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Another Attractive Young Lawyer Turned Reality TV Star [Above The Law](Above The Law Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Lawyers and reality television: a match made in heaven? Some might regard Andi Dorfman, the beautiful Atlanta prosecutor turned Bachelorette, as a goddess (and some might disagree). Talk of paradise brings us to the latest high-profile reality TV offering: Utopia. This “big, bold, and expensive” Fox show debuted last night to ratings described as “not ideal.” The premise of the show: drop 15 people into an isolated five-acre camp in the California wilderness, with no internet, electricity, or plumbing, and watch these “founding fathers and mothers” try to “form a new society and rethink all the fundamental tenets of civilization.” An Above the Law reader who watched the first episode described Utopia as “a complete train wreck.” But at least it’s a train wreck featuring a lawyer — a rather attractive lawyer, in fact…. Mike, lawyer turned Utopian Meet Mike, a 33-year-old former associate from New York who declares that “my strengths are definitely in government, not in working.” Given his apparent aversion to work, it shouldn’t surprise us that he’s no longer at a law firm. What talents does he bring to the Utopian community? Other contestants list such skills as hunting, fishing, foraging, and construction. As for Mike: Litigation, haircare, delusions of grandeur. In fairness to Mike, he does have pretty great hair. As mentioned earlier, he’s a hottie. And, perhaps not surprisingly, something of a womanizer. Here’s his vision of utopia: You must mean "Miketopia," a metropolis teeming with pretty girls, hair salons, and a healthy supply of condoms. Lots and lots of condoms. And porn stars. In his contestant video, when asked who he would bring to Utopia if he could, he names Jenna Jameson. Despite seeming to lack any skills other than “fondling [his] own hair” (and perhaps that of the ladies), it seems that Mike did okay in the first episode, based on Entertainment Weekly’s recap: Mike says he's an attorney, but I have a hard time imagining that sheath of hair in any court room. Follicles aside, Mike is the only person who proves to have any practice in maintaining rational thought during stressful times, but as he says himself, his “strengths are in government not in working,” so he might have trouble garnering respect as a leader. Mike will either quietly put himself in charge or crack under the pressure in the next 48 hours. Another site, Voice of TV, also thought Mike did a decent job: So far fans seem to like him, even with his ridiculously perfect hair. He does get frustrated with some of the other Utopians, but at times does well redirecting people during heated moments. An ATL reader who saw the show had this response: Since he didn’t threaten anyone’s life or generally act like a lunatic, I suppose the “fans” could like him. He did put himself in charge of a kangaroo court that had to decide on whether a drunken dude should stay. He even had a gavel! Probably the closest he will come to ever being a real judge…. Probably, considering that his time in Utopia will surely produce at least some footage that will preclude judicial office. It’s interesting that he decided to take the reality TV plunge, considering that he had a solid legal career working at a high-powered firm. Where did he work? Here’s what we’ve learned…. His official Utopia bio just calls him “Mike,” but Voice of TV identifies him as “Mike Quinn.” Some quick Google searches suggest that Mike of Utopia is Michael S. Quinn, a former associate at the litigation powerhouse of Bickel & Brewer — a member of the $160K-Plus Club, paying a starting salary of $185,000. We’ve pasted Mike’s LinkedIn profile and his New York State attorney registration information below. He went to Cornell for college, followed by Albany Law. The photo with his LinkedIn profile suggests that this he’s the same Mike Quinn (although his hair in the LinkedIn pic doesn’t look as fabulous as it does in his Utopia bio). Good luck to Mike Quinn as he tries to make it in Utopia. If you’ve ever wondered whether lawyerly intellect and judgment can compensate for a lack of physical prowess or tangible survival skills, here’s your chance to find out. MICHAEL QUINN — LINKEDIN PROFILE MICHAEL QUINN — NEW YORK STATE ATTORNEY REGISTRATION MICHAEL SAGUE QUINN BICKEL & BREWER 767 5TH AVE FL 50 NEW YORK, NY 10153-0023 United States (New York County) (212) 489-1400 E-mail Address: [Redacted] Year Admitted in NY: 2012 Appellate Division Department of Admission: 3 Law School: ALBANY LAW SCHOOL Registration Status: Currently registered Next Registration: Aug 2016 All about Mike [Utopia] Who is Utopia cast member Mike Quinn? [Voice of TV] Mike Quinn aka #HairlyLegal [Voice of TV] Fox’s Libertarian Fantasy Utopia Already Being Ruined by Contestants [Gawker] Fox Gambles on Big, Bold and Expensive Vision of 'Utopia' [Variety] ‘Utopia’ premiere ratings not ideal [Entertainment Weekly] Utopia series premiere recap: Part One: Gird Your Chickens [Entertainment Weekly] (c) 2014 Breaking Media, Inc. All rights reserved. Provided by SyndiGate Media Inc. (Syndigate.info). |