CONCURRING:
What they’re saying —
…About Fred Knipe, Humorist to the Legal Profession
“Your humor was a total surprise, not just funny but smart, substantive, classy and uniquely relevant to the legal world.”
Micky Grindstaff, firmwide managing partner
Shutts & Bowen
“A master entertainer and true professional. Rarely do you see a room of uptight, type A attorneys repeatedly roar with laughter. How therapeutic to be able to laugh at our profession, our firm, and ourselves. Dr. Ludiker should add Psychiatrist to his outrageous claims of his expertise.”
Ken R Olson, Chief Operating Officer
Kirton & McConkie
“Wonderful, Fred! Your performance at our partners’ conference could not have been better. Your grasp of modern law firm practice is extensive and your humor is brilliant and ideally suited to the legal mind.”
Thomas P. Fitzgerald, Managing Partner-Firmwide
Winston & Strawn
“We had 900 partners from around the world laughing hard at the end of a long day thanks to Dr. Ludiker and his friend, Fred Knipe.”
Peter Kalis,
Chairman and Global Managing Partner
K&L Gates
“Our partners thoroughly enjoyed your ” strategic advise” and you set the perfect tone for the entire weekend. If all my decisions were met with the same enthusiasm as my decision to retain you as our opening speaker, my job would be easy. ”
William T. Quicksilver
Chief Executive Officer and Managing Partner
Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP (two occasions)
“I want to thank you again for being part of our annual meeting this year. As you know from your travels, law firms are facing major challenges in this economic environment. Your “lecture”, which followed our all-day strategic planning discussion, was a huge success. My partners were about ready to lynch me when I announced the fact that we were going to have an after-dinner speaker on “strategy,” but your humor was a surprise and just what we needed to close a great day. I received many kudos for bringing you to the meeting.”
David J. Hooker, Managing Partner,
Thompson Hine LLP (two occasions)
“Fred — It really was a coup for us. As the standing ovation showed, both you and the humor were a smash hit.”
John T. Montgomery, Managing Partner
Ropes & Gray
“On behalf of my partners I wanted to express my appreciation for your very successful dinner presentation at our retreat. I was astonished how quickly you won over an otherwise sceptical crowd and how easily you were able to customize your material to our firm.”
W. Iain Scott, Chair and CEO
McCarthy Tétrault
“Your performance at our retreat was perfect and I can’t imagine what would have suited us better.”
Stephen M. Forte, Managing Partner
Smith, Gambrell & Russell (four occasions)
“I thought you were hilarious. Your performance helped make our meetings a big success.”
Ralph H. Baxter, Jr., Chairman and CEO
Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe
“You were a big hit! Despite the fact that we put you on so late in the evening, you brought down the house. I have heard nothing but high praise, and at least 20 colleagues have asked me where I found you.”
Tom Heywood, Managing Partner,
Bowles Rice McDavid Graff & Love
“Your presentation to our windup dinner last Saturday night was an impressive example of humor for lawyers. Great preparation, timing and wit.”
The Honorable Daniel P Hays P.C., Chairman
Macleod Dixon LLP
“Fred — or, should I say, Dr. Ludiker — was the perfect after-dinner speaker for our Retreat. Clever, creative and very funny, he has a talent for making serious people not take themselves so seriously. A lot of fun.”
John R. Crockett III, Chairman, Frost Brown Todd LLC
“To make a tough crowd of 600 Reed Smith lawyers laugh is not an easy task, and yet you and Dr. Ludiker pulled it off.”
Gregory B. Jordan, Managing Partner
Reed Smith
“…you are able to discuss with humor topics that many attorneys otherwise associate only with stress and anxiety. Lawyers need to talk about all the topics you raise in your lecture, and need to do so in a setting in which they can laugh at themselves. That is why I say I appreciate your artistry.”
Joseph M. Finley, Managing Partner,
Leonard, Street and Deinard
“Our partners are tough critics and to receive marks of “excellent” and “outstanding” is quite an achievement.”
Mark D. Wasserman , Managing Partner
Sutherland, Asbill & Brennan
“You were an ABSOLUTE hit! I asked one of our Executive Committee partners what he thought of your presentation. His answer included, “he really gets into the lawyers head”. Ulmer & Berne is a VERY satisfied client.”
Dana Ellis, Executive Director, Ulmer & Berne
“You were a unanimous hit.”
Jan K. Guben, Program Chair
Venable
“I have received many comments after the event indicating that this was the best meeting Hinshaw ever had.”
Paul R. Boken, Executive Managing Director
Hinshaw & Culbertson (two occasions)
“It is impossible to imagine a speaker who would have been better suited to our needs.”
Richard I. Beattie
Chairman, Executive Committee
Simpson Thacher & Bartlett
“… waves of uproarious laughter from my partners …”
Mary Cranston, Managing Partner
Pilsbury Madison & Sutro
“You made our retreat the most memorable we have had ever.”
Barry M. Abelson, Chairman
Pepper Hamilton
“… not the tired stuff usually directed at lawyers, but fresh and hilarious insights … “
Mark Newell, Partner
Latham & Watkins
“A standing ovation from a roomful of lawyers is no small achievement! Your performance at our retreat exceeded our highest expectations, and other law firms need to know how rewarded they will be if they engage your services.”
Angela M. Bradstreet, Managing Partner
Carroll, Burdick & McDonough
“… Dr. Ludiker has a bright future… we left the dinner with our sides hurting from laughter …”
Bob Werner, Managing Partner
Brown McCarroll & Oaks Hartline (two occasions)
“The comments we received were excellent. It was one of the most enjoyable evenings we have experienced at our Annual Meeting.”
Diane K. Minnich, Executive Director
Idaho State Bar (two occasions)
“Kudos regarding your performance were received. One Florida Bar employee stated that she had been to the last 13 and that this was the best one ever.”
Juliet M. Roulhac, Co-chair, Florida Bar annual convention