The Washington Post: Drummond Company and Balch Sued for $50 Million by “Fall Guy” Dave Roberson

Breaking News: The Washington Post reports how Drummond Company Executive  Dave Roberson was thrown over the side of the bridge by Drummond Company.

Is Drummond more loyal now to Balch & Bingham than their employees?

From today’s breaking news story:

Drummond initially stuck by Roberson, its executive. “While we respect the judicial process, we consider David to be a man of integrity who would not knowingly engage in wrongdoing,” the company said in a statement when he was convicted.

Then in February, Roberson was summoned to a meeting with the company’s CEO and chief legal officer. Roberson, who earned $300,000 a year, had expected to discuss a bonus.

Instead, he was fired. Tracy, the CEO, said it was “one of the toughest things ever” and offered to pay him a lump sum of about half a year’s salary. Roberson said he had “worked hard for this company” and was “so disappointed.”

On March 17, Roberson filed a $50 million lawsuit against Drummond and Balch & Bingham, claiming that they misled him and “destroyed” his reputation and that he had been “humiliated.” He said Drummond’s general counsel had normally signed checks but asked Roberson to sign the ones to reimburse Balch for Robinson’s grass-roots campaign. Now Roberson said he felt like “the fall guy.”

“Joel was a friend,” Roberson said in an interview with The Washington Post. “I don’t consider him much of a friend now for doing what he’s done to me.”

Roberson was fired immediately after the end of the statute of limitations for legal malpractice, which his lawyer said was an effort to shield the company.

Read the whole Washington Post story by clicking here.