[Update: In January of 2020, Stephen Feaga  left the embattled firm. Click here to read more.]

A year ago, Balch & Bingham hired Stephen Feaga as their first ever Chief Compliance Officer.  We applauded the move.

Now, a year later we can opine it was the greatest act of window dressing. Feaga has been MIA.

Balch & Bingham appears to have had its worse year ever:

• The loss of a dozen money-making partners;
• The criminal conviction of a Balch equity partner on all six federal counts including bribery and money laundering;
• The weakest year of revenue from lobbying efforts in Washington, D.C.;
• The indictment of two Balch stooges by a Jefferson County Grand Jury.

Instead of complying with best practices, Balch appears to be arrogantly thumbing their noses at the public, at the U.S. Department of Justice, and their harshest critics.

• Balch re-hired Irving Jones, Jr., the last witness for the prosecution to testify against Gilbert and who ghost-wrote letters and infiltrated GASP meetings;
• After the conviction, Balch launched a laughable if not ridiculous public relations stunt: a chicken legs pazoola;
• Trying to counter the internal hemorrhaging Balch boasted about the hiring of six freshman attorneys;
• And unknown Balch allies launched a media campaign trying to justify Balch-made millionaire Joel I. Gilbert’s conduct.

As the chattering class in Mountain Brook and Montgomery gossip and relish about Balch’s troubles, we hope the pillar of integrity from Wetumpka will rise up in 2019 and exert himself and bring an end to alleged unscrupulous if not criminal conduct at Balch.

Happy New Year Stephen!