Agenda Report
Fullerton City Council
MEETING DATE: NOVEMBER 18, 2025
TO: CITY COUNCIL / SUCCESSOR AGENCY
SUBMITTED BY: lAURA GIANNETTI-MERCER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURSEs PREPARED BY: lAURA GIANNETTI-MERCER, ACTING DIRECTOR OF HUMAN RESOURSES vERONICA gUTIERREZ, sENIOR hUMAN RESOURCES/ RISK MANAGEMENT ANALYSt yULIANA PANTALEON GARCIA, ADMINSTRATIVE ANALYST i
SUBJECT: AGREEMENTS WITH ATKINSON, ANDELSON, LOYA, RUUD & ROMO; Y&L LAW, LLP AND KARLIN, HIURA & LASOTA, LLP FOR LEGAL SERVICES
SUMMARY
Consideration of Legal Services Agreements with Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR) to provide labor and employment law services and related matters and with Y&L Law, LLP and Karlin, Hiura & LaSota, LLP for workers’ compensation matters.
PROPOSED MOTION
Authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute Legal Services Agreements with AALRR; Y&L Law, LLP and Karlin, Hiura & LaSota, LLP, in a form approved by the City Attorney.
ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS
Approve the Proposed Motion
Provide direction to staff
Other options brought by City Council.
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends the Proposed Motion.
CITY MANAGER REMARKS
None.
PRIORITY POLICY STATEMENT
This item matches the following Priority Policy Statement/s:
Fiscal and Organizational Stability
FISCAL IMPACT
In approving the new legal services agreements, Staff anticipates legal fees to remain within approved legal services budgets within the Human Resources department in the General Fund (Fund 10) and Workers Compensation Fund (Fund 65).
BACKGROUND AND DISCUSSION
AALRR
The Atkinson, Andelson, Loya, Ruud & Romo (AALRR) law firm has significant expertise in labor and employment law with a focus on the public sector and labor negotiations. This firm has provided labor and employment law services to the City since 2013.
The current agreement expired on June 30, 2025. For the duration of the agreement, the firm has requested hourly rates for partners ranging from $345/hour to $405/hour (dependent on experience), Associate counsel ranging from $265/hour to $325/hour (dependent on experience) and hourly rates of $220/hour for Paralegals. These rates are within industry standard for such specialized services and will be a fixed rate for the first 2 years through June 30, 2027, with the option of 3 one-year extensions.
Y&L Law, LLP and Karlin, Hiura & LaSota, LLP
With the recent retirements of Richard T. Fort from the Law Offices of Richard T. Fort, and William A. McCormick from Wall, McCormick, Barolidi & Dugan, there is a need to find new law firms who specialize in workers’ compensation matters to take over and handle existing and future claims for the City. In accordance with City’s purchasing municipal code and State contracting code, Staff can solicit legal services through an open market process and/or informal bid procedure.
Both Y&L Law, LLP and Karlin, Hiura & LaSota, LLP have specialized experience in workers’ compensation matters. The legal services agreements with both law firms would set the hourly rates for partners to $210/hour, for senior associate/associate to $200/hour, for hearing representatives to $120/hour and for paralegals to $150/hour. These rates are within industry standards for such specialized services and will be a fixed rate for the first 2 years through June 30, 2027, with the option of 3 one-year extensions.
Having several firms available to assist with workers’ compensation matters allows the City to select the firm with the expertise, style, and available resources most appropriate for a particular matter. Assignments to the firms are made as matters arise.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 – Agreement for Provisions of Legal Services – AALRR Attachment 2 – Agreement for Provisions of Legal Services – Y&L Law, LLP Attachment 3 – Agreement for Provisions of Legal Services – Karlin, Hiura & LaSota, LLP cc: Interim City Manager Eddie Manfro
Legal Services Agreements – Labor, Employment and Workers’ Compensation November 18, 2025 - Page 2