[Chuck goes with Howard to negotiate keeping Mesa Verde with HHM]
Don't worry. I'm not here to extol the virtues of HHM. I'm guessing you've already had to suffer through Howard's hard sell first time around. So you've done your time, as far as I'm concerned.
What hard sell? It was enthusiasm. I gave them cookies.
KevinCookies were good, as I recall.
No, I'm here to put your minds at ease. Kim Wexler is, indeed, the right choice to handle Mesa Verde. She's the obvious choice. She's young, she's brilliant, she's going places. Let's face it, Howard. She's the future. Two old guys like us, we're the past.
Well, that's a sad thought.
Sad but true. [sighs] Banking law... needs to be exciting. It needs the next generation to come along and give it a big, old kick in the seat of the pants. Really wake it up. Let me tell you how boring I am: I read FEC and ISO reports for entertainment.
He does. I can attest to that.
Well, I try to stay up on things. The rules are changing all the time. With everything that's happened with Enron and WorldCom, the government is extra vigilant. These days, the penalties for even the most honest of errors can be devastating. You need a sharp, young eye to catch that stuff. I mean, when you've specialized in this kind of work for decades on end, you tend to get kinda...
Stale. You get stale. You forget about things like, oh, I don't know, the Community Reinvestment Act. Any bank such as Mesa Verde looking to open a de novo branch is definitely going to need to show a healthy portfolio of CRA compliance. Duh. [chuckles] Obviously, you guys have all that covered, I'm sure. Riegle-Neal Interstate Banking and Branching Efficiency Act... there's another mouthful, huh? Boring! Still, if you were to run afoul of it, it could hold you up in court for years. And by the way, uh, if that were to happen to you folks as you go forward without us – which it will not – um, Howard has contacts at the Fed who could help sort things out.
Mm-hmm. And then there's the SEC's interpretation of Section 302 of Sarbox. Blah, blah, blah! [chuckles]
Well, navigating that correctly could mean savings of several hundred thousand dollars.
They know that, Howard. [Howard chuckles] Oh, I apologize. When you reach your golden years, you tend to get a little long-winded, ramble on and on about details. My point being... your bank is in excellent hands.
Kevin
Look, I take your point. I do. But I have to say, I have complete confidence in Ms. Wexler.
You should. She was part of our team. She learned from us. You won't find better than Kim Wexler. But no matter how talented one individual may be, the needs of Mesa Verde are too big to handle alone. I wouldn't handle your coming expansion alone... which is why you should consider, once again, enlisting a team of professionals.
[Chuck, Howard, Kevin, and Paige are appearing before the Banking Board to get approval to open Mesa Verde's new bank]
Mr. Commissioner? Is there something we can clarify?
USMr. Ughetta's Assistant
Uh, yes. Could you give us the address of the proposed Scottsdale branch again?
Certainly. It's 1216 Rosella Drive, Scottsdale, Arizona, 85262.
UMr. Ughetta
1216? Okay, because the application I'm looking at today clearly gives the address as 1216.
1216. That's correct, sir.
UMr. Ughetta
But in the original submission, we're seeing 1261 Rosella Drive.
Kevin
[to Chuck] It is 1261.
[ignoring them] I think if you double-check, you'll see that 1216 is correct.
USMr. Ughetta's Assistant
There seem to be two different addresses here.
Mr. Commissioner, I have a copy of our notice of intent, which was published in newspapers in Arizona and New Mexico. It clearly states the address is 1261 Rosella Drive—
Mr.–Mr. Commissioner, it-it—
UMr. Ughetta
1261 Rosella Drive. Yes, I have a copy of the notice of intent too. But on the actual filing, the address reads 1216. So, which is it?
[beat] Mr. Commissioner, if I may confer with my clients?
UMr. Ughetta
Certainly, please.
[to Chuck] It's absolutely 1261.
You are mistaken. And with all due respect, you're muddying the waters here.
Muddying the wat—?! [hands documents to Chuck] Look. Just look!
Well, this is clearly an error.
Kevin
It's 1261. I know where my own damn bank is.
Now, let's just all calm down. I'm sure we can straighten this out—
Kevin
I've got a building remodeled at 1261 Rosella. I don't know where the hell 1216 is.
I–I don't quite unders... [realizes] 1261?
Kevin
Is this going to be a problem?
No, I'm sure it won't be.
