After his final agency dissolved, lawyer reinvents himself as conservative civil liberties warrior
Career
After the dissolution of his last law firm, lawyer reinvents himself as a conservative civil rights activist
August 4, 2021, 4:07 p.m. CDT
A law firm known for civil litigation has reinvented itself as a lawyer for conservative purposes and the accused US Capitol rioters.
Pierce Bainbridge’s name partner John Pierce represents at least 17 defendants in the Capitol attack, more than any other lawyer, the Daily Beast reports.
He previously represented Defendant Kenosha, Wisconsin, and Gunner Kyle Rittenhouse, but withdrew from the case after prosecutors told the court that Pierce was apparently in debt and that his fundraising “provides ample opportunity for self-dealing and fraud.”
Pierce also formed a group called the National Constitutional Law Union that looks for donations to help pay the legal bills of clients whose constitutional rights are at risk. Pierce said in a previous statement that the National Constitutional Law Union was created to counter the “increasing tyranny of government” and the “move to the extreme left” of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Pierce’s former law firm, Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht, saw an exodus of attorneys amid a legal battle between the firm and former partner Don Lewis, who said he was fired after confronting Pierce for alleged financial misconduct. The company countered that Lewis was fired on allegations of sexual inappropriateness.
According to a Law360 story dated July 29, and an earlier report from the publication, the company also faced allegations that its earnings were pledged to multiple lenders and a claim by a litigation funder for a share of the fees earned in ongoing proceedings was owed.
Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht eventually collapsed. Pierce then started a new company, simply called Pierce Bainbridge, according to Law360. It is unclear how many lawyers work in the firm alongside Pierce and fellow namesake Jim Bainbridge, the article said.
Pierce’s new group, the National Constitutional Law Union, is already getting bad press. According to Law360, the group’s chief financial officer, Ryan Joseph-Gene Marshall, was accused last year of forging court documents to help a colleague steal nearly $ 100,000 from her grandmother. Marshall was working as a court clerk in Pennsylvania at the time.
Pierce told Law360 that the Marshall case came from a “little spit” with a local prosecutor and the charges were unfounded. Pierce said Marshall will be an associate at his firm after joining the California Bar Association.
According to Law360, Marshall appears to be the only employee of the National Constitutional Law Union besides Pierce.
Pierce did not comment when contacted by the Daily Beast. He did not immediately respond to the ABA Journal’s email request for comment.
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