Evil-Genius Lawyers Can’t Get Joe Francis Stink Out Of New Furniture

Update time! Remember the ambitious Milwaukee lawyers who weirdly namechecked slammer-bound clients Wesley Snipes and Joe Francis en route to swanky new Malibu digs? Yeah — that didn’t turn out so well.

Robert Bernhoft and Robert Barnes — the infamous “Two Bobs” of a mildly premature Portfolio magazine profile last year — are defending themselves this week against claims they provided less-than-optimal service to Francis, who faces 10 years in prison when he goes on trial this spring on tax-evasion charges. Not that a Joe Francis endorsement should necessarily attract the the high-powered Hollywood delinquents the Two Bobs had their hearts set on, but his dismissal of them in the LA Daily Journal as “swindlers” and “the Paris Hilton of lawyers — just to be famous, not to do anything” is arguably even less arousing.

The duo fired back Monday to the gang at LA Observed, which passed along a statement accusing the Journal of “lazy” and roundly untrue “ambush journalism,” yet stopping short of denying their Hiltonesque status. And why should they? “The Paris Hilton Of Lawyers” may yet have some business-card and TV-spot traction after they’ve returned to strip-mall practice in Milwaukee. Sorry it didn’t work out, fellas.

• Joe Francis means trouble for his lawyers [LA Observed via THR Esq.]