To haul itself out of financial quicksand, the City of Pacific Grove has slashed jobs and shrunk services. Now, city leaders are looking to lighten legal costs by hiring a salaried city attorney.
David Laredo reckons his firm is giving P.G. a good deal. For the past year, he says, De Lay & Laredo has billed the city a flat monthly retainer fee for basic legal services, including attendance at City Council and Planning Commission meetings, reviews of city contracts and ordinances, and responses to public record requests. This fiscal year the city will pay about $130,000 in retainer fees, by Colangelo’s estimate. But if the firm had billed the city for every hour worked, Laredo says, the total would have been closer to $200,000.
Despite P.G.’s high payout to contracted lawyers, Laredo questions the cost-effectiveness of hiring a staff attorney. On top of salary and benefits, he says, the city would have to pony up legal library fees, malpractice insurance, postage, copying, state bar fees and continuing education costs.
Attourney??? S/b: Attorney
That earns you twice your salary.
LMAO. Cool.