Category Archives: Elderly Exploitation Scandal

Another One Bites the Dust! Ex-Balch Attorney and Alleged Pedophile Espy Pleads Guilty

Another ex-Balch attorney is headed to federal prison.

According to the Office of the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama this late afternoon, Chase T. Espy, 36, pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography.

Espy will be sentenced in January.

According to the U.S. Attorney:

The plea agreement filed states the investigation was initiated when Espy engaged in online chats with undercover law enforcement whom Espy believed was a 15-year-old girl.  Upon being arrested, Espy’s cell phone was seized, and a search warrant was obtained.  From this search, approximately 69 videos and four images of child sexual abuse material were found.

Espy will join ex-Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert in the federal prison system.

Gilbert was found guilty of six federal crimes including money laundering and bribery during the North Birmingham Bribery Trial.

Now insiders are telling us more Balch partners could possibly join the federal prison system.

Balch attorneys and stooges are allegedly being investigated and could be be held accountable by the U.S. Attorney in the alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal of 2020 that targeted Joann Bashinsky (Mrs. B), the grandmother who was worth $218 million and allegedly lied to by a Balch partner and allegedly abused by a probate judge who resigned abruptly in May of 2020.

Just two weeks ago, the U.S. Attorney stated:

“Crimes against older adults target some of the most vulnerable people in our society,” U.S. Attorney Escalona said. “The U.S. Attorney’s Office and our law enforcement partners will continue to vigorously pursue individuals who target older adults in the Northern District of Alabama.” 

The alleged federal investigation of ex-Balch partner and current CEO of Alabama Power Mark A. Crosswhite has been amplified by the foolish conduct of Matrix founder Sloppy Joe Perkins who outlined an alleged criminal enterprise involving the money laundering of over $50 million through 18 tax-exempt entities. Perkins, Alabama’s Oompa Loompa, is paid millions every year by the utility.

Meanwhile, in a hidden, secretive Star Chamber, ex-Drummond executive David Roberson’s $75 million civil lawsuit is gaining strong interest of law enforcement officials since nothing is publicly available and potential criminal misconduct may have been intentionally obscured with these protective orders filed in early 2020.

And now observers are asking, is Balch’s former Chief Compliance Officer Stephen P. Feaga cooperating with federal investigators and giving them a deep, inside perspective or evidence of potential misconduct at the embattled law firm?

The quiet before the storm.

And all the while, the civil RICO lawsuits are still waiting quietly in the wings.

Newsome Wins Stunning Victory for Mexican Farmer; Fraud, Negligence, and Elderly Abuse Exposed

The Mexican farmer has been made whole due to the exemplary and outstanding professional work of Burt Newsome.

Balch & Bingham stooges allegedly tried to steal the lucrative attorney services of Newsome Law and defame sole-practitioner Burt Newsome almost a decade ago.

The late Schuyler Allen Baker, Jr.

Schuyler Allen Baker, Jr., former General Counsel for Balch, vowed to fight to the death before settling the Newsome Conspiracy Case. The case is active and alive, and awaiting more indictments after which a federal civil RICO lawsuit will be filed.

Baker sadly died of cancer in 2020.

We, the CDLU, met Newsome five and a half years ago and our advocacy campaign for justice, inherent goodness, and the reform of the legal profession was launched in 2017.

In 2020, Newsome agreed to help us, the CDLU, take on the biggest financial institutions in the United States on behalf of senior citizen Mexican nationals.

This last week, Newsome landed a devastating blow to Morgan Stanley.

Investment News reports:

Finra arbitrators ordered Morgan Stanley and a former financial adviser at the firm to pay $160,000 each in damages to a Mexican farmer for allegedly making inappropriate recommendations about risky investments.

Carlos Ramon Tapia Sanchez, a farmer in Hermosillo, Mexico, sold his operation in 2015. The next year, he invested the proceeds in junk bonds that didn’t fit his risk profile that were pushed by his long-time broker, according to Sanchez’s attorney, Burt Newsome.

Sanchez worked with Morgan Stanley registered representative Francisco Javier Valenzuela in the firm’s Tucson, Arizona, office. Sanchez lost about $368,000 on the investments, Newsome said.

Sanchez filed an arbitration claim against Morgan Stanley on Oct. 21, 2020, and against Merrill Lynch on Feb. 10, 2021. Valenzuela left Merrill Lynch in 2015 to join Morgan Stanley. In his claim, Sanchez cited elder abuse, misrepresentation and failure to supervise, among other causes of actions.

A three-person Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Inc. arbitration panel found Valenzuela liable for misrepresentation, manipulation and fraud, according to a May 26 arbitration award. The arbitrators found Morgan Stanley liable for negligence and failure to supervise. Valenzuela and Morgan Stanley were each ordered to pay Sanchez $160,000 in compensatory damages.

