Alaska fires law firm in PFAS chemicals case

By David Thomas

Jan 12 (Reuters) - The state of Alaska has again terminated a contract with a national plaintiffs' law firm over claims that it violated conflict-of-interest provisions, this time in litigation over firefighting foam chemicals that allegedly contaminated water supplies.

Dallas-based law firm Baron & Budd said on Monday that the state terminated its relationship with the firm because of the potential for conflicts arising from related cases the firm is pursuing.

Scott Summy, a Baron & Budd shareholder who was representing the state, said in a statement that the firm disagrees with the state's contention.

"Lawyers routinely represent multiple plaintiffs in mass tort context cases, and we could have continued to represent Alaska in accord with applicable ethical rules," Summy said.

A spokesperson for Alaska's Department of Law did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Republican Alaska Attorney General Stephen Cox in October ended a similar contract with law firm Motley Rice, which the state had hired to pursue a lawsuit related to opioid painkillers.

The state alleged Motley Rice violated confidentiality and conflict-of-interest provisions. Motley Rice disputed those allegations.

Alaska hired Baron & Budd as the state brought a lawsuit in 2021 related to firefighting foam containing PFAS, a class of chemicals used in consumer and commercial products, including firefighting foams, non-stick pans and stain-resistant fabrics. PFAS have been tied to cancers and other diseases, and are often called forever chemicals because they do not easily break down in nature or the human body.

The lawsuit, targeting 3M MMM.N, DuPont de Nemours DD.N, Chemours CC.N and other manufacturers, is now pending in Charleston, South Carolina, federal court. Spokespersons for the companies did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Lawyers from Baron & Budd and other firms secured PFAS-related settlements worth more than $11 billion in 2024 on behalf of a group of public water systems. A federal judge awarded the firms more than $956 million in legal fees for their work.

Summy said the firm's expertise and leadership roles in the multi-district litigation over PFAS "have greatly benefited all our clients, including Alaska."

"While we disagree with Alaska’s decision, we wish the state continued success in its efforts," Summy said.

(Reporting by David Thomas)