Walker says ex-judge joined firm before he did

JUNEAU, Alaska (AP) – The Latest on a former judge joining an Anchorage law firm (all times local):

4:05 p.m.

Former Alaska Gov. Bill Walker says an ex-Superior Court judge ousted by voters went to work for a law firm months before he joined the practice.

In a text message to The Associated Press on Thursday, Walker says Michael Corey was with the firm before Walker joined in April.

The firm, Brena, Bell and Clarkson changed its name to Brena, Bell and Walker with the addition of Walker following the departure of Kevin Clarkson, who is now Alaska’s attorney general.

The firm sent a news release Thursday announcing Corey had joined the firm. The firm did not immediately respond to a question of why the release was sent months after Walker says Corey joined.

Corey lost a judicial retention vote last year after accepting the plea deal for a man who pleaded guilty to felony assault but wound up serving no prison time. Some saw the sentence as too lenient.

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12:10 p.m.

A former Superior Court judge ousted by voters after accepting a plea deal in an assault case that some saw as too lenient has joined former Gov. Bill Walker’s law firm.

The Anchorage firm of Brena, Bell and Walker said Michael Corey is expected to handle complex civil matters and help resolve disputes outside of court.

Corey lost a judicial retention vote last year after accepting the plea deal for Justin Schneider.

Schneider was accused of attacking and masturbating on a woman in 2017. Schneider pleaded guilty to felony assault and was sentenced to two years in prison with one year suspended. Having spent a year in home confinement, he had no more time to serve.

Corey had said he thought the sentence was too light but deferred to prosecutors.