They held Morgan Stanley and Valenzuela jointly and severally liable for $10,000 in attorneys’ fees, resulting in a $330,000 total award for Sanchez, who had sought $357,622 in compensatory damages and attorneys’ fees.

Newsome also engaged in a successful but confidential mediation last year. The Mexican farmer has been made whole due to exemplary and outstanding professional work of Burt Newsome.

While Balch goons allegedly tried to destroy Newsome, his practice has only grown stronger while Balch has lost millions in the aggregate.

While Balch stooges allegedly engaged in elderly abuse of Mrs. B and others, Newsome tackled the abuse of senior citizens head-on.

While Balch cronies, like Alabama Power, have allegedly used and abused the Alabama legal system for their own personal gain, Newsome utilized FINRA’s regulatory protections to seek justice and help a farmer who thought he had lost everything.

There is hope for inherent goodness and justice. The retired Mexican farmer has seen it and so will others.

Un aplauso fuerte para Burt Newsome. Te queremos, Burt, te queremos!

Half-Decade Old, BanBalch.com Fights for Inherent Goodness

We simply cannot believe that BanBalch.com is five-years old as of last Friday.

A half-decade later, our website is a success because of you, our dear readers, and the incompetent and foolish leadership at Balch & Bingham and Alabama Power which arrogantly dismissed the need for an examination of conscience, apologies, and internal reform.

Although this site started with the Newsome Conspriracy Case, (and was quite plain and boring), Balch’s self-inflicted wounds mushroomed our reporting and advocacy.

Hit head-on: September 11, 2020

Five years later, Burt Newsome is more successful as an attorney, and highly respected for fighting for his livelihood while protecting his family from the alleged criminal and egregious misconduct of his unknown enemies. Even though he suffered a broken leg and grave injuries in a highly unusual head-on collision, “Iron-man” Newsome came back stronger than ever.

People have had enough of the bullying and lopsided favoritism by powerful interests in Alabama.

While the Newsome Conspiracy Case and Roberson Civil Case are sealed and hidden in secretive Star Chambers, eventually federal RICO suits could be filed that will open the pandora’s box.

More importantly is the alleged ongoing federal probe of Alabama Power, Balch & Bingham, the Matrix Meltdown, and others, allegedly over the obstruction of justice.

Sources tell us that the probe could branch into the alleged cover-up of former Balch attorney and accused pedophile Chase T. Espy, the alleged Elderly Abuse Scandal, and/or the Mississippi Rental Assistance Debacle.

And disgraced ex-U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town’s alleged misconduct in the North Birmingham Bribery Trial and Newsome Conspiracy Case may have spurred the probe.

We, the CDLU, will continue to write, advocate, and reach out to law enforcement, congressional investigators, federal regulators, and investigative journalists.

Inherent goodness shall prevail.

Imploding? Nothing Merry at Balch

Arrested for child solicitation

The arrest of an alleged pedophile, an alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal probe, the rental assistance debacle in Mississippi, the beginning of a 5-year prison sentence for an ex-Balch partner, an alleged federal investigation of obstruction of justice, and the exodus of two legacy partners to end the year, Balch and Bingham appears to be imploding.

A year ago, the embattled law firm launched to great fanfare a free “boost” program to allegedly help minority-owned and women-owned small businesses.

No one believed Balch and the legal community laughed heartedly since Balch reserved the right to discriminate. Observers viewed the act as a publicity stunt, fluff.

A year later, an African-American attorney left Balch after only eight months on the job. Last week, Balch’s top female partner dumped the firm after 15 years.

Balch cannot even boost their own law firm.

Static cling?

The hypocrisy is taking its toll.

Balch’s tied-to-the-hip, siamese twin and sister-wife Alabama Power appears to be feeling the heavy burden as well. Former Balch partner and current Alabama Power CEO and Chairman Mark A. Crosswhite was pictured recently in a public relations announcement about a solar energy accord with Mercedes-Benz.

Crosswhite, who didn’t even crack a smile in any of the photos, appeared uncomfortable, out of sorts, and looked liked he was preoccupied with other matters. Crosswhite was a little disheveled with a wrinkled shirt that made the “most powerful man in Alabama” look like a country-boy from Morgan County.

Regardless of the wrinkled shirt, what an ugly year for Balch and 2022 may be no better. Will Alabama Power finally cut the ropes as a New Year’s resolution?


This is our last post of 2021. Wishing you, our dear readers, a Merry Christmas and all the best in 2022. We plan to return during the week of January 10th.

