Title
Authorization to Enter into Agreements for Outside Legal Counsel Services (Ordinance S-47701)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, through the City Attorney, or his designee, to enter into legal services agreements with various law firms and lawyers to provide outside counsel services to the City on an as-needed basis as determined by the City Attorney. Further request to authorize the City Controller to disburse funds in an amount not to exceed $19 million in total over the two-year period for FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-23 for purposes of this ordinance.
Report
Summary
The existing list of qualified firms and attorneys that currently provide legal services to the City on an as-needed basis expires June 30, 2021. The Law Department issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for law firms and lawyers to submit qualifications to be on the list of qualified legal counsel for the City for a variety of areas of legal practice, for the next two years. The Law Department received 60 responses to the RFQ and determined that 58 firms and attorneys who submitted met the minimum requirements and have been approved to be placed on the attached list to be engaged to represent the City on a case-by-case basis (Attachment A). The two firms who were not on the list did not agree to the City's standard terms and the City Attorney will negotiate agreements with those two firms which currently represent the City on a limited basis in specialized areas of law.
The City Code authorizes the City Attorney to enter into agreements to provide legal services for the City of Phoenix. Upon approval of this request by the City Council, the City Attorney will enter into agreements, as needed, with firms from the attached list of approved respondents to the RFQ. As needed, the City Attorney may also contract for other legal services, including services of attorneys, expert witnesses, and other legal advisors or consultants consistent with the authority granted in the Phoenix City Code, sections 2-10 and 43-2.
Contract Term
The contract term will be from July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2023.
Financial Impact
The amount requested represents an increase of approximately $300,000 over the actual expenditures of $18.7 million during the current two-year period of FY 2019-2021.
The individual agreements with outside counsel set forth specific rates and fees for legal services, in accordance with proposals submitted during the procurement. The agreements will include a prompt-payment discount of 2 percent.
Funds are available in various department budgets, including the Law Department and Self-Insured Retention Fund. Payments will be made from affected funding sources, primarily from the Self-Insured Retention Fund or the General Fund on an individual case or legal assignment basis.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by City Manager Ed Zuercher and the Law Department.