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REQUEST FOR <br />COUNCIL ACTION <br />CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: <br />JANUARY 16, 2018 <br />TITLE: <br />APPROVE AN AGREEMENT FOR SPECIAL LEGAL <br />COUNSEL SERVICES WITH MANNING & KASS <br />ELLROD RAMIREZ TRESTER, LLP RELATED TO <br />POLICE LITIGATION AND PERSONNEL SERVICES <br />{STRAGIC PLAN NO. 1, 3, 4, 5} <br />Cl*MANAGER <br />RECOMMENDED ACTION <br />CLERK OF COUNCIL USE ONLY: <br />APPROVED <br />❑ As Recommended <br />❑ As Amended <br />❑ Ordinance on I" 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 the Clerk of the Council to execute an agreement with Manning <br />& Kass Ellrod Ramirez Trester, LLP related to police litigation and personnel services, for a three <br />(3) year term from January 16, 2018 until January 15, 2021, for a maximum amount to be spent <br />of $350,000 subject to non -substantive changes approved by the City Manager and the City <br />Attorney. <br />DISCUSSION <br />Manning & Kass Ellrod Ramirez Trester, LLP is a highly reputable, full service law firm that has <br />provided legal services to numerous cities, counties and other public entities since 1996. The <br />firm, headquartered in Los Angeles, has more than 175 attorneys in six offices, including an <br />office in Orange County. The firm's Government Entity Liability team has been successful in <br />defending numerous municipalities in law enforcement civil liability, municipal liability, and <br />employment litigation matters. Eugene Ramirez, a founding partner of the firm, specializes in <br />municipal liability and police litigation. He has a reputation of receiving excellent results for public <br />agencies in police matters and heads the firm's Governmental Entity Liability Team. Mr. Ramirez <br />has been profiled in the California Lawyer Magazine for his law enforcement defense work and is <br />frequently invited to speak to law enforcement agencies across the United States on use of force, <br />handling high profile cases, and related matters. Manning & Kass was recently named by the <br />Los Angeles Business Journal as the 24th largest firm in Los Angeles. <br />Historically, the City's police personnel matters have been handled by outside counsel to avoid <br />the potential for conflicts between an in-house city attorney who may have to later defend the <br />same officer in subsequent litigation. The proposed hourly billable rate of $295 is competitive, <br />and comparable to the hourly rate charged by other law firms who have represented the City, <br />25E-1 <br />