City Council Agenda Report
July 15, 2025
TO: Honorable City Council
FROM: Jesus M. Gomez, City Manager
SUBJECT: AGREEMENT AMENDMENT NO. 1 - CITY ATTORNEY LEGAL SERVICES Background:
The City Council retained the law firm of Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin (“AGC”) pursuant to agreement for City Attorney Services with AGC (“Agreement”) in 2019 with Arnold M. Alvarez- Glasman appointed and serving as City Attorney for the City of Norwalk. Aside from providing low hourly rates for their services, AGC also offered one of the lowest retainers for basic legal services in the region. Additionally, said agreement allowed for an automatic rate adjustment annually consistent with the adjustment to the Consumer Price Index (CPI). AGC has requested only one adjustment in their nearly six years of serving as City Attorney which was approved in 2022.
Recently a request was made by AGC to adjust their rates to make the retainer and hourly rates comparable with CPI adjustments allowed and consistent with other rates being charged by other law firms providing city attorney legal services. AGC is requesting the following rate adjustments to the monthly retainer in the amount of $18,750 for the first 75 hours of basic legal services at the rate of $250 per hour and $275 per hour for excess legal services provided each month. Special legal services (real estate, litigation, complex contract matters and labor/personnel matters) would be set at $295.00 for Partners, $290 for Senior Associates, $285.00 for Associates. These Retainer and Special Service rates are still substantially below hourly rates charged to the City by outside special counsel and by law firms providing similar services in neighboring cities as outlined in the attached correspondence.
Finally, the Agreement needs to be amended to define the Term of the AGC’s services to be continuous until terminated. This approach is identical to the term provided to the City’s previous law firm and consistent with the approach followed by most cities in the region.
By approving the attached First Amendment, the rates for City Attorney legal services with Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin would be adjusted accordingly effective July 1, 2025. With the
City Council July 15, 2025
Amendment No. 1 to Agreement for Attorney Services Page No. 2 1 4
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exception of the new rates and the new definition of “Term,” all other terms of the original Agreement will remain the same.
Fiscal Impact:
The proposed rate adjustment is expected to result in a marginal increase in annual legal services expenditures. This increase was included within the City Attorney budget allocation for Fiscal Year 2025/26. The actual dollar amount will be determined upon the actual legal services required and requested by the City.
Citizens Advised:
N/A
Strategic Plan 2023 Implementation:
N/A
Recommended Action:
Staff recommends City Council approve Amendment No. 1 to the agreement with Alvarez- Glasman & Colvin for City Attorney Services approving the rate adjustment and the term definition outlined in the attached correspondence effective July 1, 2025.
Attachments:
1. Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin correspondence dated April 21, 2025
2. First Amendment to Agreement for City Attorney Services