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Public Backlash: Balch & Bingham Tumbles in Lobbying Circles
According to the Center of Responsive Politics, Balch & Bingham appears to be down to only two well-paying lobbying clients in Washington, D.C. Looks like the dozens upon dozens of lobbying clients Balch used to have have dumped the embattled law firm into the outhouse. With the conviction of Balch-made millionaire and former esteemed partner Joel I. Gilbert, Balch & Bingham’s reputation appears to have tumbled in lobbying circles. And now comes the Birmingham Business Journal that reports the Balch & Bingham partner’s conviction on six federal charges including bribery and money laundering “could ultimately shape the way Birmingham’s corporate…
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Sessions, Balch, and the Silent Treatment
Balch & Bingham has lost most of their lobbying clients in Washington, D.C. and at least a dozen money-making attorneys or partners have left the firm. President Donald J. Trump has recently again shown anger and frustration towards U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions for having recused himself from the Russian collusion probe on March 2, 2017. Now Politico.com reports that “once-loyal Alabama delegation gives Sessions the cold shoulder.” How could this be? The conviction of Balch & Bingham partner Joel I. Gilbert who reviewed and edited then-U.S. Senator Sessions’ official letter to the EPA could be a top reason. Gilbert,…
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Tulotoma Snails Defeat Balch & Bingham, Alabama Power
Balch’s stigma of bribery and money laundering looks like it won’t go away anytime soon. The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission revoked all 7 licenses for Alabama Power to operate dams along the Coosa River, according to a report last night in the Montgomery Advertiser. And why were the licenses revoked? Because a panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals in July remanded the licensing matter to the regulators after finding that several endangered species, including the tulotoma snail, had been adversely impacted. The judges wrote the environmental assessment granting the original licenses was “arbitrary and capricious, insufficiently reasoned, and unsupported…
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Glaring Impunity: Balch’s Star Chamber Hits One-Year
Balch & Bingham has suffered serious damage because of Balch’s own, self-inflicted mistakes. Tomorrow marks the one-year birthday of the secretive and unconstitutional Star Chamber in the Newsome Conspiracy Case foolishly pursued by Balch & Bingham at the height of two-federal probes last year. We have heard from and read commentary from respected jurists to deans of the legal community in Alabama, from anonymous observers to victims of Balch’s shenanigans. The bottom-line: the Star Chamber truly was the dumbest and most damaging legal maneuver for Balch to have pursued in the past decade. Unlike Balch & Bingham partner Joel I.…
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Explosive New Evidence: Balch Linked to Birth of Newsome Conspiracy
Seier’s entity was interacting with Balch & Bingham six-months before he pulled a gun on Newsome. Since the Newsome Conspiracy Case began to be litigated over three years ago, the co-conspirators have repeatedly said they did not know each other. Now, we have discovered explosive evidence that someone appears to be lying. Perjury, some would say. According to these public records, Alfred Seier was one of three initial members of a company called Southshore Development, LLC. Alfred Seier, who pulled a gun on Burt Newsome in January of 2012, is the late brother of alleged co-conspirator Claiborne Seier, an attorney…
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Sick: Newsome Family Sent Threatening Package
You would think the thugs behind the alleged targeted break-in of the vehicle driven by Burt Newsome’s wife were beyond stupid in this day of high-definition video surveillance and phone tracking software. But now come the real sick, idiots who sent the Newsome family a threatening package: Five pieces of luggage and numerous clothing outfits. There were approximately three dozen outfits for mom and the young Newsome children. The message was crystal clear: get ready to pack and leave town. Were they threatening the family? The father, Burt Newsome? Was he going to be injured, killed or murdered? Or were…
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Giving the Boot to Balch-Affiliated Goons
We outlined last week how Balch & Bingham’s once-upon-a-time all powerful touch has disintegrated into manure and that the embattled law firm has become a political liability. Now government agencies are agreeing and beginning to give the boot to Balch-affiliated cronies, consultants, and goons. The Birmingham-Jefferson County Port Authority fired STRADA Professional Services last Friday, behind closed doors. STRADA is headed by Scott Phillips (pictured), who testified in the Oliver Robinson Corruption Trial. AL.com reports: It appears the city is distancing itself from that company because of STRADA President Scott Phillips’ connection to corruption that kept the 35th Avenue Superfund…
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Balch’s Support Becomes Political Liability
