Lawyer Can 'Strike a Pose'

CHICAGOLAWBULLETIN.COM MONDAY, OCTOBER 15, 2012

Volume 158, No. 202

“He’s wonderful and we always knew that he was,” she said. “He has a really shiny soul and people see it and they love it.” Lawyer can Sperling’s positivity stood out to Aronberg, Goldgehn’s Co-Managing Partner John M. Riccione, when the firm hired Sperling last November. Riccione said the firm saw its website page views soar to 30,000 ‘strike a pose’ during the week of Aug. 15 — when Sperling posted the video online. “We weren’t really concerned because we know Shaun, and if our Sperling’s 1992 bar mitzvah dance goes viral clients and others would get to know Shaun like we know Shaun, we have and puts him in national limelight no qualms about what he’s doing,” Riccione said. “It’s all positive. He’s a fantastic guy.” BY MARY KATE MALONE Sperling, an associate at Aronberg, Sperling said he hopes to use his Law Bulletin staff writer Goldgehn, Davis & Garmisa. “What’s fame to send a message to students, amazed me the most is the impact it’s families and law firms about At his bar mitzvah in 1992, then-13- making. It’s more than just a funny acceptance. year-old Shaun D. Sperling strut onto YouTube video, I think on a deeper “I’m different from what people the dance floor, tore off his suit coat and more meaningful level, it’s making Shaun D. Sperling consider to be the stereotypical to reveal his Madonna shirt under - a big impact on kids and parents attorney,” he said. “It’s a testament to neath and moved to the music of watching someone at 13 who is just so When I was talking to her, I felt like I the fact that the legal field has “Vogue.” free and uninhibited to be himself.” had so much I wanted to say.” changed. Not everybody is a stiff Though a videographer recorded In recent weeks, Sperling Sperling said he has adored white man who golfs on the Sperling’s performance, the VHS appeared on the “Today” show and Madonna since age 11, when he weekends.” tape of his dance remained in his “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to talk about watched a news segment about a Sperling decided to go to law mother’s basement for nearly two his bar mitzvah dancing. performance she gave in Chicago as school a few years after college when decades — as Sperling grew up, “I know the video has touched kids part of her “Blonde Ambition” world he witnessed negative police behavior attended law school and became an who are going through a similar thing tour. toward homosexuals, he said. He attorney in Chicago. that I did — feeling insecure, and to Sperling’s love for her never waned decided becoming an attorney would But earlier this year, Sperling, now parents who want to support their as he grew up and faced bullying in give him a voice to defend against 33, unearthed the video so he could kids,” Sperling said. school for being different. At age 15, homophobia. He enrolled in The John use the footage for a monologue Last week, Sperling flew to Los he admitted openly to being gay. Marshall Law School, graduating in performance in August about his Angeles to appear on an episode of “I saw this person representing January 2010. lifelong love of Madonna. “The Ellen DeGeneres Show,” everything I was looking for — self- He worked as an immigration He posted the video on YouTube scheduled to air Oct. 29. The show’s expression, uninhibited, beautiful,” he attorney at AzulaySeiden Law Group and within days it reached celebrity producers surprised him with an said about Madonna. “She really before joining his current firm. blogger Perez Hilton. It immediately opportunity to meet Madonna, he said. became a guide, a light of what I Brianna M. Sansone, an associate went viral with about 1.1 million views “When they first announced she wanted in my life — not to be at Aronberg, Goldgehn who met as of today. was there, I lost it,” he said. “I Madonna, but to be myself.” Sperling at John Marshall, said “It’s been so unexpected,” said probably look like a hysterical person. Sperling grew up in Buffalo Grove Sperling brings personality to his with a family who accepted his eccen - work as a commercial litigator. tricities, he said. His mother and She said several attorneys at the sister helped him practice his firm plan to watch “The Ellen “Vogue” dance every day after school DeGeneres Show” together on Oct. in the weeks before his bar mitzvah. 29 to see their colleague on air. When he took off his suit coat “There’s so many stigmas about during the performance, he revealed attorneys, that we take ourselves so a white dress shirt underneath with seriously, and this just goes to show an airbrushed, color sketch of we have a life outside our office and Madonna’s face on the back. that we are not stern, serious people Throughout the video, the crowd all the time,” Sansone said. “I was cheered him on as he mirrored the hoping people would pick up on that.” dance moves in the “Vogue” music Sperling said many of his clients video, including one part where he saw the video and he received puts his right knee on the floor and positive feedback. extends his left leg to the side. “They love it,” he said. “If you “I came out a couple years later, really think about it, if I needed an but at the time, it was just about cele - attorney, I would want someone with brating me at my bar mitzvah and personality, someone who is not just being myself,” Sperling said. afraid to be themselves. This shows This screen-grab shows a then-13-year-old Shaun D. Sperling Sperling’s mother, Lynn Feinstein, some strength of character.” dancing at his bar mitzvah in 1992 to a choreographed said in her eyes, Sperling always View the video on chicagolawbul - performance of Madonna’s “Vogue.” seemed famous. letin.com.