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	Phila. Archdiocese Shakes up Legal Team in Sex Abuse Scandal By Gina Passarella and Hank Grezlak [Philadelphia] Legal Intelligencer November 7, 2011 https://viewer.zoho.com/docs/hDddTa Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput is in the process of reorganizing the legal team representing the archdiocese in cases involving the sex abuse scandal. White-collar criminal defense lawyers Robert Welsh and Katherine Recker of Welsh & Recker have been brought in to serve in what has been termed a "quarterback" position in overseeing the defense of these civil and criminal cases and related enforcement issues. The firm has made at least one appearance so far in the case of Billy Doe v. Archdiocese of Philadelphia. "Welsh & Recker has been engaged as counsel by the archdiocese in connection with the pending criminal proceedings and, in that connection, our role will be to respond to subpoenas from the parties and to assist in facilitating witness interviews and testimony as the parties may require," the firm said in a statement. The firm, sources have said, will be overseeing both criminal and civil cases. The changes alter, in part, the decades-long relationship Stradley Ronon Stevens & Young has had as outside counsel to the archdiocese. A source familiar with the changes said a confidential RFP has gone out for firms to replace the work that Stradley Ronon was doing on the civil cases related to the sex abuse scandal. "Stradley will have no role in any sex abuse case or collateral issues," the source said. But that source and several others have said Stradley Ronon's relationship with the archdiocese beyond the sex abuse case remains intact. Stradley Ronon Chairman William R. Sasso said, "We normally don't comment on our clients' affairs." He said the archdiocese remains "a significant client of the office" but said he couldn't comment further on client matters. One source close to the case said Chaput, formerly the Denver archbishop, has also brought in some of his legal team from Denver that helped him defeat proposed legislation in Colorado in 2005 that would have expanded the statute of limitations for sex abuse. The attorneys are staying in Philadelphia for what could be months, the source said. Before the RFP had gone out, the attorneys had been interviewing lawyers at large Philadelphia firms to bring onto the legal team, the source said. Two of the lawyers said to be interviewed were Joseph Tate of Dechert and William Winning of Cozen O'Connor. When asked if Tate was interviewed for work for the archdiocese, a spokeswoman for Dechert said the firm has no representation in the archdiocese case. A call to Winning, who was out of town, was not returned by press time. The Denver firm Chaput has brought in, another source said, is Rothgerber Johnson & Lyons. A number of Rothgerber Johnson attorneys have represented the Denver Archdiocese. Partner Charles Goldberg has served as general counsel to the Denver Archdiocese for decades and was awarded last year the Benemerenti Medal from Pope Benedict XVI. The medal was presented by Chaput. Partner Scott Browning currently serves as trial counsel to the Denver Archdiocese, according to the firm's website. Another person close to the litigation said Welsh & Recker's role was understood to be to monitor the cases and "any sort of ongoing investigation that the DA may have or may not have." This person also confirmed that larger firms had been interviewed and that the Denver lawyers were in town and "they will be here for a while." Other defense counsel in the criminal cases declined to comment on the change, citing a gag order. Jeffrey M. Lindy of Lindy & Tauber and Thomas Bergstrom of Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney, who both represent Monsignor William Lynn, the highest ranking official charged in the case, declined to comment. So did Burton A. Rose, attorney for defendant Bernard Shero. The other defendants' attorneys were unavailable or did not immediately return calls for comment. Slade McLaughlin, the plaintiff's attorney in Billy Doe , said Welsh entered his appearance in the case at a hearing last week in which McLaughlin was seeking a stay until the criminal cases were done. He said Welsh did not object to the stay and said only that he was representing the archdiocese in the matter. McLaughlin said he heard Chaput was looking to bring in attorneys from Denver. He said he didn't know what their role would be or whether Stradley Ronon would be replaced. He said Stradley Ronon has a decades-long relationship with the archdiocese and has "done a damn good job." McLaughlin said he would "be shocked" if the archdiocese would want to bring in a firm that didn't have the institutional knowledge and relationships Stradley Ronon has built up. A request for comment from the archdiocese was not returned by press time
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