A Year After Death, Balch & Bingham Still Lacks Sensible Leadership

The King of Balch & Bingham and dinosaur partner at the embattled law firm Schuyler Allen Baker, Jr. died one year ago today.

Ironically in 2017, Baker vowed to fight the Newsome Conspiracy Case to the death.

Baker, serving as General Counsel at Balch, made an enormously foolish decision.

His fight to the death cost the firm millions, tarnished and damaged Balch’s once-respected reputation, made 18 of 18 D.C. lobbying clients dump the firm, and created the greatest exodus ever of money-making partners.

The ghost of Balch’s past is sadly still present.

Now with an alleged pedophile cover-up, an alleged ongoing Elderly Exploitation Scandal investigation, and the Mississippi Rental Assistance debacle, the unholy trinity of scandal would not be garnering interest by law enforcement or the media if Balch had cleaned up their loose ends after Baker died.

Where is the sensible leadership?

Yesterday, ex-Drummond executive David Roberson and ex-Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert reported to federal prison for criminal acts born at the offices of Balch & Bingham.

The Newsome Family

And while Baker is dead, the Newsome Conspiracy Case continues alive and vibrant. Having exhausted all state and federal court remedies, a federal civil RICO lawsuit can now proceed.

The RICO will most likely come after additional indictments are handed down.

Like probate lawyers, sensible and responsible Balch leaders would have brought the Newsome Conspiracy Case, the David Roberson civil lawsuit, and other matters to an agreeable resolution and a close after Baker’s death.

Since 2017, we have asked Balch to conduct a top to bottom review of their firm, get rid of any bad apples, and apologize to the African-American community of North Birmingham.

In the summer of 2018, Balch, during a brief moment of mental clarity, attempted to reach out to us to bring matters to a close.

The former Assistant U.S. Attorney who represented Burt Newsome was blind-sided since he did not know what BanBalch.com exactly was or who we, the CDLU, were when they asked him to serve as an interlocutor.

We wrote three years ago after Balch walked away from the resolution discussions:

Balch’s acts of impunity are no longer tolerated by the public; and acts of contrition, reconciliation, and forgiveness are the only path forward to salvage the firm.

Obviously someone with common sense at Balch & Bingham tried, in good faith, to reach out to us and put the matters behind them.

Instead, now, Balch & Bingham have reversed themselves and appears to be on a path of self-destruction.

The many honorable, ethical and professional Balch partners and their colleagues appear to have been ignored again by their leadership.

Prophetic.

Baker is dead, Gilbert is sitting in a federal prison, while Balch appears to be slowly hemorrhaging and dying.

Crosswhite

The Crosswhite Scandal involving Alabama Power is bringing a new, heated spotlight on ex-Balch partner Mark A. Crosswhite, “the most powerful man in Alabama” according to his adoring fans.

The unsavory if not criminal conduct linked to alleged secret indemnity agreements is the cherry on top of a spoiled, rotten, inedible banana pudding full of maggots.

Will Balch ever come to their senses? Ever? Or will Balch partners continue to swallow the rotten pudding left behind a year ago?

Three Years Later, Balch Partner’s Criminal Conviction Stings Three Stooges

Three years ago today, Balch-made millionaire and esteemed partner Joel I. Gilbert was convicted on all six-federal charges, including bribery and money laundering.

Will Gilbert be reporting to prison soon, now that he has lost his appeal?

If Gilbert had reported to prison during his appeal, due to COVID-19, he probably would have been released early like the bought-and-paid-for ex-State Representative Oliver Robinson was.

Roberson and Gilbert

Instead, he’ll probably now have to serve the entire 5-year sentence. Convicted along side Gilbert was ex-Drummond Executive David Roberson who will serve two and a half years. In his early 70s, some ask, is this a death sentence?

Gilbert, who apologized to Roberson during his sentencing hearing, was on Balch’s payroll until the day he was convicted. What other secret deals, non-disclosure agreements, guarantees, and pay-outs are hidden behind public view?

Disgraced ex-U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town resigned months after we, the CDLU, filed our formal complaint with the U.S. Department of Justice with jaw-dropping photographic evidence of his inappropriate meeting with ex-Balch partner and Alabama Power CEO Mark A. Crosswhite.

Now with an alleged elderly exploitation scandal in Alabama and alleged housing assistance cronyism in Mississippi, federal investigators have more to dig into.

Interestingly, Drummond Company has goose-stepped with Balch since February of 2019 and their actions raise the question, Why?

A fiercely independent coal company marches tightly with an embattled law firm, an alleged racist law firm. Why?

The Three Stooges (Drummond Company, Balch, and Alabama Power) fiercely sought protective orders last December in the rebirth of the North Birmingham Bribery Scandal, David Roberson’s $75 million civil lawsuit.

