By Nathan Abse and Ruth Marcus
Washington Post Staff Writers
Wednesday, October 14, 1998; Page A06

Independent counsel Kenneth W. Starr made $1.2 million last year from his private legal practice and his family's assets total at least $4.5 million, according to his newly released 1997 financial disclosure statement.

In July, Starr took an unpaid leave of absence from his partnership at Kirkland & Ellis, saying his investigation of President Clinton had reached a "critical stage" and he wanted to devote his full energies to it "until I complete my public duties." He has made about $1 million a year from the firm since becoming independent counsel in 1994.

Starr's extensive private legal work and the hefty compensation he has received throughout his long-running Clinton probe have given ammunition to some critics who say his private legal practice presented conflicts of interests -- for example, representing tobacco interests at odds with White House positions -- and took time away from an investigation that has lasted more than four years.

The independent counsel statute allows lawyers to maintain private practices.

Starr's disclosure form, filed last month, listed his 1997 income from Kirkland & Ellis as $1,252,731. In addition, Starr received $25,000 for teaching a course at New York University law school, of which he gave back $5,000. His assets -- largely Treasury bills, mutual funds and stocks -- generated income of at least $131,400.

In addition to his house in McLean, Starr owns a condominium in Tarpon Springs, Fla., valued at between $50,001 and $100,000, and a time-share in Ocean City, Md., valued at between $1,001 and $15,000. The form also showed that he has a loan from Bank of America, of between $50,001 and $100,000, at the prime rate.