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eCounsel group

A boutique firm with unparalleled expertise in business and technology. We have good command of industrial ecology and legal practice, and have undertaken highly regarded cases. Because the small business scope, we pay more emphasis on effectiveness and efficiency, and choose clients with deliberation. The managing partner not only has extensive experiences in various legal issues more over than 20 years, but invests and manages several technology companies. In addition, he always checks each case rigorously. Clients’ business objectives are our primary focus. To achieve the same in the most cost-effective fashion trumps all seemingly sophisticated legal discussions.

Fat Cats under Global Turmoil: Investment Bankers

2016 - 10 - 23

There is a quote in American TV show Suits between a lawyer and an investment banker, it tells a lot why we call them the fat cat.
知名美劇影集訴訟雙雄(Suits)中有這麼一段商務律師和投資銀行家間的言詞交鋒,從以下這句台詞可以就可以理解,為什麼我們說這些投資銀行家是所謂「當代貴族」了。(影片連結)

“We’re not lawyers. We’re investment bankers. We call you for the paperwork. We didn’t go to Harvard. We went to Wharton, and we saw you coming a mile away. Spank. ”

提到當代貴族,大家聯想到什麼?
1. 在人群中,他們自視永遠高你我一等
2. 食不厭精,餐餐客單價美金百元起跳
3. 出差飛商務艙、標配就住麗思卡爾頓
4. 自己身家都上億、案子起跳得幾十億
5. 縱然落難仍是貴族,上頭一切得照舊

組合牛肉當高級牛排賣

我們看看這篇華爾街日報的文章:Deutsche Bank Settlement Could Strain Capital

德意志銀行近期因為發行不良房屋抵押貸款證券(MBS)而被美國監管局開罰140 億美元,造成財務危機,也引發其股票被拋售。但是,即便投資銀行變成慘業,也慘不到所有已晉身貴族的高管們。缺錢,一定能從外頭搬進去;萬一客戶或投資人不給,也可以用金融危機要脅政府紓困。德銀的人心裡穩得很,想說自己怎麼樣也不會變成Bear Stearns啊!

從最大咖的美國銀行在2014被罰了美金一百六十六億,到Goldman Sachs的五十億。這些投資銀行被罰的原因,這段寫得很清楚:

The banks have been accused of bundling poorly underwritten home loans and selling them as safer securities than they knew them to be, ultimately helping to fuel a bubble in rising home prices and exacerbating the consequences of the subsequent collapse.

最簡單的比方,就是這些投資銀行,明知自己賣的是「組合牛肉」,卻包裝成「高級牛排」。他們的組合牛肉無良到什麼程度?大量的過期肉品、混一些下等牛肉、再加上人工香精、色素、與化工黏著劑,嗯,可以大規模舖貨了。

他們海賺一狗票,消費者吃了全死掉。

So much for investment bankers.

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