March 25, 2025
City Attorney's Office
DATE: March 25, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Dave Aleshire, City Attorney
Shannon Moore, Chief Assistant City Attorney
Kimberly Chin, Senior Assistant City Attorney
Subject:
Fourth Amendment to the Legal Services Agreement
(“LSA”) with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: This fourth amendment will add $110,000 for a total Legal Agreement Service amount not to exceed
$250,000. This agreement is charged to Risk
Management General Liability Fund 50182316-400554.
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
August 24, 2021
December 14, 2021
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
An amendment is needed to add additional funds and
extend time to the LSA with Burke to ensure that the City has the appropriate legal representation for municipal law matters, including personnel matters and litigation.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: APPROVE a fourth amendment to the Legal Services Agreement with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP, in the
amount of $110,000 for a total contract amount not to
exceed $250,000, with a term ending on December 30,
2026, to continue representing the City in municipal law matters, including personnel matters and litigation – City Attorney’s Office (Kimberly Chin 510-620-6709/Shannon
Moore 510-620-6509).
AGENDA
REPORT
March 25, 2025
DISCUSSION:
The City Attorney’s Office selected Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP (“Burke”) from its 2018 approved list of legal services providers, which has experience advising and representing public agencies across the full scope of municipal law. As such, Burke has been providing legal services to the City of Richmond in municipal law matters, including personnel matters and litigation. The original legal services agreement with Burke was entered into on May 25, 2020; Amendment 1 was entered into on August 24, 2021, and Amendments 2 and 3 were simultaneously entered into on November 23, 2021.
Burke's rates are as follows: partners are $395 per hour, associates are $325 per hour, and paralegals are $185 per hour.
The City Attorney’s Office is requesting the Council’s approval of a fourth amendment to the legal services agreement with Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP, to increase the amount by $110,000 for a total amount not to exceed $250,000 with the term ending December 30, 2026.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Amendment 4 to the Original Burke, Williams & Sorensen (Burke) Legal Services Agreement (LSA) (Proposed)
Attachment 2 – Amendment 3 to Burke LSA
Attachment 3 – Amendment 2 to Burke LSA
Attachment 4 – Amendment 1 to Burke LSA
Attachment 5 – Original Burke LSA