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Tampa-based law firm to advise networks
By WILLIAM R. LEVESQUE © St. Petersburg Times, published November 11, 2000 As the managing partner of Florida's largest law firm and its 1,200 lawyers, Bill McBride said he knows he's going to have some zealous Democrats and Republicans in the bunch. But political activism by attorneys for Tampa-based Holland & Knight forced McBride to rebuff recent inquiries by both the Gore and Bush campaigns to represent either side in the Florida election cliff-hanger. So the law firm is taking a route free of potential conflict. Holland & Knight will represent CNN and ABC, providing campaign-related legal opinions to the networks. "We have too many conflicts, so we can't represent either the Democrats or Republicans," McBride said. "Everybody wants a lawyer right now. It's the Florida Lawyer Full-Employment Act. If you're a lawyer in Florida and don't represent somebody on one of these elections' issues, then you're probably on vacation." The problem for the firm, McBride said, is that some of its attorneys already do free work for one side or the other as political partisans. McBride said he doesn't limit his attorneys' political activism. It's work he said they do for any political party that pleases them on their own time. But legally, a firm can't represent two sides on an issue in court. And if Holland & Knight ended up representing one party or the other, the firm could face a challenge because its attorneys already do work for the other side, albeit on their own time. "It's a very fuzzy line," McBride said. "It's messy. We've got 1,200 lawyers. And very conservatively, we have 400 or 500 involved in one way or another on all sides of the issue in all parts of the country. McBride, a lifelong Democrat, acknowledged that some partners in his firm didn't agree with the decision. Some wanted the firm to jump into the political fray with both feet. But he said it isn't unusual for firm attorneys to disagree. "We're a team and we move forward," McBride said. "It's not important that everybody at Holland & Knight think politically and socially the same way. Every time we take on a new death penalty case, I've got partners who don't think it's a smart thing to do. But they go along with whatever the firm decision is." The law firm won't be representing ABC or CNN in any courtroom. Instead, attorneys will provide on-air commentary or simply advise those networks on election law, McBride said. While some of his attorneys are not happy staying out of the political fight, McBride said his firm isn't lacking for clients. "Fortunately," he said, "we get hired a lot."
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From the Times |
