The Recorder: Judge's Book of Strange but True Courtroom Tales to Debut at Law School Signing Party.

Business Editors/Legal Writers

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Dec. 4, 2003

A Criminal Waste of Time, a collection of entertaining columns by California Appellate Court Justice William W. Bedsworth, will be introduced at a signing party and reception in the Moot Courtroom (#650) of Golden Gate University School of Law in San Francisco, from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 PM on Monday, December 8. Bedsworth's columns have appeared on the editorial ("Ad Hominem") page of The Recorder, San Francisco's daily legal newspaper, since 2000 and received a California Newspaper Publishers Association award in July 2003 for commentary and criticism.

The book, to be published in December by The Recorder, offers an entertaining view of the state of legal affairs in America, complete with Bedsworth's humorous take-offs on the formalities of legal writing, from case citations to Latin and footnotes. A Criminal Waste of Time retails for $17.95, and can be purchased online at www.therecorder.com/bedsworth, or by calling [phone].

Justice Bedsworth is an associate justice for the 4th district of the California Court of Appeal in Santa Ana. He was appointed to his current position by Gov. Pete Wilson in 1997, after serving for 10 years as an Orange County Superior Court judge. Previously, he served as Orange County deputy district attorney from 1972 to 1987. During hockey season, he moonlights as a goal judge for the National Hockey League. A Criminal Waste of Time is his second book. Bedsworth's columns also appear in Orange County Lawyer, the official publication of the Orange County Bar association.

"No one I know is better than William Bedsworth at finding the humorous, the absurd, the odd, the bizarre or the just plain screwy among the incidents of daily life," offers Judge Alex Kozinski of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, who provided a foreword. "And no one quite has his knack for stripping them of all pretense and exposing their essential funniness."

"Bedsworth's columns have consistently generated praise from readers who appreciate his literate and amusing style," says Scott Graham, editor in chief of The Recorder. "We're excited that publication of his book will enable an even wider audience to enjoy them."

The Recorder is Northern California's premier legal newspaper, and operator of Cal Law (www.callaw.com), California's legal news source on the Web. With a readership of more than 30,000, it serves the entire Bay Area, and includes major law firms, corporate legal departments, solo attorneys and other members of the legal community among its subscriber base. Additional products from The Recorder include official court rules, continuing legal education seminars, several directories and the California Supreme Court Service.

The Recorder is published by American Lawyer Media, Inc. (ALM). Headquartered in New York City, ALM is a leading integrated media company, focused on the legal industry. ALM currently owns and publishes 26 national and regional legal magazines and newspapers, including The American Lawyer(R) and The National Law Journal(R). Law.com(R) is the Web's leading legal news and information network. ALM's other businesses include book, custom and newsletter publishing, verdict and settlement reporting, production of legal trade shows and conferences, educational seminars and distribution of content related to the legal industry. ALM was formed by U.S. Equity Partners, L.P., a private equity fund sponsored by Wasserstein & Co., LP. More information on ALM, its business and services is available on the Web at www.americanlawyermedia.com.