Thursday, March 25, 2010

Law Firm Bills Township $20,000 To Fight $758 Claim

You have to read it to believe. Washington Township Trustee Frank Short paid the Ice Miller law firm $20,000 to fight a $758 poor relief claim by a single mother. The case has dragged on for more than a year and has still not been resolved. Lawrence Township Trustee
Russ Brown tells the Star he hired an attorney to handle a similar claim for his township for a flat fee of $1,000. It's worth noting that the Center Township Trustee spends several hundred thousand dollars a year on legal services with the same law firm. The former trustee, Carl Drummer, recently left his job to become a lobbyist for the firm.

Legal fees don't have to be this expensive. Irresponsible government officials fail to competitively price their legal services and place caps on how much the firm can charge for a particular case. Yet, you see this happen time and time again.

9 comments:

Erich said...

The only good lawyer is a... healthy, honest lawyer! Hope you are feeling better...

Sir Hailstone said...

I saw that in the Star and thought "WTF?!?". Then I saw the law firm who is getting the dosh --- Ice Miller.

Need I say more?

Indy4U2C said...

Let me explain this; we learned from Blagojevich: It's called MACHINE POLITICS...quid pro quo, "you scratch my back, I scratch yours", "there's money in it for all of us".

You see Democrat Short hires crony law firm to "represent" the taxpayers. They perform work that runs up bills paid for with tax dollars that nobody would imagine. Democrat Short will likely see "a little something" in his campaign fund from the law firm.

Corruption is as corruption does!

-The Democrat Machine

varangianguard said...

Maybe the Trustee was just ignorant of the possibility of being able to hire an attorney for a flat fee?

And, all that money like as not for some neophyte, fledgling attorney not long out of law school.

Mr. Short is Marion County's political putz of the week.

Unknown said...

Because Mr Short is a licensed attorney, I'm sure he knows fees differ. Besides campaign contributions, is it unreasonable to suggest that Short may be a lobbyist for other Ice Miller clients.

Hope your health continues to improve.

Gary R. Welsh said...

Thanks, Nancy. I believe Short is related by marriage to Phil Bayt, a partner at Ice Miller.

M Theory said...

Here's Frank Short's office number
317) 327-8800

Ben said...

What law firm does Tom John work for?

If Jason Fishburns dad gets elected will he be funneling money to Tom Johns law firm ?

Paul K. Ogden said...

Nancy,

I don't think Frank Short is an attorney. He did pass law school but doesn't show up on the Indiana Roll of Attorneys.

He did work at a law firm for awhile, but as a lobbyist as I recall.