L.A. Law (TV Series)

Dummy Dearest (1988)

Harry Hamlin: Michael Kuzak

Photos 

Quotes 

• Richard Mathers : Kuzak.

  Michael Kuzak : What are you doing here?

  Richard Mathers : I thought I'd lend you my support.

  Michael Kuzak : In exchange for what?

  Richard Mathers : You doing the same. I testify for you, you testify for me. Very symmetrical, no?

  Michael Kuzak : No.

  [Mr. Mathers talking with Mr. Sifuentes] 

  Richard Mathers : He'd be helping me out.

  Victor Sifuentes : Hey, don't look at me.

  Richard Mathers : Mike.

  Michael Kuzak : I'm sorry, but I don't want you to be my witness, and I certainly don't want to be yours.

  Richard Mathers : The first part of that is up to you. The second part's up to me.

  [Mr. Mathers handing over the subpoena to Mr. Kuzak] 

  Richard Mathers : Here's your subpoena. If you can get there by 10:00, that would be great.

  [Mr. Kuzak will take care of that] 

• Elliott Oppenheim : As the evidence clearly has established, Michael Kuzak violated Disciplinary Rule 3101 in aiding the unauthorized practice of law.

  Victor Sifuentes : If the Committee, please... In order to assess Mr. Kuzak's ethical conduct, I believe it first necessary to appreciate the circumstances under which it occurred.

  Judge Donald Tytell : In other words, you got an excuse.

  Victor Sifuentes : The discovery that Richard Mathers was unlicensed to practice law came more than halfway through the trial.

  Ralph DeSuvio : The issue here is that the court didn't learn of it until after the verdict and then from only Mr. Mathers himself.

  Victor Sifuentes : If you could just stand back from the code for one moment, I think that you'll see that the only motivation here was a fair settlement.

  Judge Constance Gregg : [Judge Gregg takes off her glasses]  We don't stand back from the code, Mr. Sifuentes. We enforce it.

  Victor Sifuentes : I understand that, ma'am. I...

  Judge Constance Gregg : Furthermore, this isn't some nitpicking technical violation we're talking about.

  [Judge Gregg looking up this file] 

  Judge Constance Gregg : These charges indicate conduct indirect violation of a lawyer's obligation as an officer of the court.

  Victor Sifuentes : All Mike Kuzak did was try to avoid having Richard Mathers' fraud force his clients into protracted litigation at considerable further expense.

  Judge Donald Tytell : That's not the concern of this Committee.

  Michael Kuzak : Well, with all due respect, maybe it should be.

  Victor Sifuentes : Mike.

  Michael Kuzak : [Kuzak has something to say. Judge Tytell listening]  If the only question here is did I or did I not violate the code, let's stop wasting each others' time. I did. But you only talk about a lawyer's obligation as an officer of the court. What about my obligation to my client?

  Elliott Oppenheim : Your first loyalty is to the legal system.

  Victor Sifuentes : The purpose of which is to administer justice. Richard Mathers was a highly skilled practitioner. There's no argument about that. Mr. Kuzak and he went head to head. Both clients received skilled, uncompromised representation. Tell me what that is if not justice.

• Richard Mathers : Mr. Kuzak, in the period of time that we were adversaries, you serve me conducting some 11 depositions. You heard me argue 11 pretrial motions. You watch me pick a jury. You sat across from me during 15 days at trial. What kind of lawyer am I?

  Michael Kuzak : Competent.

  Richard Mathers : Competent? Tell us. How many attorneys did Barry and Ina Toland have prior to hiring me?

  Michael Kuzak : I believe they had 3.

  Richard Mathers : 3 different bona fide attorneys? Licensed to practice law in the State of California? What settlement offer if any was on that table during that time?

  Michael Kuzak : None.

  Richard Mathers : And 2 months after I come into the case, how would that change?

  Michael Kuzak : Mr. Tecowsky's insurance carrier authorize throwing in their proceeds of the policy.

  Richard Mathers : To amount to how much?

  Michael Kuzak : Half of million dollars.

  Richard Mathers : I guess they thought I was competent, too, huh?

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Objection.

  Judge George Syler : Sustained.

  [Mr. Mathers will withdraw the question. And moves another question] 

  Richard Mathers : Mr. Kuzak, around December 1st of this year, you were approached me with this same half million dollar offer. And one additional piece of information. Namely, that you knew I was not license to practice law. What was my reaction to that?

  Michael Kuzak : You turn it down.

  Richard Mathers : And what reason did I give for doing so?

  Michael Kuzak : Your said you wouldn't sell your client out to save yourself.

  Richard Mathers : Thank you. I have no further question.

• D.D.A. Gylkowski : What did you do when you found out that Mr. Mathers wasn't a lawyer?

  Richard Mathers : Objection. The relevant.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Goes to credibility, Your Honor. This witness perpetrated a fraud up on court for which he is now under investigation by the State Bar.

