New law will prohibit state employed law firms from suing state

Columbia, SC – October 12, 2010 – Senator Ronnie Cromer (R-Newberry) announced plans today to introduce legislation in the 2011 session of the General Assembly enacting sweeping state government legal reforms, specifically a prohibition on lawyers and law firms employed or contracted by the state from engaging in lawsuits against the state and state agencies.

Recently its was revealed that law firms employed to defend and represent the state of South Carolina and its agencies have engaged in the practice of bringing lawsuits against the State at the same time.

“It’s really just common sense,’ said Cromer.  “As a small businessman, if I hire a firm to perform legal work only to later discover that same firm has sued my business, I’m going to fire that firm.”

“As we strive to make state government more accountable and transparent for the taxpayers, this is the first of many reforms needed to make government run and operate like a business.”