Summary: A former clerk of Martin & Seibert, L.C. says she was fired because she blew the whistle on their overcharging of high worth clients.
Law firm Martin & Seibert allegedly fired the company whistleblower, and now she’s suing.
Christine Blanda was a clerk at the West Virginia law firm that was raided by the Federal Bureau of Investigation in November, ABA Journal reports. She filed a federal lawsuit against Martin & Seibert because she said she was wrongfully terminated.
Blanda was fired before the raid, in January 2015. In her lawsuit, the nearly ten-year employee said that she complained to supervisors that they were excessively billing publicly traded companies. She said at the time of her employment she was also cooperating with the FBI.
In her suit, Blanda seeks to reinstate her job at the 14 lawyer firm. She also wants punitive damages for the their actions. She alleges that their conduct amounted to threatening a federal witness.
While Martin & Seibert did not comment on Blanda’s lawsuit, they released a statement after the November raid, which appeared to blame its disgruntled employees for their troubles.
“We were fully aware of current threats and claims against the firm by former, disgruntled employees. Over the last 12 months, several attempts were made via social media to defame the character and business practices of Martin & Seibert, L.C. … We are, and will continue to fully cooperate with the FBI as the investigation ensues and are confident we will rise above these allegations and return our focus back to our clients,” Martin & Seibert said.
One look at the firm’s Glassdoor page seems to confirm Martin & Seibert’s claims that employees were blasting them online. While one review was positive, the majority of the 15 reviews had 1 starred ratings with scathing remarks which included:
“It is the Disney World of corrupt law firms!”
“Think of the worst scenario you have ever experienced and multiple it to the 100th power.”
“Sinking faster than the Titanic!”
While management and staff may not have clicked, at least the firm hired creative writers.
Martin & Seibert’s website touts that its shareholders hold a prestigious “rating from Martindale Hubbell for high ethical standards and legal ability.” They have four offices in West Virginia and Maryland, and in 2016, U.S. News and World Report listed it as being the “Best Law Firm” in the Martindale area for Commercial Finance Law, Insurance Law, Mass Tort Litigation/Class Actions, Personal Injury Litigation, and Product Liability Litigation.
Source: ABA Journal