Akin Gump: What Does Jeffrey S. Wertman Know?

I worked as a paralegal at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld from March 1988 to October 1991.  From March 1988 to March 1990 I worked in the firm's Labor Practice Group for the client Eastern Airlines.

When I started working at the firm there was another paralegal named Jeffrey S. Wertman who also worked in the firm's Labor Practice Group for Eastern.  Mr. Wertman left the firm in the summer of 1988 to attend law school at The American University.  He graduated law school in the spring of 1991 and now practices law in Florida.

Mr. Wertman's office on the firm's second floor was adjacent to that of J.D. Neary, who at that time supervised Eastern paralegals.  Mr. Wertman and Mr. Neary seemed to be tight.  I had formed the paranoid suspicion that Mr. Neary had told Mr. Wertman that I was homosexual.

I have several recollections of Mr. Wertman.  On one occasion I asked him how his Aunt Rosa was.  He said he didn't have an Aunt Rosa.  He must have thought I was nuts. 

On another occasion I borrowed an IBM Selectric typewriter from his office on a weekend.  I vaguely recall that I used up the typewriter ribbon.  In any event, I know that I had some reason to leave him a note when I returned the typewriter to his office; I specifically recall signing the note "The Phantom Coder."

Coincidentally, at the time he lived in Washington, D.C. Mr. Wertman resided at a condominium located at 3701 Connecticut Avenue -- a building that is adjacent to my apartment building at 3801 Connecticut Avenue.  I remember that in about mid-July 1989 (about a year after he had left Akin Gump) I passed by Mr. Wertman as he was walking north on Connecticut and I was walking south.  He was wearing headphones.  He walked past me without acknowledging me.  I turned around and yelled out, "Hey, Wertman!"

I have a vague recollection that Senior Akin Gump counsel Richard L. Wyatt, Jr., an Eastern partner, wrote a letter of recommendation for Mr. Wertman for law school.