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Lethal Blow to Balch & Bingham?
No general counsel or government attorney can justify hiring Balch & Bingham any longer because the firm appears to be a third-party risk. The decision by the Alabama Supreme Court two weeks ago declaring that Balch & Bingham will stand trial for fraud in ex-Drummond executive David Roberson’s $75 million civil lawsuit appears to be a lethal blow to the once-prestigious, silk-stocking law firm. The Alabama Supreme Court noted in its decision that the embattled law firm argued that “Balch had owed no duty to Roberson because Drummond, not Roberson, was Balch’s client.” The Supreme Court concluded: For the purposes…
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Drummond, Elderly Exploitation Scandal, Newsome Conspiracy Case, RICO, Southern Company, Spotlight on Balch & Bingham
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…
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Drummond, Elderly Exploitation Scandal, Mississippi Controversy, North Birmingham Bribery Case, Russian Sanctions Website Scrub, Southern Company, Spotlight on Balch & Bingham
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. 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…
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Target: Alabama Power; Time Feds Clean Up Alabama Like Phenix City was in 1954
The photo above of disgraced ex-U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town chugging cocktails with the Chairman and CEO of Alabama Power Mark A. Crosswhite at the Moon Shine Lounge at the Elyton Hotel is the epitome of the unethical if not corrupt environment in Alabama. After the criminal conviction of Balch-made millionaire Joel I. Gilbert, one of the most interesting and insightful comments made to us was from a seasoned federal official who stated that the alleged corruption in Jefferson County and North Birmingham was not caused by Balch & Bingham but appeared to have been caused by the embattled law…
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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…
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Balch Debacle: Drummond on the Hook for $75 Million while Balch Skates (For Now)
Imagine: your company hires a law firm that provides false legal advice; the law firm’s alleged negligence gets your corporate officer indicted, convicted and sentenced to federal prison; the law firm declares they “owed no duty” to your corporate officer; the firm successfully weasel-words itself out of a civil liability lawsuit calling the “false legal advice” a legal service; and dumps the entire liability on your own company. Who in Corporate America, with a sound mind, would hire or continue to utilize that law firm? Balch & Bingham’s debacle with Drummond Company appears to have made the once prestigious firm…
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Will Lying to Clients Doom Balch & Bingham as a Third-Party Risk?
How many clients would want to be engaged in felonious conduct and go to prison on behalf of Balch’s stupendous lies? Sorry Balch, but lying to a client is not a legal service. Balch & Bingham defended the indefensible in a court of law in August: declaring openly that lying, misleading a client with “false legal advice” is a legal service. When Balch originally was sued by Drummond Company’s former executive David Roberson, Balch defended themselves by stating unequivocally that “Balch owed no duty” to Roberson. What clients would want to deal with a law firm whose partners engage in unsavory conduct,…
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Who on Balch’s Executive Committee knew about the Bribery Scheme?
