MEMPHIS, TN -- The National Bar Association is lashing out at Memphis Mayor, Myron Lowery and city hall. The bar association president has sent out a letter questioning Lowery’s motives for trying to fire the city attorney, Elbert Jefferson. The letter also questions the firing of attorney Ricky Wilkins from a case involving Beale Street.
Jefferson and Wilkins are both African-American. The National Bar Association is a professional group that represents Black lawyers and judges.
In the letter, it calls the attorney’s political scapegoats. It says, "Scapegoating attorney's of color, including the city attorney is disingenuous, galling and completely unprofessional."
It goes on to say, “this association is concerned that politicians are playing the race card at the expense of the careers and integrity of hard working men and women of color.”
At city hall, Mayor Myron Lowery says not so fast. Lowery says, “Race has never been an issue. What is an issue is all these high attorneys fees charged to the city. I plan on stopping it because that’s what needs to be done.”
Wilkins has been under scrutiny for the amount of money his firm billed to the city.
Eyewitness News has uncovered attorney Ricky Wilkins isn’t the only one getting a big chunk of the city’s legal business.
Records show, over the past five years Wilkins received $2.8 million in legal fees. The law firm Less, Getz and Lipman billed $3.5 million. Law firm Kiesewetter, Wise, Kaplan, Schwimmer and Prather billed $2.5 million. Firm Ford and Harrison billed $2.2 million. Firm Glankler Brown billed $1.7 million.
