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REQUEST FOR <br />COUNCIL ACTION <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />AUGUST 21, 2018 <br />TITLE: <br />APPROVE LEGAL SERVICES AGREEMENT WITH <br />ATKINSON, ANDELSON, LOYA, RUUD & ROMO, <br />APLC, RELATED TO ADMINISTRATIVE AND <br />LITIGATION MATTERS FOR PERSONNEL, POLICE, <br />AND GENERAL LIABILITY <br />(STRATEGIC PLAN NO. 1,3,4,5) <br />_ <br />CIT, <br />MANAGER <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />APPROVED <br />❑ As Recommended <br />❑ As Amended <br />❑ Ordinance on 151 Reading <br />❑ Ordinance on 2nd Reading <br />❑ Implementing Resolution <br />❑ Set Public Hearing For <br />CONTINUED TO <br />FILE NUMBER <br />Authorize the City Manager and Clerk of the Council to execute on-call legal services agreement <br />with the law firm of Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo, APLC, ("AALRR") related to <br />administrative and litigation matters concerning general liability, personnel and police for a three <br />(3) year term ending on August 20, 2021, with an option to extend the term for up to one (1) year, <br />in an amount not to exceed $500,000, including any extension period, subject to non -substantive <br />changes approved by the City Manager and the City Attorney. <br />DISCUSSION <br />The City Attorneys Office (CAO) handles and manages a variety of transactional and litigation <br />matters. From time -to -time, the CAO will refer administrative and litigation matters to outside law <br />firms with specialized expertise. There is an ongoing need for legal services related to <br />administrative and litigation matters for personnel, police, and general liability as these matters <br />often involve multiple parties, current and former employees and complex legal issues where <br />specific expertise is required to defend the City, its employees and its officials. In specific, the <br />proposed firm would be brought in to act as lead counsel in the matter of Rojas v. City of Santa <br />Ana. <br />On October 17, 2017, the City Attorney's Office engaged the law firm of Grossberg & Hoehn to <br />represent the City in the Rojas matter. On July 26, 2018, the City Attorney's office was formally <br />notified by Mr. Grossberg that, due to unforeseen medical issues with an attorney in his office, <br />that Grossberg & Hoehn could no longer represent the City in this litigation. <br />The City Attorney's Office immediately began searching for new counsel and selected AALRR <br />due to AALRR's decades of experience representing public entity clients in all aspects of labor <br />25C-1 <br />