[This post originally was published three years ago on October 17, 2017. Now a list of the top partners at Balch & Bingham who were alllegedly involved in the scheme has been compiled. Ex-Drummond executive David Roberson told The Washington Post that at least 20 other lawyers at Balch were involved besides convicted felon and ex-Balch partner Joel I. Gilbert. As the Roberson civil case makes its way through the appeals process, the eventual video depositions should make Balch, Drummond, and Alabama Power perspire profusely.] “Excitement comes from knowing what to expect,” screams the Balch & Bingham web site. Not…
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Drummond, Newsome Conspiracy Case, North Birmingham Bribery Case, Southern Company, Spotlight on Balch & Bingham
From Hospital Bed, Iron Man Newsome Vows “Pursuit of Justice”
Eight years ago, Burt Newsome, an innocent lawyer minding his own business who had no issues with Balch & Bingham, was allegedly targeted, falsely arrested and defamed by the once-prestigious, silk-stocking law firm in an alleged attempt to steal his business servicing banks. His unwavering tenacity to pursue justice against the odds, against the bullies at Balch has made him a hero in the legal community who have had enough of the consistent abuse of the judicial and political system by Balch stooges. On Thursday, Newsome was almost killed in a mysterious car accident, sending the gravely injured attorney to…
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Town’s Downfall Part 1: The Jaw-Dropping Photos
The jaw-dropping photos were in an unmarked envelope stuffed in ex-Drummond Executive David Roberson’s mailbox during Thanksgiving weekend last year. U.S. Attorney Jay E. Town, former Balch & Bingham partner and Alabama Power CEO Mark A. Crosswhite, and lobbyist Mike Cole were enjoying cocktails. We couldn’t believe it. Soon, after closely examining the photos, we confirmed they were taken at the Moon Shine Lounge at the Elyton Hotel in Downtown Birmingham. When we, the CDLU, received copies of the photos, we immediately dispatched our formal complaint along with copies of the photos to the Office of Professional Responsibility at the…
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Happy New Year! Balch & Bingham Dumped
What a terrible way to start 2020. Balch & Bingham, which tried to rehabilitate their Washington D.C. lobbying practice last November, saw two lobbying clients dump the firm in recent days. According to a January 9th report in Politico.com, Northern Star Generation, one of two major clients left in D.C., terminated the firm. The writing was on the wall. We reported in September that “Northern Star Generation has paid Balch only $30,000 [in 2019], compared to $160,000 [in 2018].” We, the CDLU, had reached out to the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), a joint owner of Northern Star Generation, calling…
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A Perfect Fit? $19.5 Million Verdict Against Balch & Bingham Client
Punishing a “clandestine scheme” to copycat electronic medical records software, a jury in Miami, Florida returned a $19.5 million verdict against a Balch & Bingham client, ZenCharts, LLC according to Law.com A stunning blow, the $19.5 million verdict is another setback for the embattled law firm of Balch & Bingham which has seen indictments, a criminal conviction, and exodus of partners in the past two years. The verdict comes days after the firm appointed a veteran DC insider to help their Washington, D.C. operations. Balch has lost 17 of their major 18 D.C. lobbying clients in the past two years.…
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Balch Throws Drummond Under the Bus Again
Mike Tracy was sadly a sucker who drank Balch’s Kool-Aid. Garry Drummond is doing back-flips in his grave. On the eve of the abrupt departure of Drummond Company CEO Mike Tracy who was publicly criticized for cuddling with the embattled law firm, Balch & Bingham has handed the coal company a stinging farewell gift. In a panic over the $50 million civil lawsuit from ex-Drummond executive David Roberson, Balch demanded today that the judge in the case, the Honorable Tamara Johnson, sign a proposed order dismissing Balch from the civil lawsuit. The proposed order is exactly the same as the…
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Has Balch & Bingham Become a Career Killer?
Balch & Bingham, the once-prestigious silk-stocking law firm appears to have become a career killer. Look at some of the victims: Drummond Company CEO Mike Tracy gone. Ex-Balch partner Jeffrey H. Wood shown the door at DOJ. Ex-Drummond executive Dave Roberson fired. Oliver Robinson sent to federal prison. Ex-Balch client Black Hall Aerospace facing federal probes. Ex-Balch stooge Trey Glenn of EPA forced to resign. Balch crony and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired. Balch stooge Luther Strange loses U.S. Senate seat. As the carcasses stack up, some Balch & Bingham partners have wisely dumped the firm for greener pastures.…
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Balch’s Deception Allegedly Destroys Mountain Brook Family
Selling the family home. Contemplating bankruptcy. Attempting suicide twice. Destabilizing an autistic child. And the alleged cause of these troubles? Balch & Bingham’s deception. Dave Roberson, the ex-Drummond executive who was abruptly fired in February only months after Drummond Company publicly vowed to defend and support him, has mounted a $50 million civil lawsuit that has provoked a deep look at Balch & Bingham’s alleged misconduct. Ex-Balch & Bingham partner and convicted felon Joel I. Gilbert apologized to Dave Roberson during his criminal sentencing hearing. Why? Because Gilbert appears to have repeatedly lied to Roberson, and never had Balch’s ethics…
