Update (August 31, 2011): A public reprimand for David Baer, hopefully a brief (albeit public) detour on the road to recovery.
Original post, November, 2010: Imagine being Chief Legal Counsel for two companies that are the epicenter of the biggest fraud in state history. Let’s assume (taking our nation’s criminal law presumptions at face value) that you are entirely innocent and unconnected with the fraud that was perpetrated. What’s your next move?
Would you be inclined to open a firm specializing in business ethics? This seems to have been the path chosen by David Baer, former Chief Counsel for Petters Group Worldwide and Petters Companies, Inc. (though his role on the Ethos Business Law website is rather understated).
Baer’s plans, however, may need to accommodate a recent setback reported in the Star Tribune: a criminal indictment for possession of cocaine, ecstasy, and “yaba” found in his safe at work (along with his passport). In light of this recent revelation, maybe Baer should have considered the movie star’s frequent response when tied to publicized wrong-doing (maybe (hopefully?) he did).