CHICAGO (IL)
NBC Chicago
[with video]
By Phil Rogers
Even as he attempts to get his arms around the affairs of the Chicago Archdiocese, Archbishop Blaise Cupich continues to be entangled in the bitter lawsuit he filed against his own law firm in Spokane.
In two weeks, Cupich is expected to return to his former Diocese, to provide a second sworn deposition in the case.
At issue, is Cupich’s allegation that the law firm, Paine Hamblen, was guilty of malpractice, failing to provide adequate legal counsel in a thorny bankruptcy, stemming from millions of dollars in sexual abuse claims. He further contended that the firm had an inherent conflict of interest, never revealed to the bankruptcy court, because it had represented the previous Bishop, William Skylstad, who was accused of failing to adequately protect parishoners from another priest.
Ironically, in his own deposition, Skylstad defended Paine Hamblen. And the Spokane Diocese’s previous Vicar General, Steven Dublinski, said he resigned because he so opposed the actions Cupich had taken.
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