Legal News

Blago Adds Genson & Gillespie to Legal Team

By Dan Slater

Edward M. Genson leaves his office after meeting with Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his wife Patti Sunday, Dec. 14, 2008, in Chicago. (AP/Charles Rex Arbogast)

When embattled Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich showed up in court last week alongside a little known Chicago criminal defense lawyer from a small firm — Sheldon Sorosky of Kaplan Sorosky — some surmised that Blago might need help that stretched beyond the resources of the five-person law firm.

On Monday, the Journal reports, Blago hired the prominent Chicago defense firm of Genson & Gillespie to represent him in the unfolding federal investigation of the governor.

Partners Edward N. Genson and Terrence Gillespie have played high-profile roles as attorneys for decades in some of the most well-known corruption cases in the state. Genson, for instance, repped repped Conrad Black, the fallen media baron, as well as clients in the federal government’s investigation of the secretary of state’s office under since-convicted former Gov. George Ryan.

The trio - Genson, Gillespie and Sorosky - have crossed paths before. All represented clients in the sexual misconduct trial of former U.S. Congressman Mel Reynolds, accused of having sex with an underage campaign worker. Reynolds was convicted but President Clinton later commuted his sentence. Sorosky, who represented a co-defendant in that case was more successful. His client, accused of obstruction of justice, went home mid-way through the trial when the judge granted a summary judgment motion.

Sorosky has closer ties to the governor than Genson and Gillespie; Blagojevich was once an associate at Kaplan Sorosky. Both Sorosky and Jim Kaplan attended the governor’s wedding. “He was our associate and our friend,” Kaplan told the Law Blog last week.

The Journal has documented Blagojevich’s problems with legal bills here. It’s unclear how he’ll pay his new lawyers, let alone Sorosky. As of last week a fee agreement had not been reached between the governor and Sorosky, Kaplan said. He didn’t return calls today.

Full post as published by Law Blog - WSJ.com on December 16, 2008 (boomark / email).