We Spill the Beans on Bingham's All-Nighter Secret

We called a bunch of lawyers to talk about a $250 million deal, and they kept talking about how Bingham’s high-octane coffee helped them through the all-nighters. So we’re like, “Coffee?”

It’s apparently all about the machine, so we called Keurig Inc., maker of the top-of-the-line Keurig B3000 coffee maker, and learned that law firms are their best customers. Especially big offices with multiple floors.

Dave Manly, Keurig’s VP of marketing, told us the company counts more than 20,000 law firms across the United States as customers. “It keeps people from going out to Starbucks and other coffee shops,” he said. “It keeps them productive in the office.”

In Boston, where Manly is based, Ropes & Gray has more than 40 machines.

Keep reading after the jump. It’s good to the last quote.

Reports of this magic brew first came to us through deal lawyers and in-house counsel involved in the recent merger of two Silicon Valley chip developers, NetLogic and RMI.

“The coffee delivers,” RMI GC Bill Caraccio told Legal Pad. “It was like microbrew coffee,” he said, and it came in French and Italian roast, among other flavors. The machine offered settings for four- to 10-ounces, Caraccio said, but the deal team was limited by Bingham’s 8 oz. paper cups.

It was not just the gourmet brew that had him mesmerized. To help line up your cup underneath, the machine emits “a weird blue light, like from ET,” Caraccio said. “I stared at it a lot during the all-nighters.”

The contraption only made one cup at a time, but it worked fast. “It doesn’t even brew,” Caraccio recalled. The coffee comes out “instantly,” he said. Like, in 25 seconds, your cup is full. (Manly tells us that it’s actually 45 seconds, but that late at night, who’s counting?)

It was Pillsbury lead partner Jorge del Calvo, born in Cuba, who suggested that Caraccio try java in combination with Bingham’s enormous bowl of red M&Ms.

“That is the true jolt to wake you up,” Caraccio said. But the damn things do melt in your hand, he discovered. “I carried a handful back into the conference room … the advertising is bogus.” (A lawsuit in the making?)

Keurig’s Manly says everyone can have their favorite flavor. “The trial attorney can have the Jet Fuel, the HR department can have the Donut Shop,” he said. That’s not to say every type of coffee is popular.

“I would say, in the law firm profession, we sell very little decaf.”

— Petra Pasternak

Comments

[Sheila]

I'm not surprised to hear that Keurig machines have become immensely popular at law firms. But Keurig coffee isn't great just for law firms; it can save your marriage. Okay -- that's a bit strong, but honestly, drinking it can help ensure domestic tranquility. My husband and I no longer argue about how strong to make the coffee; we just make individuals cups of our favorite blends. Run out and buy a Keurig machine today!

[SF Lawyer]

The coffee's not that great and it's terribly wasteful, generating a steady stream of wasted little plastic cups. Get a real coffee machine and a staff.

[Bryan]

Wasteful indeed. And Keurig is owned by Green Mountain Coffee, a company that pretends to be environmentally conscious and lies to its consumers by feigning a progressive Vermont attitude. Love their product, hate their wastefulness.

[Jeen]

If you are worried about the quality of the coffee in the K-cups then I can tell you, that you can buy empty reusable k-cups which you can fill with the coffee of your choice. Even tea if you prefer.