Roberson’s case has since been sealed in its entirety in a secretive Star Chamber.

Why?

We believe that alleged criminal acts, unsavory conduct, secret deals, and possible pay-outs are being hidden from public view.

Gilbert’s conviction was a tremendous sting. His only long-term employer was Balch & Bingham, the sister-wife of Alabama Power, and his last big client was Drummond Company.

If Gilbert knows more about the alleged secret deals, pay-outs, and hidden agreements, maybe he needs to sing to the federal investigators and shave off some of that five-year sentence.

Integrity. Got some?

Balch and the Mississippi Rental Assistance Flop

What in heaven’s name is Balch, a well-connected but alleged racist law firm, processing housing assistance for homebuyers?

Mississippi and its two largest counties received $200 million in federal Covid-19 relief funds to cover back rent, with the aim of preventing evictions, according to NBC News.

“But the vast majority of that money has not been spent, and there are large disparities in who is receiving help, and how quickly they’re getting it, according to a review of the latest program data and interviews with experts and advocates, ” NBC News wrote.

NBC News published the exposé last week with a glaring headline.

NBC News also reminded us in their report that Balch & Bingham is a truly “talented” firm.

From the North Birmingham bribery scheme that was born at Balch’s offices in Birmingham, to the prolific ghost-letter writing of convicted felon and ex-Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert, from the alleged elderly exploitation of Mrs. B and her $218 million estate, to the alleged targeting, staged arrest, and defamation of an innocent competitor in the Newsome Conspiracy Case, Balch & Bingham appears to have surprised if not duped many.

Now add housing assistance to the list of “talents.”

NBC News Reports:

The Mississippi Home Corporation, which was created by the Legislature and offers assistance to homebuyers, runs the state-level program but has outsourced some of the work to Balch and Bingham, a law firm with a Jackson office. Scott Spivey, executive director of the Mississippi Home Corporation, said the program launched without software that could help speed up the review of applications. Now that a fuller process is in place, he expects to be able to handle hundreds of applications per day going forward.

“I would rather have more money that has been approved for payment than the roughly $2 million that we’re sitting at right now,” he said. “But that just means we have to work harder and play catchup.”

What in heaven’s name is Balch, a well-connected but alleged racist law firm, processing housing assistance for homebuyers?

Was there a truly “open-bidding” process to find an “outsource” vendor? Why were not banks, mortgage lenders, or community not-for-profits engaged instead of Balch & Bingham?

Better yet, why was not a cutting-edge online service used to facilitate applications, conduct identity verification, and issue the prompt electronic payment of assistance to homebuyers?

How, we ask, is Balch & Bingham “qualified” to provide housing assistance?

We believe the $2 million in assistance could eventually pale in comparison to the fees and retainer that Balch & Bingham could collect for providing a “fuller process” — one full of attorneys, paralegals, and others.

State investigators and media should begin public records requests and make sure an abuse of the system is not happening.

Mississippi, which prides itself on being fiscally conservative, needs to take a hard look at this absurdity for what it is.

Doesn’t Smell Right! Fighting Balch’s Alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal; U.S. Attorney Vows Justice for Seniors

The fight continues.

In May of 2020, the publication Alabama Today caused a firestorm with the incredible and shocking audio recordings of a Balch & Bingham attorney Amy Davis Adams and Jefferson County Conservator Greg Hawley talking with 88-year old Joann Bashinsky, known as Mrs. B.

Ridiculously claiming Mrs. B could lose her home, run out of money, and have to fire her staff, Adams’ comments appear to have been an attempt to take control of Mrs. B’s affairs, a woman worth $218 million.

Hawley went ahead and appointed Balch’s Adams even though Mrs. B said no, according to Alabama Today. Days after the audio files were released, Probate Judge Alan L. King, who approved the guardianship of Mrs. B, abruptly quit.

Then, weeks later, the Alabama Supreme Court unanimously tossed out the temporary and emergency guardianship.

Mrs. B sadly passed away in January, but the fight, unbelievably continues.

Landon Ash

Landon Ash, the heir and grandson of Mrs. B, is courageously fighting the perpetrators and instigators who appear to have used and abused the judicial system against his beloved grandmother.

As commentator Kimberly Guilfoyle wrote earlier this month:

In neighboring Alabama, the family of deceased heiress and philanthropist Joann Bashinsky is still fighting a legal battle with her court-appointed guardian over five months after her death. It’s difficult to fathom why Judge Lee Tucker, who has jurisdiction in the case, hasn’t dismissed it by now – after all, the person supposedly in need of the court’s “protection” is no longer alive. In this case and so many others, based on my years as a prosecutor, something certainly doesn’t smell right.

