Item 24 - Approve Legal Services Agreement with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP

Home Browse Search

City Attorney's Office www.santa-ana.org/city-attorneys-office Item # 24 or City of Santa Ana 20 Civic Center Plaza, Santa Ana, CA 92701 Staff Report July 18, 2023 TOPIC: Approve Legal Services Agreement with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP for a Three -Year Term and Compensation not to Exceed $500,000 AGENDA TITLE Approve a Specialized Legal Services Agreement with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP for a Three -Year Term and Compensation not -to -Exceed $500,000 (General Fund) RECOMMENDED ACTION Authorize the City Manager to execute a legal services agreement with the law firm of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP ("BWS") for litigation matters concerning the abatement of public nuisances for a three-year term to terminate June 30, 2026 and compensation in an amount not to exceed $500,000, subject to non -substantive changes approved by the City Manager and City Attorney. DISCUSSION BWS was previously engaged by the City Council on March 4, 2020 to represent the City in specialized nuisance cases, including the City's lawsuit against the Orange County Association for Mental Health ("MHA") concerning the operation of their multi- service center at 2416 S. Main Street in the City. This case, filed in January 2020, is complex and has been litigated heavily in the succeeding three plus years. MHA has been represented, pro bono, by Sheppard Mullin, a large nationwide law firm. Disability Rights California, a legal non-profit, intervened and joined the case in April 2020, on behalf of three clients who allege they would be negatively affected if MHA were closed as a result of the City's lawsuit. Due to COVID-19-related delays and subsequent appellate review sought by the Defendants, the trial in this matter was not able to commence until June 7, 2023. The law firm of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP is a well -regarded, municipal law firm specializing in litigation and abatement of public nuisances. BWS was previously selected from a pool of several firms based on its deep resources, expertise, and understanding of the pertinent legal and factual issues. BWS has more than 100 attorneys and 10 offices in California. The City Attorney's Office retained BWS based on the experience and skill of its counsel.