Um, Mr. Commissioner, I apologize. Unaccountably, there appears to be a discrepancy in our filing.
UMr. Ughetta
So the correct address is the one that appeared in the notice of intent, the 1261?
It would seem so. Uh, it-it-it—We'd like to request an–an adjournment of just a few minutes so that we can amend the filing to reflect the correct address.
UMr. Ughetta
Well, I-I can give you an adjournment, uh, but... I don't think we can get you back in today.
If I may, when do you think you might be able to schedule us?
UMr. Ughetta
I'm being told by staff that they've already done the research for 1216 Rosella Drive. Our folks are going to have to go back to square one on the new address.
If we could obtain a provisional agreement today, to allow the branch to open—
UMr. Ughetta
No, no. With all due respect, it's up to you folks to submit accurate paperwork. Maybe next time, double-check.
[Jimmy presents the commercials for class-action lawsuits against Mesa Verde to the disgust of Kim and her law partners]
EMElderly Man
[in the commercial] My bank took my home over a technicality! And I never missed a single payment! It's not right, it's un-American!
DWDon Wachtell
[in the commercial] Yup!
[in the commercial as Saul Goodman] Hi, I'm Saul Goodman. Have you or a family member been wrongfully evicted from your home by Mesa Verde? Then you may be entitled to a large cash settlement. Call 505-503-4455 today!
Kevin
Are you kidding me?!
None of that is true! It's defamation!
Kevin
That's my father you're making a fool of!
Jimmy, turn it off! You know you can't do this!
[as another commercial starts] Shh, this is a good one.
DGDrama Girl
[in the commercial] I went into my bank to withdraw cash for groceries, and I came out with a rash. I–I can't stop itchin', it's everywhere!
DDon
[in the commercial] Yup!
[in the commercial as Saul Goodman] Hi, I'm Saul Goodman. Did you or a family member visit a Mesa Verde branch and come into contact with black mold? Then you may be entitled to a large cash settlement.
There's no way in hell you can legally run these!
Hmm, maybe. But, you know, we'll fight it out after they run in New Mexico, Arizona, Utah, Texas...
No. No, we will stop it before it ever gets that far.
Some might call that prior restraint. You know what? You could stop us. Some news outlet will pick it up, they'll run for free.
EWElderly Woman
[in the commercial] ...went into my bank to open my safety deposit box, and Mr. [bleep] was standing there with his pants down! Bare genitals!
DDon
[in the commercial] Yup!
Kevin
My dad never ever did anything like that!
None of this is true. This is all fantasy!
Kevin
It doesn't matter. This trash airs, our reputation is in the toilet!
Kevin
Stop! Stop it! That's enough of this horseshit! Jesus!
There's lots more. You know, I can leave you this one because I got plenty of copies.
What do you hope to gain with all of this?! We agreed to Acker's ridiculous demands, and you... don't run this garbage?!
It's illegal to do that. No lawyer can play one case off another. [to Jimmy] It is unethical and it is blackmail!
She's right. One has absolutely nothing to do with the other. [turns lights on] Which leads me to my next topic. [opens photo book] This is...Olivia Bitsui. She is a photographer; in fact, she took this self-portrait. It's really lovely. [turns page to show a man on a horse] Here's another picture she took fifty-four years ago.
Kevin
Kim, I got this.
Kevin, I am strongly advising you...
Kevin
I know this picture...
Kevin
...my dad bought it fair and square! I have a copy of it hanging in my office at home!
I think we all just heard Mr. Wachtell admit that he owns a copy of Olivia Bitsui's photo. A photo that looks remarkably like the official Mesa Verde logo!
Kevin
That's right. We own it!
You own a copy of the photo, you don't own the rights to it! That's copyright infringement!
You'll never be able to prove that!
Well, you know what? [walks back to the projection on the wall and holds the photo up to a still of the Mesa Verde logo] Wow. Looks like a mirror image there. So, I think I can convince a judge and probably a jury that Mesa Verde misappropriated Ms. Bitsui's intellectual property. [to Kevin] It's not your fault, sins of the father. But... we filed an injunction, so you're gonna have to take down all your horsey logos or throw a big tarp over them til we can get this thing settled. Shouldn't take more than... I don't know, a couple of years? We'll be seeing a lot of each other. Til next time.
[Jimmy whistles as he walks out of the conference room]
Better Call Saul · 283 quotes