More importantly, having worked closely with the U.S. Department of Justice for two decades, we, the CDLU, believe investigations of elderly exploitation cases are occurring now, intensely, behind the scenes, and have become a priority for federal investigators, especially after the Netfix series Dirty Money exposed the deep problem of court-appointed guardianships in an episode titled, “Guardians, Inc.”

Last week, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Alabama Prim Escalona recognized World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, stating, “Our seniors are vital members of our community.  Unfortunately, they are often among the most vulnerable. Prosecuting those who prey on this vulnerable community is a top priority, and we remain committed to pursuing justice for the seniors in Northern Alabama.”

And we know Mrs. B made the horrors of her exploitation known, not only to the media but law enforcement.

“It feels like I’m nobody, like all my rights have been taken away,” Mrs. B said during an interview with AL.com in 2019. “I feel like I’m a prisoner in my own home.”

Balch & Bingham ought to be ashamed of their alleged misconduct.

And federal investigators should conduct a forensic audit of each and every “guardianship” Balch stuck their fingers in.

And Landon should demand so, too.

Happy 4th Birthday to BanBalch.com!

This month we reached our fourth birthday and we want to thank YOU our dear readers.

We hope you had a safe and pleasant Spring Break, and also hope that you and your loved ones were not impacted by the horrific tornadoes from last week.

We will continue to report about the alleged criminal, egregious, and unsavory conduct of Balch & Bingham and their sister-wife Alabama Power, especially now with the Biden Administration taking a hard swing at environmental racism.

Expect more fireworks in the next year!

Look at some of the possibilities:

Death of Mrs. B

We begin the new year with tremendously sad news. Joann Bashinsky (Mrs. B), the widow of the founder of Golden Flake Foods, has died of a heart attack according to news reports.

Balch & Bingham was a central figure in an explosive report last May of an alleged elderly exploitation scandal that led to the abrupt retirement of Jefferson County Probate Judge Alan L. King hours after secret recordings made by Mrs. B were published by Alabama Today.

The multi-part investigative series by Alabama Today about the Elderly Exploitation Racket exposed the outrageous fees manifested by insiders who appear to be gaming the system for their own pockets while dwindling assets of estates. The scheme involves declaring wealthy individuals “incompetent” to handle their own affairs and then have insiders take over the estates as guardians where they quickly sell assets to pocket generous fees.

In the explosive recordings, Balch & Bingham attorney Amy Davis Adams suggested that Mrs. B would lose her home and have to fire her staff if she continued to manage her own affairs.

Balch’s Adams

The problem with Adams’ suggestions was that Mrs. B was worth $218 million and the home was paid for.

Sources tell us criminal investigators are looking into the matters at hand because numerous family members of alleged victims of the scheme have come forward.

Some observers allege that Mrs. B may have suffered a heart attack because of all the stress caused by the alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal.

Even after the Alabama Supreme Court threw out (in a unanimous 7-0 decision in July) the temporary and emergency guardianship over Mrs. B, two individuals involved in the fight to allegedly control Mrs. B’s assets continued the insidious litigation against her, including issuing subpoenas last month.

Balch has allegedly refused to investigate or even reprimand partner Amy Davis Adams for her alleged egregious conduct.

Balch & Bingham’s Inner Demons

Balch & Bingham’s foolish publicity stunt last week trying to appease their inner demons of alleged racist misconduct and a legacy tied to segregation and racist Alabama Governor George Wallace has blown-up in Balch’s face.

Balch’s all-white leadership has failed again.

In the two-decades that we, the CDLU, have fought against greedy and unscrupulous businesses, and inept government agencies, we have always found that a handful of bad apples are responsible for the calamities and egregious conduct at those entities.

Balch & Bingham is no different. And look at what they have done:

  • The North Birmingham Bribery Scheme was born at the offices of Balch & Bingham.
  • The ghost-written letters were drafted and created at the offices of Balch & Bingham.
  • The invoices seeking reimbursement of $360,000 in bribes to corrupt politician Oliver Robinson were dispatched from the offices of Balch & Bingham.
  • The money-laundering entity Alliance for Jobs and the Economy (AJE) was concocted at the offices of Balch & Bingham.
  • And the “false legal advice” came from the mouth of a respected Balch & Bingham partner.

Balch & Bingham’s losing moment was more than creating a corrupt public relations campaign targeting African-Americans in North Birmingham which led to three indictments and two criminal convictions, including a prison term for ex-Drummond executive David Roberson.

Balch’s losing moment also includes “fighting to the death” instead of addressing and resolving alleged unscrupulous and criminal conduct behind closed doors.

