USAPA the soap opera...
We have romance..
The Girlfriend
Lee Seham had an attorney working in his firm that had been doing legal work for USAPA. This female attorney started dating the USAPA VP – Randy Mowrey. One of his clients, an Officer of a labor union, was dating one of his staff members who was closely involved in legal work for the client – the labor union — a big problem!
(A new law firm for USAPA, O’Dwyer and Bernstien, have said it is not a problem…Even though they are lawyers and they are not directly involved, they do not know the entire history and they do not know all the details. It is a real problem for another firm to say there is no ethical problem when the principles of the firm involved say there is. We believe that it is not a call for outsiders to make.)
The Seham attorney who is romantically involved with USAPA VP Randy Mowrey has stopped working for Lee Seham. The details of her separation from the law firm Seham, Seham, Meltz, and Petersen are not known as they are covered under confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements.
There are many rumors out on the line, and good information has been hard to come by. The situation brings up more questions than answers, but we have been able to learn several things.
At an earlier BPR meeting, Randy Mowrey read a statement that stated the ongoing relationship between USAPA and Lee Seham’s firm was dependent on how Lee Seham treated his former staff attorney, who is now romantically involved with USAPA VP Mowrey.
Mike Cleary and Randy Mowrey were upset with Lee Seham when the BPR sought his legal advice over the alleged altercation between Randy Mowrey and Sec/Treas Rob Streble.
Mike Cleary did not consult with Lee Seham prior to filing the NY lawsuit against US Airways for status quo violations this past May 2011. Mike was not happy when Lee advised against the NY lawsuit and that it undercuts USAPA’s interests.
We also believe that Lee Seham advised USAPA the union was exposed to the preliminary injunction that was just decided by Judge Conrad in NC. We understand that Seham’s law firm was not consulted in the unsuccessful defense of this injunction action.
We can all read into what has happened.
The “romantic relationship” has become more important, than “keeping” one of the best Railway Labor Act attorneys in the country –an obvious conflict of interest! The ego of Mike Cleary and his controlling nature have both been threatened when Legal has advised against his legal strategy. We all know that Mike Cleary, and only Mike Cleary (in his own mind), knows best.
Mike Cleary and Randy Mowrey know the pilots will not sit still and watch Lee Seham get fired over a girlfriend and legal advice that Mike doesn’t like. So they have to “cook up” a valid reason. And that is why we are hearing that Lee Seham was terminated for overbilling.
Compass correction