Leading litigators at one of Texas’ largest law firms were surprised to learn that a dance video showing them strutting their stuff has earned nearly 10,000 views so far on YouTube. The likes of Vinson & Elkins partners Harry Reasoner, Marie Yeates and firm chairman Mark Kelly getting their groove on to the Pharrell song “Happy” brought widespread attention from local, national and even international bloggers. There’s a story behind the spoof. V&E partner Pat Mizell, a former state district judge who dances on a table at the 00:38 time-mark, explained, “We have this cooking contest every summer that we call ‘Titanium Chef.’ … When you see people waving food around, that was the dish we entered in the contest. This is really a plug for our dish.” He explained, “There was no appointment set for any of the filming. We just showed up with a boom box and iPhone and said, ‘We need you to dance.’” There was some strategy involved in hooking participants. V&E associate Quentin Smith, the main dancer, who plays Pharrell’s part, recalled, “We stopped by Harry Reasoner’s office first. So we got Harry to agree, and we could show, ‘Harry agreed to do it,’ and then other lawyers felt obligated to do it. Harry was a very good sport in deciding to help us.” Next, Mizell’s 14-year-old son edited the video at home. The file was too big for a thumb drive. That’s why Mizell uploaded it to YouTube. “It became viral from there,” said Mizell. Smith said he thinks the high-profile lawyers who danced sparked the widespread reaction. “Not everyone sees them in a light other than just work and business,” Smith said. “I think it was interesting for people to see important people in the legal community express a sense of humor or sense of ease—of having fun—while working.” Mizell provided a list of the “gratuitous VIPs” who appear:
•0:49: Kelly, V&E chairman;
