Citizens Against Lawsuit Abuse of Central Texas

LareDos News
February 5, 2010

The scourge of barratry in our legal system is touching many lives in a negative way and adversely affecting many lawyer’s careers and earnings. Barratry is what is referred to as the process by which disputes and quarrels are created in order drum up business. The Texas Penal Code states that it is a third degree felony to solicit professional “employment either in person or by telephone for himself or another” by lawyers or their representatives. But barratry is still rampant in this state on the part of some unscrupulous lawyers and their “runners.” According to attorney Ron Rodriguez, there is a lot of it going on in Laredo. Rodriguez sponsored a recent seminar on barratry, titled “Running in Reverse: Pursuing Barratry Claims.” The event featured incisive comments by Rodriguez and insights provided by invited guest speaker William “Bill” Edwards, a well-respected trial lawyer from Corpus Christi. The two attorneys spoke to a group of approximately 30 lawyers attending the meeting at the Webb County Central Jury Room. “The barratry epidemic is worse in Laredo than anywhere else in the United States,” Rodriguez said, adding, “It’s a huge problem facing both the city and the county.” Rodriguez further stated, “Texas law is designed to protect victims, and everyone deserves to be free from harassment by lawyers and law enforcement -- it’s up to us to take a stand.” He further stated, “Victims should request legal representation, and they should choose someone based on experience, reputation, and results. The majority of our local lawyers are honest, dedicated individuals, and it is up to us to stamp out barratry wherever it shows its ugly face.” He added that Laredo’s situation was chronic because no action had been taken for “too long a time.” He added, “It is the undelegable duty of lawyers to act.” Edwards, whom Rodriguez referred to as “the dean of trial lawyers,” focused his attention on case runners. “High-dollar case running is a corrupting influence, and it has affected the integrity of the Bar, the judiciary, and the government.” He added, “Lawyers and their runners are treating potential clients as pieces of meat. Many times, when there’s an accident, there are more case runners in Feature Attorney Ronald Rodriguez sponsors ethics seminar on the scourge of barratry Running in Reverse: Pursuing Barratry Claims the hospital room than doctors. It’s bad stuff, terrible stuff. The state Bar needs to be stimulated.” He gave concrete examples of broad-ranging, often international conspiracies perpetrated by case running outfits that bribe, corrupt, and coerce people “on a regular basis in cases that involve multiple millions or even billions of dollars,” which have unscrupulous lawyers, doctors, chiropractors, or even elected officials on their payroll. He said that there are many chiropractors who make huge sums of money for themselves and for legal firms by convincing patients that they have something wrong with them. “I recently got a call from Washington in which I was told that the federal government is stirring on this.” He added, “And I know that the Texas Attorney General wants to see barratry stopped. I know of cases in which runners go back and forth between cases in private jets.” “We have one tool -- the lawsuit,” Edwards said, “and we as lawyers must be brave enough to use it -- we’re charting new ground here. We must keep in mind that not to blow the whistle on barratry when we see it is a breach of fiduciary duty.