A great way to start 2018.
On the same day we departed for the holidays, Balch & Bingham quietly announced the appointment of their first-ever Chief Compliance Officer on December 20th.
Kudos to Balch’s senior management team. We finally can offer high praise to the firm for taking a big leap forward to correct the unchecked behavior of some partners.
In their press release, they wrote, “Balch & Bingham LLP announced today that Steve Feaga, former chief of the Criminal Division in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Middle District of Alabama, will join the firm as its first chief compliance officer. He will lead Balch’s compliance management program, ensuring adherence with applicable laws, rules and regulations, and overseeing training and compliance across the firm.”
We hope Feaga will:
- Immediately conduct an internal top to bottom review of all partners and attorneys whose actions may be unethical, criminal or unscrupulous. Fire all the bad apples regardless of tenure or seniority.
- Cooperate with law enforcement and U.S. Congressional investigators for the betterment of the firm and the community. If any partners are convicted of a crime or accused of abhorrent or criminal behavior, fire them immediately.
- Have all 200 plus partners and attorneys attend compulsory continuing education classes on ethics and professional conduct in 2018.
- Bring an end to the unconstitutional and secretive Star Chamber in the Newsome Conspiracy Case. Balch should mediate and settle the Newsome Conspiracy Case.
- Apologize to the African-American community for the alleged actions of the indicted partners to suppress the testing of their toxic and contaminated property in North Birmingham.
- Investigate the Mississippi subcontract situation and hold those accountable if anything unethical or illegal occurred while cooperating with federal authorities.
If Feaga and Balch truly wish to bring an end to the awful year of troubles, they should make those painful but necessary steps.
Balch must now clean up, terminate, and repair.
Happy New Year!
