Vitale, Davis, Horowitz, Riordan, Schrecter, Schrecter, and Schrecter

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Revision as of 05:07, 17 February 2011 by m>CR85747


Helen in her office (Marianne is behind her on the right)

Vitale, Davis, Horowitz, Riordan, Schrecter, Schrecter, and Schrecter is the fictional Lawndale law firm where Helen Morgendorffer works. The only other canon characters shown at the firm are partner and Helen's boss, Eric Schrecter, and her legal assistant or secretary, Marianne.

In Canon

There is little direct information on the doings of the law firm in canon, but it is clear that they work on a wide variety of cases. In "Psycho Therapy," Helen mentions that Eric can "[reel] off the tax code," while in "Of Human Bonding, she is working on "The PortaFry class action suit." In It Happened One Nut Helen, before finding out what Jane is actually calling her about, tells Jane "I don't do criminal cases, but...". Helen also offers to find Erin Chambers a divorce lawyer at her firm in "Aunt Nauseum".

The firm is a notoriously high-pressure environment. Helen is frequently seen leaving for work before dawn and reading briefs in bed. Also in Psycho Therapy, the entire family is sent for a weekend retreat to determine whether Helen is "partner material." She is described as "[suffering] from overarching competitive aggression, unhealthy self-involvement, a gross insensitivity to others needs, and an overriding conviction that she is always right," traits that Eric believes are perfect in a partner. According to "Aunt Nauseam", Eric is addicted to prescription amphetamines and has been to rehab at least twice.

The firm's ethics can be considered questionable based on several incidents. In "Partner's Complaint," Helen can be heard on her cell phone, saying (presumably to Eric), "No, no, absolutely not! It's unethical, it's immoral, it may well be illegal. I'll have no part of it. Okay, I'll do it," and Daria once notes to Helen that she "[works] 90 hour weeks helping corporations cheat on their taxes." The Daria Diaries has notes by Helen on various cases, all of which are pretty seedy, and "Is It College Yet?" implies they're helping an oil company that's just run a tanker aground.

After the series

In an interview, Glenn Eichler says Helen will become a partner at the firm after suing them for discrimination. "Eric won't speak to her for a year afterward. It will be the best year of her career." [1]

In Fanfiction

The firm has been showed in a number of different lights in fanfiction, from a normal law firm to a vast organization with its hands in any number of semilegal activities. Many of the latter interpretations feature the fandom character Jim Vitale, as the Magnificent Bastard senior partner of Vitale, Davis, Horowitz, Riordan, Schrecter, Schrecter, and Schrecter.