Last week, U.S. Representative Mo Brooks (pictured) was ripped by his opponent for having accepted donations from embattled law firm Balch & Bingham WHNT reports: [Peter] Joffrion is calling on Brooks to return certain campaign donations he says are associated with convicted felons. Joffrion is pointing out that Political Action Committees connected to both Roberson and Gilbert’s former employers have donated to Brooks campaign. Congressman Brooks responded: It is outrageous and callous that Peter Joffrion besmirches the good reputation of Balch & Bingham and its 500+ employees…based on the mistakes of two bad apples. Good reputation? Only two bad apples?…
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Balch’s Touch Becomes Manure; Rejection Becomes Mainstream
Balch’s competitors appear to be salivating with each sweet morsel of Balch’s misfortune and missteps. Nineteen months ago, when you needed to fight, defend, or move a legal matter regarding the environment or energy in the Southeast, Balch & Bingham was the prestigious, go-to law firm. Balch’s touch was like King Midas, everything turned into gold. Balch’s web of influence in the legal and political system, all the way to the Governor’s office and the justices on the Alabama Supreme Court, was unprecedented. But now the criminal conviction of their equity partner Joel I. Gilbert, the exposure of the repugnant…
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Wall Street Analysts Learn about Possible RICO Suit; Targeting of Children
From Credit Suisse to Wells Fargo Securities, top analysts covering Southern Company are learning about the possible civil RICO suit involving Southern Company because of their sister-wife relationship with embattled law firm Balch & Bingham. Analysts learned that Southern Company’s subsidiary was one of the founding members of the entity that funneled $360,000 in bribes to corrupt politician Oliver Robinson. Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert was convicted for bribery and money laundering in the scheme. In addition, analysts learned about how Robert M. Ronnlund, the spouse of a Southern Company subsidiary executive, was involved in the Newsome Conspiracy Case and…
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Second Exodus Begins; Glassford Bails on Balch
Last January, an exodus of 10 money-making partners left embattled law firm Balch & Bingham. Yesterday, the beginning of a second exodus of attorneys at Balch began. Birmingham Business Journal reports: Jeremiah Glassford was hired as senior client executive in the national energy construction practice at EPIC Insurance Brokers and Consultants, a retail property and casualty and employee benefits insurance brokerage and consulting firm with revenues greater than $400 million and 50 offices across the U.S. Glassford has previous experience with insurance as part of his former practice at Balch where he was a commercial litigator. This is the first…
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Will Southern Co.’s Fanning Walk the Plank Because of Balch?
We believe Southern Company’s CEO Tom Fanning failed institutional investors and waffled on leadership when the utility giant refused to suspend their sister-wife relationship earlier this year with embattled law firm Balch & Bingham that engaged in alleged institutional racism in North Birmingham. Now revealed that poor African-American children were used (or abused) through free coat drives to peddle the repugnant objective of not having their family’s toxic property tested, institutional investors are listening. Last week, news reports declared that Southern Company had another cost overrun of over $1 billion in the construction of the Vogtle Nuclear Power Plant in…
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Will BBVA’s Code of Conduct Doom Balch & Bingham?
Banking giant BBVA in Madrid, Spain is investigating their wholly-owned U.S.-based subsidiary BBVA Compass‘ relationship with embattled law firm Balch & Bingham and making sure they are not violating BBVA’s Code of Conduct. We have asked BBVA to suspend or terminate their relationship with Balch immediately. We wrote and spoke directly to the leadership in Spain in May because the Executive Vice President and Deputy General Counsel of BBVA Compass, Richard Pearson, was a partner at Balch & Bingham for 34 years. In addition, Will Graham, who serves as Senior Vice President and Corporate Counsel at BBVA Compass, was a…
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Balch Crony: The Dog Ate My Homework
How much horse manure will Balch & Bingham and their cronies disperse in an attempt to conceal unsavory if not criminal conduct? Reading the pleading from Robert M. Ronnlund, whose wife was a former partner at Balch & Bingham, explaining how the alleged criminal obstruction of justice happened in the Newsome Conspiracy Case is the worst excretion we have read to date and only raises more questions. Ronnlund sent a letter in early 2016 to AT&T falsely claiming that “an objection has been filed regarding the deposition subpoena” and added, “absent a valid court order, please do not produce any…
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Balch, Bingham, & Bribery: Why Did They Cross the Line?
Balch’s Managing Partner Stan Blanton should be replaced immediately, and Chief Operating Officer David Miceli, who testified in the corruption trial, should promptly step down. As convicted ex-Balch & Bingham partner Joel I. Gilbert prepares to possibly share the dark secrets at Balch & Bingham before being sentenced to federal prison, questions about the law firm’s internal culture or more accurately internal blindness is raising red flags. Why did Gilbert cross the line? Why did Balch & Bingham allow its client Drummond Company to cross the line? Even though Balch, Gilbert, Drummond and friends have the absolute right to fight…
