October 07, 2004

Fred Baron of Baron & Budd, the trial lawyer and political kingmaker much criticized (by me, among many others) for the ethical questions raised by his asbestos practice, tells the Oct. 2 Houston Chronicle)(via Evan Schaeffer) that he's out of the asbestos game now, even if people don't recognize it:

[Baron] says he sold his partnership share at the end of 2002 so as to not present a conflict of interest with his present job: raising money for the Democratic presidential ticket.

"I'm done with asbestos litigation. I'm finished," Baron, 57, said in a recent interview. "Nobody prints that because I'm a poster boy, an asbestos lawyer working in his own self-interest."

He allows a bit later, however, that he is still an employee of the firm. His wife, Lisa Blue, remains a partner.