Regardless of one’s feelings or views about Drummond Company or the environment, the bottom line is David Roberson was simply doing his job as Drummond’s Vice President of Government Affairs: protecting the interests and financial well-being of his employer.

Two Suicide Attempts

Balch & Bingham’s conduct appears to have destroyed Roberson financially, and led to a horrific and emotional rollercoaster, including suicide attempts by Roberson’s wife.

Balch, which in one breath said it “owed no duty” to Roberson, while in another breath said “false legal advice” or lying was a legal service to Roberson, appears to have not only hurt the brand, the firm, and the true professionals that work at Balch, they also appear to have injured their client, Drummond Company.

Drummond Company, which foolishly marched goose-step with Balch, is now holding the $75 million bag.

With the rebirth of the North Birmingham Bribery Case, Balch, Alabama Power, Drummond Company and their minions will have to relive the ugliest moments of the past decade.

But what can one say about “Fall Guy” Roberson?

As Alabama Today reports:

[Roberson’s $75 million civil] case seeks compensatory and punitive damages for what he alleges were a series of broken promises, bad faith advice, and misconduct by Drummond executives and Balch & Bingham that left him without a proper defense in his criminal case and without income, which ultimately left him and his family in dire financial straits and ruined his reputation.

Over 147 people, including lawmakers, executives, philanthropists, friends, and family members spoke to Roberson’s reputation at his sentencing hearing, each one independently verifying that he is a selfless, honorable, respectable man in his personal and professional dealings. Immediately following the statement made by Drummond Company was unequivocal, “We are disappointed by the jury’s decision to convict our employee, David Roberson. While we respect the judicial process, we consider David to be a man of integrity who would not knowingly engage in wrongdoing.”

Beyond Roberson and Drummond, Balch has to confront the inner demons of greed, pride, and hubris surrounding the Newsome Conspiracy Case, now before the Alabama Supreme Court, and the alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal that is vigorously percolating behind the scenes.

If more criminal indictments are handed down or a RICO lawsuit is filed, Balch may see more of their clients and seasoned partners flee as vultures from their competitors pick at the bones.

Mrs. B, Burt Newsome, the residents of North Birmingham, and David Roberson all appear to have been victims of Balch’s uncontrolled inner demons.

Some say that it may take more than an exorcism to save the firm from themselves.

Balch Stooges Expose Failed Tactics; Utter Lack of Leadership at Balch

From the targeting of poor African-American children to the alleged exploitation of the elderly, the once-prestigious, silk-stocking law firm appears to be a complete embarrassment, and sadly, the legal community also appears to be relishing in Balch’s demise.

Two Jefferson County judges. Two paid consultants. All Balch stooges.

Even the Associate Justice of the Alabama Supreme Court, Will Sellers, a former long-time Balch & Bingham partner, concurred. Balch stooge Judge Alan L. King’s ruling not allowing 88-year-old Joann Brashinsky (Mrs. B) to retain new legal counsel was “unfathomable.”

Last week, King was ripped to shreds unanimously (7-0) by the Alabama Supreme Court for the lack of due process and fairness while attempting to impose an emergency and temporary guardianship on Mrs. B, the widow of Golden Flake Foods founder worth $218 million.

Judge King (pictured above, far left), who retired hours after Alabama Today released audio recordings of County Conservator Greg Hawley and Balch & Bingham partner Amy Davis Adams sweet talking Mrs. B, appears to be another Balch & Bingham stooge who tried to game the system.

Is Balch’s leadership this blind, this foolish to ignore the alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal? Why have they not fired Amy Davis Adams?

Have they not seen what other Balch stooges have tried to do and failed?

Look at the current criminal case against Balch lackeys Trey Glenn and Scott Phillips.

Balch contracted with Glenn who then directed payments to Scott Phillips to lobby the Alabama Department of Environmental Management to oppose the EPA in listing the North Birmingham site on the National Priorities List. 

At the time that Phillips and Glenn were receiving money from Balch to lobby ADEM on a policy matter involving the listing of North Birmingham as a Superfund site, Scott Phillips was on the Alabama Environmental Management Commission, the entity that oversees ADEM.

Phillips (pictured above, second from right) was given the boot by the Birmingham-Jefferson County Port Authority in 2018 after Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert was convicted on all six federal counts.

During day 7 of the criminal trial in 2018, Glenn (pictured above, second from left) admitted handing off confidential work product of public charity and environmental group GASP to Balch-made millionaire Gilbert so he could draft counter-points.

How about the Queen of the Star Chamber and Balch stooge extraordinaire, Judge Carole Smitherman?

Smitherman (pictured above, far right) looks like she tossed glory away for 30 pieces of silver or more exactly for over $30,000 in campaign contributions.

