Richard Burke
EAST ST. LOUIS – Former Lakin Law Firm attorney Richard Burke has amended his complaint against the firm in U.S. District Court, to allege that a grand jury indicted Tom Lakin on morals charges.
Lynette Petruska of St. Louis wrote for Burke that the indictments "were widely reported in the media in southern Illinois and eastern Missouri, where the Lakin Law Firm regularly practices business, and regularly voir dires jurors on behalf of its clients."
Burke sued the Lakins in January, claiming the firm owed him at least $500,000 from class actions he settled.
Petruska and lead attorney Chet Pleban of St. Louis have argued that Burke tried to protect class action clients from Lakin scandals.
They claim the Lakins put their own interests ahead of client interests.
Since leaving the Lakin firm Burke has teamed with a Chicago firm, Freed & Weiss, that shared cases with the Lakins for seven years.
Freed & Weiss has sued the Lakins in Cook County, and the Lakins have sued Freed & Weiss in Madison County.
Similarly, the Lakins responded to Burke's federal suit with a counterclaim alleging breach of contract.