If around in the 1990s, you might remember the jockeying among law firms that went on in the months leading up to the state’s multibillion tobacco litigation. Every major plaintiff’s firm in the state—and plenty of national firms, too—competed for a piece of the action, while smaller practices worked deals to get hired on with whatever consortium of firms was ultimately selected.
A version of that dynamic is currently playing out in Baton Rouge as several firms are competing to represent city-parish government in what could be a potentially very lucrative opioid abuse case.
Earlier this fall, Mayor Sharon Weston Broome said she supports having Baton Rouge join a lawsuit against major drug distributors, following the lead of dozens of municipalities and states across the country in litigating the opioid epidemic.
After vetting several firms with the Parish Attorney’s Office, the administration is asking the council to approve a contract with Baron & Budd of Dallas. The decision is not sitting well with the lobbyists and consultants hired to represent some of the other firms in the hunt. They’ve been meeting with council members to lobby against Baron & Budd, which some have suggested is politically tied to the Broome administration, while other complain because the firm is not local.
“People have been coming out of the woodwork, calling to say we shouldn’t go with this firm,” says Metro Councilwoman Barbara Freiberg. “I’ve heard all the stories but I think after going back and forth on the issue I’m going to support going with Baron & Budd.”
Freiberg says she believes the firm—and the local firms it is partnering with, headed by Burton Leblanc—is the best qualified of the teams.
Councilman Buddy Amoroso, however, isn’t convinced and hopes to defer the measure until next year. He believes the council, not just the parish attorney, should hear directly from the firms interested in representing the city.
“I think it serves the public well if we have meetings that all the law firms can be there, the council can ask questions and it would be a public meeting the press would be invited to,” he says. “That would be the best way to have transparency in this selection process.”
Parish Attorney Lea Anne Batson has defended her recommendation of Baron & Budd. In a mid-November email to the council, she said the firm has the most national experience and currently represents 105 cities, counties and governmental entities around the country.
“Their team of experts offers Baton Rouge the highest opportunity for success,” she said. “They are one of the largest national firms with the resources to handle what is certain to be expensive and protracted litigation, but also have a Baton Rouge office and a managing partner, Burton LeBlanc, located here, which will facilitate communication and participation with my office.”
Batson says there are no ties between Baron & Budd and the current administration.
The Council is scheduled to take up the matter at its meeting at 4 p.m. today in the Metro Council chambers, 222 St. Louis St. See the full agenda.
—Stephanie Riegel
