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B0785-0001\3144726v1.doc
AGENDA REPORT
Meeting Date: August 19, 2025
Item Number:
To: Honorable Mayor & City Council
From: Laurence S. Wiener, City Attorney
Subject: AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF
BEVERLY HILLS AND WALSWORTH LLP FOR SPECIAL COUNSEL
SERVICES RELATED TO CERTAIN LITIGATION MATTERS
Attachments: 1. Amendment No. 1
RECOMMENDATION
The City Attorney recommends that the City Council approve an amendment to the Agreement between the City of Beverly Hills and Walsworth LLP, for special counsel services concerning, primarily, police litigation matters.
INTRODUCTION
The City has received a request for hourly rate increase from Walsworth LLP. Walsworth LLP has served as special counsel for the City in primarily police litigation matters, including the Williams case, and has provided admirable legal services to the City throughout its engagement. This is Walsworth’s first request for a rate increase.
DISCUSSION
The City Council Litigation Committee, consisting of Councilmembers Lester Friedman and Craig Corman, conducted a meeting which took place on May 2, 2025, and recommended rate increases which are now being brought to the City Council for review and approval.
Walsworth’s current rates are $250/hour for both partners and associates. The Committee recommends an immediate increase to $275/hour for partners. Associates will remain at the rate of $250/hour. Paralegals are currently being billed at $150/hour, and the Committee recommends that paralegal rate be increased to $155/hour. On July 1 of each year, the Committee recommends a rate increase of $5 per hour for partners and associates. On July 1, 2027, the Committee recommends a rate increase of $5 per hour for paralegals.
E-13
Meeting Date: August 19, 2025
B0785-0001\3144726v1.doc
FISCAL IMPACT
While it is difficult to predict litigation volumes, assuming that Walsworth maintained the same volume as last fiscal year, the City would expect an approximate $40,000 rise in costs in the upcoming fiscal year, which will be funded from the City Attorney’s existing budget.
Laurence S. Wiener,
____________City Attorney___________
Approved by
Attachment 1
B0785-0001\3144675v1.doc
AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS AND WALSWORTH LLP FOR
SPECIAL COUNSEL SERVICES RELATED TO CERTAIN
LITIGATION MATTERS
NAME OF ATTORNEY: Walsworth LLP
RESPONSIBLE PRINCIPAL OF ATTORNEY: Jeanne L. Tollison
ATTORNEY’S ADDRESS: 19900 MacArthur Blvd., Suite 1150
Irvine, CA 92612
Attention: Jeanne L. Tollison, Esq.
ATTORNEY’S E.I.N/TAX I.D. NO.: 33-0337552
RESPONSIBLE PRINCIPAL OF CITY: Laurence S. Wiener
CITY’S ADDRESS: City of Beverly Hills
455 N. Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
Attention: Laurence S. Wiener, City
Attorney
COMMENCEMENT DATE: July 15, 2024
TERMINATION DATE: Until terminated by City pursuant to Section 8 of the Agreement
Docusign Envelope ID: 6E3F1B1D-6E40-4BB7-BA27-01C78F026D6C - 2 -
B0785-0001\3144675v1.doc
AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE
CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS AND WALSWORTH LLP FOR
SPECIAL COUNSEL SERVICES RELATED TO CERTAIN
LITIGATION MATTERS
This Amendment is to that certain Agreement entered into in the City of Beverly Hills, between the City of Beverly Hills, a Municipal Corporation (hereinafter “City”) and Walsworth LLP (hereinafter “Attorney”) dated August 20, 2024 and identified as Contract No. 462-24, on file in the City Clerk’s office (“Agreement”).
RECITALS
A. City and Attorney entered into a written agreement for special counsel services related to certain litigation matters.
B. Attorney has requested an adjustment of the billing rate set forth in the Agreement in order to reflect the increase in the cost of living.
Section 1. Exhibit A “Rates” shall be amended and restated as attached hereto and incorporated herein.
Section 2. Except as specifically amended by this Amendment No. 1, the remaining provisions of the Agreement shall remain in full force and effect. [Signatures Follow]
Docusign Envelope ID: 6E3F1B1D-6E40-4BB7-BA27-01C78F026D6C - 3 -
B0785-0001\3144675v1.doc
Executed on this ______ day of ____________, 2025 at Beverly Hills, California.
