Anna Nicole Smith Baby Saga: Debra Opri Still Rooting for Birkhead

The ongoing Anna Nicole Smith baby saga has resulted in alleged charges from Larry Birkhead's one-time attorney Debra Opri revealed online, and the fiery lawyer has taken some heat for her charges by some commentators.  But when she was asked by CNN's A.J. Hammer, "even though you're not together in a professional relationship, are you still rooting for (Larry Birkhead) in this fight," Opri seems to still be on Birkhead's side and especially on Dannielynn's.

Anna Nicole Smith Baby Saga: Debra Opri Still Rooting for Birkhead

She told CNN, "I'm rooting for the cause and that's to get Dannielynn home. And my client, I believe, is the father of the child and I believe everything we did from October 2nd brought us to where we are today. And I am going to say, I think he's the father and I think he should be getting custody of that child very soon."

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She was then quizzed on the reported $600,00 plus bill that has been reported that she presented Birkhead with earlier this week.  "Well, as my attorney has made clear, my publicist has made clear and as I have made clear, I want to defend myself. I have asked my client to allow me to get on there and set the record straight. But my client holds an attorney/client privilege and he has not waived it, which means he happens not allowed me to defend myself."

"And I want to say something specifically, my name and reputation I've built carefully. I've got a great reputation. My ethics are as high as I can make them. I care very much for the clients. And whatever billing is out there, I am telling the public and whoever -- and that person knows who leaked that bill -- that the bill that was leaked may have been altered. It may have been incomplete."

She added that if it could not be settled it will go to a fee dispute arbitration. She then told 'Showbiz Tonight, "My bills and my high profile clients, I have never had anything leaked to the press before. I can only imagine why it was done now."

"But I am telling everyone and I am being very, very clear about it, I will not allow anyone to call me despicable, that I am disrespectful of the legal profession and the Marie Antoinette. There are explanations for everything and I will have my day in court and I will explain carefully every bill, every charge and what the public has heard finally, I want them to know it was incomplete. It was a lie. It was manipulated. And it was defamatory.  So I want the public to know my reputation is everything to me and I will fight to keep it so."