4907-6178-9389v1/022283-0548
STAFF REPORT
City of Lancaster
CC 18
9/8/2026
TN
Date: September 8, 2026
To: Mayor Parris and City Council Members
From: Allison E. Burns, City Attorney
Subject: Approval of Rate Increase for Legal Services Provided by Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP
Recommendation:
Staff recommends that the City Council acknowledge and approve the rate increase proposed by Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP (BWBO) for legal services, effective August 1, 2026.
G.C. Section 84308: No
Fiscal Impact:
BWBO will be utilized on an as-needed basis and assigned cases based on subject-matter expertise, caseload, funding considerations, and case complexity. The $900,000 annual budget for Tort Defense Legal Services is shared among all tort defense firms hired by the City and is not an amount allocated individually to each firm. Expenditures will be incurred based on actual legal services provided and will be managed within the available Risk Management legal services budget (GL 11313200-5740).
Background:
Bremer Whyte Brown & O'Meara LLP has served as outside legal counsel to the City of Lancaster since approximately 2015. The firm specializes in litigation and public entity defense matters. On August 26, 2026, BWBO informed the City of its rate increase to $300 per hour for partners and associates and $165 per hour for law clerks and paralegals.
The firm's last rate increase was implemented in July 2022, representing a four-year period without adjustment. The firm has indicated that periodic rate increases are necessary to obtain and maintain attorneys who provide an excellent level of litigation skill and public entity defense experience.
The firm notes that recruiting and retaining qualified attorneys with public entity defense experience continues to be a challenge in today's legal market.