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Hank Asbill quoted in Law360 article, “Drummond exec, Balch & Bingham partner trial goes to jury”

Law360

Henry Asbill

Hank Asbill was quoted on July 19, 2018 in a Law360 article, “Drummond exec, Balch & Bingham partner trial goes to jury,” which discussed the closing remarks during the U.S. v. Gilbert et al. trial. The article stated, “The jury was ready to deliberate by lunchtime Thursday after hearing closing defense arguments for David Roberson, vice president for government and regulatory affairs at the Drummond Co. Inc., and closing rebuttal for the government. Federal prosecutors have accused Roberson and former Balch environmental partner Joel Gilbert of creating a running contract to pay former Alabama legislator Oliver Robinson’s literacy foundation with the understanding that Robinson would undertake to influence state activity in favor of Drummond subsidiary ABC Coke — one of several companies tagged by the EPA as ‘potentially responsible’ for the pollution migrating outwards from a sprawling north Birmingham industrial site into majority-black neighborhoods. Roberson’s lawyer, Hank Asbill of Buckley Sandler LLP, asked jurors Thursday to stay focused on Roberson’s government affairs work at Drummond.”

Asbill stated, “This case is not a referendum on macro issues. It’s not about shining a spotlight on the underbelly of our political system. It’s not about coal companies … It’s not about demographic warfare or equality. None of those issues are going to be solved in this trial. My client was just doing his job when he suggested to Joel Gilbert and Steve McKinney and Trey Glenn and Scott Phillips that the foundation would be good to work with. When he works to maintain attorney–client privilege and passes on the message that Drummond wants to keep its relationship with the foundation confidential … he was doing his job.”

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