Once a vigorous champion of Civil Rights and the first African-American female Mayor of Birmingham, Smitherman appears to have bent-over backwards for the alleged racist law firm.

Smitherman dispatched 44 retaliatory orders in the Newsome Conspiracy Case all based on a counterfeit order.

Judge Smitherman, who sealed the Newsome Conspiracy Case in a “Star Chamber” for over 500 days to allegedly hide criminal acts and perjury,  engaged in what appears to be judicial fraud.

She held the counterfeit order as the central pillar in a case, and demonstrated lop-sided bias for Balch & Bingham. The Newsome case is now under appeal before the Alabama Supreme Court.

Entities linked to Balch & Bingham and the alleged co-conspirators in the Newsome Case funneled over $30,000 in campaign contributions to her and her husband, State Senator Rodger Smitherman. Shockingly, the Senator sat in on numerous secret hearings of the Star Chamber, where the Newsome Conspiracy Case was heard.

Judge Smitherman stupidly trusted Balch & Bingham, who allegedly have made her now look like the most corrupt, dumbest, and most worthless jurist in the State of Alabama.

Gaming the system, paying consulting fees, hiring actors, creating Astro-Turf campaigns, donating heavily to politicians, smearing your opponents, targeting children, suppressing minorities, while vowing to fight to the death appear all to be the failed tactics of a lost and broken organization on the brink of collapse.

With the loss of 18 of 18 major lobbying clients in D.C., the exodus of numerous money-making partners, and the loss of millions of dollars in annual fees, the utter lack of leadership at Balch is stunning.

Balch, again, refuses to apologize, settle the matters, and put the past behind them.

From the targeting of poor African-American children to the alleged exploitation of the elderly, the once-prestigious, silk-stocking law firm appears to be a complete embarrassment, and sadly, the legal community also appears to be relishing in Balch’s demise.

Independence Day for Mrs. B; Judge Alan L. King Ripped to Shreds

In a unanimous 7-0 decision by the Alabama Supreme Court, the temporary and emergency guardianship over Joann Bashinsky (Mrs. B) was tossed out yesterday. Mrs. B is worth $218 million and the widow of the Golden Flake Foods founder.

The alleged elderly exploitation scandal has shaken the probate courts of Alabama and the embattled law firm Balch & Bingham.

Alabama Today, which broke the story of Mrs. B’s plight and the questionable actions of Balch & Bingham partner Amy Davis Adams, writes:

[Alabama Today] heard from others whose cases eerily track with the same M.O. used by Judge King and the same conservator of her case, Greg Hawley. These individuals show up to court with lawyers of their own only to have King disqualify them, and Hawley being given a conservatorship “temporarily.” As in her case, the temporary orders lasted well past the 30-day limit the court intended. There were also emergency petitions granted when no emergency existed.

The Alabama Supreme Court ripped Judge Alan L. King for his unfairness and trampling of Mrs. B’s constitutional right to due process, writing:

[T]he manner in which the probate court handled the issue of the motion to disqualify Ms. Bashinsky’s attorneys — granting the motion and then choosing to proceed directly with the hearing on the issue of Ms. Bashinsky’s competence — created an unnecessary complication that was highlighted by the probate court’s subsequent scheduling of a hearing in January 2020 to discuss how Ms. Bashinsky’s new attorneys were to be selected. That is, because the probate court disqualified Ms. Bashinsky’s attorneys and then declared Ms. Bashinsky to be incompetent, it raised the specter that she cannot enter into a contract to hire new counsel to represent her interests in this matter. This complication would have been avoided if the probate court had followed basic procedures of due process and fundamental fairness with respect to Ms. Bashinsky.

Ms. Bashinsky’s constitutional and statutory rights of due process were also violated through a deprivation of counsel and a lack of opportunity to present evidence and argument before the probate court.

King  retired in late May just hours after Alabama Today published audio recordings of County Conservator Greg Hawley’s and Balch partner Adams’ conversations with Mrs. B.

We, the CDLU, reached out to federal investigators yesterday asking them to probe The Birmingham Triangle, writing:

“We believe now is the time for the FBI to probe all transactions, track wealth building, and  conduct a forensic audit of all conservator estates and the personal finances involving Judge Alan L. King, Balch & Bingham’s Amy Davis Adams, and JeffCo Conservator Greg Hawley.”

Coincidently, at the conclusion of their decision, the Alabama Supreme Court mandated the following:

“We… require the temporary guardian and conservator to account for all of Ms. Bashinsky’s funds and property….”

Even the seven Alabama Supreme Court justices can read between the lines, and understand that liquidating assets and pocketing fees and commissions under phony “emergency” orders appears to be more important to some than defending or truly protecting the elderly.

