In November 2019, attorney John Pierce owed over $1 million in taxes, $90,000 to Citibank, $27,000 to his ex-wife’s mother, and was essentially broke. A few months later, in February 2020, Pierce absconded with $2.5 million from a pay day lender. Around two weeks later, Pierce’s ex-wife accused him of breaching child support obligations. Then, an April 2020 report said Pierce’s firm owed $65 million. In August 2020, Kyle Rittenhouse hired Pierce. By February 2021, the 18-year-old fired Pierce. Weeks later, a former client accused Pierce of trying to secure cash against the $2 million Rittenhouse bond. Pierce is now counsel for Christopher Worrell, who reportedly has ties to the Proud Boys. Is Pierce being compensated? If so, by whom? Is there pride in being a swindler?
The General Public
Pierce was paid for Rittenhouse legal work with donations from the public. Questions have arisen about Pierce and donations received through Rittenhouse fundraising efforts — the #FightBack Foundation and #FreeKyleUSA. In addition, Pierce and his firm have a track record of failing to pay debts as they become due.
Is Pierce back to targeting the general public?
Tweets from January are noteworthy. The day before the Capitol Attack, Pierce suggested he was counsel for Proud Boy Enrique Tarrio; he also mentions a new fundraising effort.
Just two months later, Pierce is counsel for reported Proud Boy member Christopher Worrell. The same “Worrell” captured in the photo below.
As for the Capitol Attack, as captured in The Hill Reporter, Pierce engaged in inflammatory rhetoric, a video created by Jennifer Sulkess provides enlightening context as well.
Culture of Corruption
Prior to Pierce’s involvement with Rittenhouse and The Proud Boys, he ran Pierce Bainbridge Beck Price & Hecht; he now calls his firm “Pierce Bainbridge P.C.” The firm was corrupt. Indictments, money laundering, violence and more have arisen for individuals who have been tied to Pierce Bainbridge.
In addition, former firm partners have lied under oath, deceived their own clients, been accused of suborning perjury, and conceded that detailed allegations against the firm a few years ago: “if true, would amount to criminal activity.”
The individuals in the photo were some of Pierce’s longest tenured partners. Denver G. Edwards (Bradford Edwards & Varlack), Christopher N. LaVigne (Withers Bergman, Withers Worldwide), David L. Hecht (Hecht Partners), Carolynn K. Beck (Goldstein & McClintock). Giuliani is front and center, Pierce on the far right, more on issues with these folks is at “Little Glass Houses for Rudy Giuliani.“
A Bad Financial Scene Back in 2018
Given the corruption, it’s perhaps unsurprising that financial issues have dogged Pierce and his law firm for years. Indeed, red flags were evident back in 2018.
By way of quick example, Pierce’s former partner, Christopher N. LaVigne, learned that Pierce had siphoned $200,000 from firm accounts in two months (August and September 2018), at a time when the firm was struggling to make payroll, and also, at some point, not paying creditors. LaVigne said Pierce should be reported.
Furthermore, in October 2018, Pierce said “Newtek” rejected his request for a $1 million Small Business Association loan. According to Pierce, a client agreed to back the loan with her $6 million home. This was not enough, Pierce’s credit apparently that bad.
(As for LaVigne, months later, he lied under oath for Pierce, as did Denver G. Edwards; they both lied around one month after the firm reportedly received $28.5 million from Virage Capital. Interesting.)
The Ugly Continues in 2019 and 2020
Litigation funder Pravati Capital began funding Pierce Bainbridge in mid-2017, by March 2019 the funder had declared a $9.1 million default. Virage Capital jumped in and started funding Pierce’s firm in April 2019, by May 2020, Pierce Bainbridge “defaulted on the debt.” In January 2021, Virage said Pierce Bainbridge owes “not less than $59 million.“
In an odd twist, Virage poured more money into Pierce Bainbridge spin-off firm Hecht Partners shortly after the report of a $65 million Pierce Bainbridge debt to the funder.
On top of the Pravati and Virage mega-millions, Pierce and Pierce Bainbridge secured millions more from cash advance lenders. Each of the lenders eventually sued. In addition, at least five vendors of legal services have sued the firm. One of the vendors apparently made the video below, which, in light of what transpired with the firm — Pierce Bainbridge cratered from around 70 attorneys in September 2019 to almost none by May 2020 — is entertaining viewing.
Genre? Comedy.
Can the John Pierce Hamster Wheel Survive 2021?
This year has not been kind to John Pierce.
A Rough Three Months
- It was exposed that Pierce quit on five clients since October 2020.
- Virage Capital publicly confirmed that Pierce Bainbridge owes the funder “not less than $59 million.”
- The only known associate at Pierce’s firm quit.
- Pierce’s long-time ex-partner, David Hecht was exposed as a guy who deceives his own clients into signing paperwork with his law firm, Hecht Partners.
- Pierce says he is “elite,” Hecht markets that he was honored by some outfit as “One of the Most Foremost Patent Attorneys in the World.” The criteria are not entirely clear. But we ask: Is this world class?
- The 18-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse fired Pierce.
- The Kenosha Police basically said Pierce lied in a sworn affidavit.
- A former client accused Pierce of trying to cash in on the $2 million Rittenhouse bond.
- Another former client opined that Pierce is a “crook.”
- Pierce failed to deliver for Worrell, and now his client will remain in jail through trial.
Failure, loss, and rejection for John Pierce.
Consequences?
Pierce’s poor behavior continues to negatively impact individuals, businesses and professions throughout the country. Pierce, however, other than public shame, has apparently faced no real consequences, judicial, disciplinary or criminal. The same for Pierce’s former and current enablers and sycophants.
Pierce is a Donald Trump fan. Trump said he could shoot someone on 5th Avenue, and it would be all good. Makes you wonder.
The bullet point list above is something.
And, hey, it’s only March.
Finally, to bring this full circle, is there pride in being a swindler?
***Check out “My David & Goliath Battle With the Corrupt Law Firm Hired by Rudy Giuliani.“ You can also find me at @DonLew87 on Twitter and Don Lewis-2215 @ Medium