CITY OF BEVERLY HILLS,
_____________________________
SHARONA R. NAZARIAN, PsyD
Mayor of the City of Beverly Hills,
California
ATTEST:
_____________________________(SEAL)
HUMA AHMED
City Clerk
WALSWORTH LLP
JEANNE L. TOLLISON
Partner
APPROVED AS TO FORM: APPROVED AS TO CONTENT:
LAURENCE S. WIENER NANCY HUNT-COFFEY
City Attorney City Manager
SHARON L’HEUREUX DRESSEL
Risk Manager
ANTHONY RODSTEIN
Purchasing Services Manager
Docusign Envelope ID: 6E3F1B1D-6E40-4BB7-BA27-01C78F026D6C - 4 -
B0785-0001\3144675v1.doc
EXHIBIT A
RATES
Attorney and other personnel shall be paid at the following hourly rates effective July 1, 2025:
Partners: $275.00
Associates: $250.00
Paralegals: $155.00
Rates for partners and associates will increase by $5.00 per hour each July 1.
Rates for paralegals will increase by $5.00 per hour on July 1, 2027.
Docusign Envelope ID: 6E3F1B1D-6E40-4BB7-BA27-01C78F026D6C Certificate Of Completion
Envelope Id: 6E3F1B1D-6E40-4BB7-BA27-01C78F026D6C Status: Sent Subject: Amendment No. 1 to Walsworth LLP Agreement - August 19, 2025 City Council Meeting Source Envelope:
Document Pages: 4 Signatures: 4 Envelope Originator:
Certificate Pages: 3 Initials: 0 Jill Doohen
AutoNav: Enabled
EnvelopeId Stamping: Enabled
Time Zone: (UTC-08:00) Pacific Time (US & Canada)
455 N. Rexford Drive
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
[email protected]
IP Address: 198.245.189.166
Record Tracking
Status: Original
8/7/2025 4:59:45 PM
Holder: Jill Doohen
[email protected]
Location: DocuSign
Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Jeanne L. Tollison
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 38.142.25.2
Sent: 8/7/2025 5:06:32 PM
Viewed: 8/11/2025 11:49:42 AM
Signed: 8/11/2025 11:50:24 AM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Laurence S. Wiener
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 208.87.233.201
Sent: 8/11/2025 11:50:26 AM
Viewed: 8/11/2025 12:41:50 PM
Signed: 8/11/2025 12:42:06 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Sharon L'Heureux Dressel
[email protected]
Risk Manager
Sharon Dressel
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 198.245.189.166
Sent: 8/11/2025 12:42:08 PM
Resent: 8/12/2025 10:05:27 AM
Viewed: 8/12/2025 1:15:08 PM
Signed: 8/12/2025 1:15:15 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Anthony Rodstein
[email protected]
Purchasing Services Manager
City of Beverly Hills (Finance Department)
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Signature Adoption: Pre-selected Style
Using IP Address: 172.250.202.193
Signed using mobile
Sent: 8/12/2025 1:15:16 PM
Resent: 8/12/2025 4:52:51 PM
Viewed: 8/12/2025 7:57:57 PM
Signed: 8/12/2025 7:58:13 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Anthony Rodstein
[email protected]
Purchasing Services Manager
City of Beverly Hills (Finance Department)
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Sent: 8/12/2025 7:58:14 PM
Viewed: 8/12/2025 7:58:24 PM
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Nancy Hunt-Coffey
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Sharona R. Nazarian, PsyD
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Huma Ahmed
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
In Person Signer Events Signature Timestamp
Editor Delivery Events Status Timestamp
Agent Delivery Events Status Timestamp
Intermediary Delivery Events Status Timestamp
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Carbon Copy Events Status Timestamp
Keith Sterling
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Jessika Vasquez
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Megan Grilley
[email protected]
Security Level: Email, Account Authentication
(None)
Electronic Record and Signature Disclosure:
Not Offered via Docusign
Witness Events Signature Timestamp
Notary Events Signature Timestamp
Envelope Summary Events Status Timestamps
Envelope Sent Hashed/Encrypted 8/7/2025 5:06:32 PM
Payment Events Status Timestamps