Asbestos Industry Attacks Law Firm’s Coaching Tactics

Defense attorneys for asbestos manufacturers are questioning the ethics of a Dallas law firm that uses a controversial memo to coach its clients on how to testify after filing claims, The Dallas Morning News reported Sunday.

At stake is the credibility of millions of dollars in claims by Baron & Budd clients nationwide.

The defendants’ lawyers claim in court records that a 20-page memorandum Baron & Budd gives clients before they testify is designed to “create evidence that would perpetuate a fraud.”

“It tells how to lie. Do it with confidence. The more confident you are, the more money you’ll get,” said Tom Riley, a lawyer for Raymark Industries, which is being sued in an Ohio asbestos case.

Attorney Bob Greenberg, who represents Baron & Budd, said the controversy is a defense tactic to sabotage legitimate cases.