Balch & Bingham Lies and then Withdraws; Alleged Elderly Exploitation Scandal Explodes

In a detailed report this morning outlining communication exchanges with embattled law firm Balch & Bingham, Alabama Today exposed that Balch lied twice about representing Joann Bashinsky (Mrs. B), the widow of the Golden Flake Foods founder who is worth $218 million.

Alabama Today in a report titled “Balch & Bingham and the lies they’ve told” writes about the dishonesty:

Lie one: The day [Balch & Bingham partner Amy Davis] Adam’s left the case. The statement… saying that Adams was withdrawing from the case, was sent May 20, 2020. Yet, Adams was copied on emails related to the case, and her name was on filings related to the case for weeks following….

Lie two: Upon getting word that Adam’s name on documents and emails, [Alabama Today] reached out to ask why there was no record of her withdrawing from the case. That’s where the second lie comes in. {A Balch spokesperson] tells me that no written request for withdrawal is required, an answer she would have needed to get from Adams herself or another lawyer.

On June 25, 2020, a little over 2 weeks after Wall says no withdrawal is needed, what does Adams finally get around to doing? Well, ….She files for withdrawal.

Having worked closely with Greg Hawley, the appointed Conservator of Jefferson County, and Judge Alan L. King (who had appointed Hawley in 2013), Amy Adams’ conduct has come under scrutiny after Mrs. B recorded and released her conversations with Hawley and Adams to Alabama Today.

Judge King abruptly “retired” hours after the audio recordings were published.

Alabama Today published the motion to withdraw which states that Hawley will continue to be represented by lawyers of Sirote & Permutt, P.C.

And why is the law firm of Sirote & Permutt, P.C. so significant, now, today, this very moment?

They are one of two law firms fighting the appointment of James P. Naftel II as Judge King’s replacement and filed suit against Alabama Governor Kay Ivey yesterday.

AL.com writes:

The lawsuit does not challenge Naftel’s qualifications but says the appointment is not valid because state law requires the governor to choose from three nominees submitted by the Jefferson County Judicial Commission.

The Governor disputes their argument.

The alleged elderly exploitation scandal has exposed the need for transparency and a criminal investigation.

Kudos to Alabama Today for exposing the alleged elderly abuse.

Now is the time for the FBI to probe all transactions, track wealth building, and conduct a forensic audit of all conservator estates and the personal finances involving Judge Alan L. King, Balch & Bingham’s Amy Davis Adams, and JeffCo Conservator Greg Hawley.

As they say, money is the root of all evil. Corrupt money is the root of all bribery.

Outrageous Fees Exposed in Alleged Elderly Exploitation Racket

A third installment of Alabama Today’s investigative series on the Elderly Exploitation racket exposes the outrageous fees manifested by insiders who appear to be gaming the system for their own pockets while dwindling assets of estates.

Alabama Today writes about the horrific experience of Susan Evans whose father was forced into conservatorship after suffering early signs of dementia.

The judge is none other than Jefferson County Probate Judge, Alan King. The conservator is none other than veteran litigator and probate lawyer, Greg Hawley. The witness whose alleged false and unconfirmed testimony caused the court to move the temporary conservatorship to permanent? Is none other than Hawley’s own assistant, Margaret Holland.

If you’ve been following along in this series those names will sound familiar. They’re the same two players involved in the Joann Bashinsky [Mrs. B] case.  As a matter of fact, they’re the same players as a number of cases in Jefferson County, Alabama.

And what fees is Susan Evans able to confirm?

 [T]he costs of attorney fees for the family totals nearly $65,000 of which $55,000 is being paid-out of the estate. Money that could and likely should have stayed with the family and estate, if not for the judge’s order.

Until this week, after five years of Hawley being the conservator, Evans had not had a full accounting of her father’s assets or of the costs associated with the conservatorship. This week Holland provided that breakdown for the first time. You may remember Holland from the first post. Holland is the assistant who sent confidential medical and financial documents to [Balch & Bingham’s Amy] Adams “accidentally”.  

It states, “Fees are based off of a percentage of the Estate which in total is roughly 9%. It is calculated only at a Partial and/or Final Settlement Hearing. This is an Alabama State Statute = 2.5% of what’s received, 2.5% of what’s disbursed and 4% attorney’s fees.”

Balch partner Adams

Balch & Bingham’s Amy Adams has yet to be fired for the alleged unethical and egregious conduct before Mrs. B, who brilliantly recorded her meetings with Hawley and Adams.

Adams will be investigated further, reports say. Alabama Today writes, “(Don’t worry, if you’re missing Hawley’s “friend” Amy Davis Adams from Balch & Bingham, she too will return in several future installments of this series beginning later this week.)”