National Review's Ramesh Ponnuru wrote this column on Fred Baron -- President emeritus of the American Trial Lawyers Association and prominent Dallas plaintiffs' attorney.
Baron's wife is Lisa Blue, the third most powerful partner in his firm, Baron & Budd, an accredited psychologist with a Ph.D. and an award-winning trial lawyer herself. Blue changed her name from Blumenthal because she thought it was too Jewish-sounding for Texas, especially in the sticks (and there are a LOT of sticks in Texas). On the day of final summation, Blue wears a royal blue suit and a large cross on a necklace (sympathy and sacrifice). Victims of the Inquisition must spin in their graves.
Baron & Budd is notorious for ethically dubious tactics and a pit bull mentality in fighting its cases. It is primarily an asbestos-claims mill that sues numerous defendants in each case its clients bring. Its most famous ethical breach is the "paralegal memo" of 1998 -- a cheatsheet telling clients how to testify, what to say and which asbestos manufacturers not to identify too much (the ones in bankruptcy who cannot be sued).
The aftermath of that controversy: no lasting stain on Baron & Budd, but three companies driven to bankruptcy by B&B in retaliation for pursuing the ethical charges. B&B targeted the companies in their lawsuits, obtained big judgments and forced the companies to flee to the bankruptcy courts.
And B&B will target its enemies as a matter of course. The judge who had the paralegal memo presented to him in a case referred the matter to an ethics panel (nothing happened) and Baron responded by leading the charge for the judge's ouster in the next election. Baron succeeded. Baron also targets the press if it doesn't cater to his story.
Baron is a close friend of John Edwards.
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