How to Inform the Texaco Client It Has Lost to Pennzoil?

Posted by Alan Childress

Reading Jeff’s post on the aborted KKR deal for Harman, I assume the deal was actually for 8 Billion with a B.  (It would have to be about some real money.)  That reminded me of the hypothetical game some lawyers and I played back in the 80s:  how would that one side of the telephone conversation go (a la Bob Newhart) if you had to make it to the client Texaco to tell them they (you) had just lost a 10 billion dollar verdict to Pennzoil?  One answer is, “No. Billion with a b.”

Another is,  “I have some good news and some bad news:  the good news is, you lost the case.”