  Richard Mathers : I moved to strike that! It's prejudicial and...

  Judge George Syler : Both of you settle down. The witness can answer the question.

  [Kuzak will go ahead and answer] 

  Michael Kuzak : I confronted Mr. Mathers directly.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : So you converted to... to advantage?

  Richard Mathers : Argumentative.

  Judge George Syler : Sustained.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Tell me, sir, what is this status of Toland vs. Tecowsky now?

  Michael Kuzak : Its been settled.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Is that right? Did the plaintiffs engage new counsels so soon?

  Michael Kuzak : The parties reached an agreement between themselves.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Did you have any conversations with Mr. Mathers subsequent to his arrest as to what that agreement might be?

  Michael Kuzak : We set certain parameters. I advice Tecowsky, I assume he did the same with the Tolands.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : And how did you two boys make out?

  Richard Mathers : I object, Your Honor. District Attorney is slinging mud against the wall and hoping something sticks.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Well, that's funny, Mr. Mathers, because for the two of you, it seems its something always does.

  Judge George Syler : That's quite sufficient. Thank you.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Uh, tell me, Mr. Kuzak, is your testifying on behalf of Mr. Mathers, part of the settlement arrangement?

  Michael Kuzak : I'm here under subpoena.

  D.D.A. Gylkowski : Naturally. I'm sure the two of you were well verses avoiding the appearance of collision.

• Judge Constance Gregg : Mr. Sifuentes, do you have anything to say before we render our decision?

  Victor Sifuentes : Only that has never been our intention to minimize the importance of ethical standards. I've simply tried to make the Committee aware of the difficulty of Mr. Kuzak's situation. Now, Mike's record both as a prosecutor and in private practice has been exemplary. I was just hope that his action be taken in context.

  Judge Constance Gregg : Mr. Kuzak, your Counsel has argued that the action of Richard Mathers justify your own. Doesn't work that way. What he did constitutes fraud. What you did constitutes devious and unethical behavior. Utterly at odds with our code of conduct. Now, since Mr. Mathers isn't an attorney, he is beyond the limits of our authority. You, sir, are not. We are your peers. We speak for our profession, and we condemn what you did. Our recommendation to the State Bar Association is that you be publicly censured and suspended from the practice of law for a period of not less than one month, effective immediately.

  Michael Kuzak : [Kuzak in shock]  A month?

  Judge Constance Gregg : Yes.

  Judge Donald Tytell : That's right, Mr. Kuzak. A month.

  Michael Kuzak : Well, I'm going sleep a lot better. Knowing that the Members of this Committee are there to pass it out pronouncements on the correctness of my conduct, especially when they don't allow themselves to be distracted by the specifics of the situation.

  Judge Constance Gregg : If your contempt for the Committee as any indication, sir, I fully expect this will not be the last time we'll be seeing you.

• Michael Kuzak : We're going to fight this out with the Bar Association in court. Let's see how smug these fat-assed Rotarians are after they've gone a few rounds with a litigator.

  Victor Sifuentes : No.

  Michael Kuzak : What do you mean "no"?

  Victor Sifuentes : Bottom line: You broke the rules, Mike. We tried to put the best face on it that we could and this is the way it came down.

  Michael Kuzak : What are you saying? You think that they're right?

  Victor Sifuentes : Yeah. And if you want my recommendation both as your friend and as your lawyer right now, I'm gonna tell you to take your medicine and be glad it's not worse.

• Michael Kuzak : What's up?

  Leland McKenzie : Masterson pulled out.

  Michael Kuzak : He what?

  Leland McKenzie : He's going to Crea, Leitner, and Farrell.

  Michael Kuzak : Why?

  Leland McKenzie : He's afraid a federal judge who thinks he's first cousin to God almighty might just be a little suspicious of whatever it is you have to say. And you know something? Under the circumstances, I can't says I blame him.

  Michael Kuzak : I'm numb.

  Leland McKenzie : Yeah, well... Before it gets any worse, assuming such a thing is possible, we have to take some steps.

  Michael Kuzak : Well, I suggest you start by speaking to Victor. He seems to think that we should go gently into that good night.

  Leland McKenzie : I have spoken to Victor. I believe he is absolutely correct. And I intend to honor that suspension recommendation to the letter. Go home, Michael. Your very presence in these offices compromises this entire firm.

  Michael Kuzak : You're not gonna stand up for me?

  Leland McKenzie : Oh, damn it, Michael. You kept your mouth shut about Mathers without so much as a word of consultation. You were wrong, and everybody here is now paying for that. And if you expect us all just to fall in line behind you, well, I suggest you've overestimated your own importance.

  [Michael leaving to the door of exit] 

  Michael Kuzak : I can't come back to the office for a month?

  Leland McKenzie : Not anywhere near it.

  [Kuzak leaves and exit the office of Leland]