Bombshell: Audio Files of Balch Partner’s Alleged Exploitation of 88 Year-Old

Alabama Today was the first to report the allegations of elderly exploitation and abuse by a Balch & Bingham partner last Friday.

Now the news outlet has dropped audio files of Balch partner Amy Adams allegedly threatening 88 year-old Joann Bashinsky, known as Mrs. B.

Friday’s news story has been updated with audio files and they are damning. (Alabama Today audio files are also located on the bottom of this post.)

Telling Mrs. B she could run out of money, lose her home, have to fire her staff, Adams was pushing overtly to represent Mrs. B, but Mrs. B said no, according to Alabama Today.

Ignoring Mrs. B, Greg Hawley, the Conservator for Jefferson County, (pictured above, left) hired Balch & Bingham to represent Mrs. B.

As Alabama Today reported:

Nevermind that at the beginning of the conversation [Balch partner] Adams gives her word that she’s not interested in helping Hawley just in being Mrs. B’s attorney, “When Greg called me I told him the only way I’d do it is if we could fire him because I wasn’t going with him. I’d only go with you and that’s what I told him that’s the only I would come.” 

It wasn’t just a promise by Adams that she would only represent Mrs. B. Here’s what Hawley said, “Let me tell you, there are lawyers – Amy’s very decisive. Some people use the B-word to describe her, okay. She’s a great lawyer, but she’s very decisive, and she will represent you. And I even told her, and I’ll tell you this and I’ll tell you this, in front of her, and I’ll put it in writing that if she ever sees a conflict of interest developing between what’s best for you and something different I say, I want her to represent you, not me.” 

“I want her to represent you, not me.” Those were his words and then he hired her anyway after Mrs. B said she didn’t want her engaged. It’s enough to make one’s head explode.

The root of this power grab is Mrs. B’s $218 million fortune. If Mrs. B were worth $218,000 we doubt we would see these alleged insidious if not unethical shenanigans.