Porter County Council members who voted to withdraw from the Northwest
Indiana Regional Development Authority haven’t had an easy time finding a
law firm to represent the county in the anticipated legal dispute, and
political pressure is being blamed as the reason.
County Council member Dan Whitten, D-at large, said that as of the start of
this week, the council secured the Indianapolis-based Hall Render firm for
representation in the RDA dispute, but only after two other law firms backed
out.
Last month, the council voted 4-3 to award the work to the Bose McKinney &
Evans firm. “We were ready to go,” Whitten said. But the firm pulled out
after being contacted by Hammond Mayor Tom McDermott, an RDA supporter.
Whitten said the firm does legal work for the city of Hammond and the mayor
felt it would be a conflict for the firm to represent Porter County as well
in the RDA dispute.
Another law firm potentially interested in the RDA work also backed out.
Whitten said he was told that the firm was warned, possibly by state
legislators, that it would never get state legal work again if it took on
Porter County’s case.
As of Monday, the council had a letter of engagement with Hall Render, which
assisted the county in the sale of Porter hospital. Hall Render has
indicated that there would be no reason why it shouldn’t take the case,
Whitten said.
Whitten said he finds it troublesome if law firms don’t want to represent
Porter County in the RDA dispute because of the political fallout.
If the RDA is such a good entity as its supporters say it is, then “why are
they playing all these shenanigans?” he said.
Whitten, an attorney specializing in bankruptcy law, said he still believes
Porter County is on sound legal grounds in its decision to withdraw from the
RDA.