that raise this challenge directly.  I frankly would not hazard a guess as to whether the court will tell the legislature that it was out of bounds to set limits that cut back a jury’s determination.”

Judge Michael David and Michelle David

At the cocktail reception prior to the Lawyers Association Dinner & Gridiron at the Chase Hotel, Rex Burlison, director of the governor’s St. Louis office, said, “Jay will run for reelection to finish the work he’s begun. His campaign will begin with a Nov. 30 event.”  With his wife, Rita, Burlison was cornered by Peter Dunne, who collaborated on writing the gridiron show titled, “Tommy.”  Craig Schlapprizzi was hailed by his dad/attorney Don Schlapprizzi

Dr. Patricia and Judge Michael Wolff

upon his victory in his first two cases at Don’s law firm.  Also, Don’s heiress/attorney Toni has just joined the firm.  Michelle and Judge Michael David were on hand and David described a case for which he has a year’s work.  The lawsuit is about tobacco firms, which have been sued by hospitals, that have alleged the companies are obligated to reimburse them for providing care for patients, who have become ill as a result of smoking.  Dr. Pat Wolff, a pediatrician, who has given much time to attend to patients in grief-stricken Haiti, explained how she avoids the current cholera epidemic.  ”I wash my hands frequently and cook my own food,” she offered.  With her was spouse Mo. Supreme Court Judge Michael Wolff, who will, upon his upcoming retirement from the bench, become a prof at SLU’s School of Law.  He said he’ll imbue students with this bit of advice, “Take the law seriously, but don’t take yourself seriously.”

Vanessa and retired Judge Michael Calvin

Judge Lisa Van Amburg, Don Schliaparizzi with Toni and Craig Schliaparizzi.

Judge Maggie Neill, Kathy and Judge John Riley

Before the plane left, do-gooder Jeffrey Fort challenged this columnist to try to get a table at Gotham’s Il Mulino. Even his barrister Chet Pleban and produce guy Charlie Gallagher couldn’t manage it.  Neither could the columnist. But, that turned into a mitzvah. The Stage Deli’s Steve Auerbach and Paul Zolenge had not only a table for me, but also put in the works a Jerry Berger sandwich of smoked salmon on a bialy. So, the columnist will soon join the real upper crust: the ranks of those whose namesake sandwiches appear on the Stage Deli’s menu.  Others? The tongue/swiss cheese and corned beef given the name of Larry King; Larry David’s corned beef and turkey; Howard Stern’s pastrami; A-Rod’s turkey, chopped liver lettuce, tomato and onion; Ben Stiller’s hot roast beef; Aretha Franklin’s pastrami and turkey and Dolly Parton’s twin rolls of pastrami and corned beef; and Tiger Woods’ Rueben … The columnist’s favorite alumnus of the Non-Partisan Judicial Selection Plan, Mo. Supreme Court Judge Michael Wolff, is clearly truthful, enlightened and so cool!  Has he ever smoked a joint? “It was a youthful indiscretion,” said Wolff over brunch at the Chase-Park Plaza.  “Unlike some others of my generation, I did inhale.”Wolff said he is a voracious reader and among his faves are: The Riverfront Times, New York Wired, Washington Monthly and the papers in and around Jefferson City.  The 64 year-old judge said that after mandatory retirement at 70, he’ll go back to teaching. Any hint where? Of Saint Louis University uber-president he says, “He’s transformed SLU and the city by making that gorgeous campus. I even like his engaging (the columnist thinks that is judicialese for “nude”) artwork on the campus.”  He looked back on his career on the bench and commented, “As a judge, it’s hard to get away from thinking about how law affects ordinary people, how it affects the average person. People with money can take care of themselves.”  Does the cool judge hit the casinos?  “It’s entertainment for five or ten minutes, but I do spend two dollars a week on my Powerball habit,” he admitted,  As to Judge Wolff’s family, he said, “My mother was a typical Irish Catholic – I don’t forget that!” We were joined by the Chase’s exemplary French Chef, Brian Hale, who hails from the whine region of St. Louis County. Brian Hale … Recession?  Mike Lordo says “not so much.”He and his brother have each just sold a 12-carat yellow and 13-carat emerald cut diamond rings at Lordo’s on Clayton Road … First there were Buster May, then Desmond Lee. Now, it’s Rex Sinquefeld who’s the outstretched hand from our town’s charity types. Who he? A zillionaire grad of Bishop DuBourg High (just like Jack Dorsey, founder of Twitter), who wrote the definitive book on stock market returns and was co-founder of Dimensional Fund Advisors.