Our digital educational ad campaign comparing the actions of the segregationists of 1960s to the alleged conspiracy against Burt Newsome has raised eyebrows from Helena, Alabama to Capitol Hill. Indeed, targeting, falsely arresting, and defaming Civil Rights advocates was common place back in the day.

Ruining a rival, which Balch & Bingham quoted in their defense of justifiable interference, truly has no place in 2017.

Under pressure, Balch is embracing change. On June 15th, Balch filed a notice of appearance as additional counsel in the Newsome matter, Kimberly Bell, an attorney with Balch. Bell is a member of the Birmingham Bar Association’s Diversity and Inclusivity Committee, according to Balch’s 2016 Diversity Report.

We applaud Balch for taking a second step in the right direction.

Ironically, highlighted below Bell in the diversity report is Clark A. Cooper, the partner who was allegedly abruptly fired on March 3, 2017 allegedly because of his involvement in the Newsome matter (Balch’s first step in the right direction).

According to court documents, after Newsome’s false arrest, Cooper, appears to have distributed emails to at least one of Newsome’s bank clients on a Saturday afternoon that contained Newsome’s recently posted mug shot and information about his arrest.