From Deseret News archives:
Speaker to join firm that helps developers
But Curtis doesn't expect any conflicts of interest
But Curtis, R-Sandy, who becomes speaker next week, says there should be no conflicts of interest because the firm "has no lobbyists before the Legislature and shouldn't be lobbying" the Legislature.
Created earlier this month, the firm of Hutchings, Baird & Jones will be appearing before local cities and counties and suing if necessary on behalf of residential homebuilding clients. Some of their clients include Ivory Development, Anderson Development, Woodbury homes and Garbett Homes.
In fact, former 3rd District Judge Michael Hutchings, who is joining Bruce Baird and Michael Jones, has a history of suing on behalf of clients or threatening lawsuits against a number of Wasatch Front cities, including Riverton, Bluffdale, South Jordan, Tooele and West Valley City, Deseret Morning News archives show.
Baird, who describes himself as a "rabble-rousing Democrat," and Curtis, a lifelong active Republican, may be seen as strange bedfellows. But Baird says "it's just good lawyering" to pick up Curtis, the former legal counsel to outgoing Republican Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman and a former West Jordan city attorney. Curtis knows local government law, said Baird, and is a fine attorney.
He resigned as Workman's counsel last spring, a casualty of the county's upper-echelon troubles with county cars and mileage reimbursements.
"I don't see any potential conflicts because (the law firm) will not be lobbying the Legislature," Curtis said. He added that he "won't be handling any clients in the upcoming session; too busy."
Nevertheless, Curtis concedes he may be doing some "overflow" work for Hutchings, Baird & Jones — drafting legal papers, for example — during the 45-day general legislative session.
After the 2005 Legislature adjourns in early March, Curtis said he anticipates averaging 24 hours a week with the firm, spending the rest of his time in speakership and legislative duties.
While there may be no direct conflicts of interest, the Utah House speaker is seen as one of the three most powerful people in state government, along with the governor and Senate president. And having a sitting speaker who himself, or through his firm, sues local governments could be interesting.
Like Curtis, Senate president-elect John Valentine, R-Orem, is also an attorney. He practices as a tax expert with a local Orem law firm.
Come January, for the first time anyone can remember the top two legislators are attorneys who either individually or through their firms could be hired out, raising the question of "secret" conflicts of interest should the men decline to name their clients.
