October 7, 2025
City Attorney's Office
Human Resources
DATE: October 7, 2025
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Dave Aleshire, City Attorney
Shannon Moore, Chief Assistant City Attorney
Sharrone Taylor, Human Resources Director
Subject: Legal Services Agreement Amendment No. 3 with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore for Labor and Employment Matters
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $400,000 expenditure for a total not to exceed contract amount of $1,565,000 is included within the approved fiscal year 2025-2026 Human Resources
and Risk Management budgets (Account Strings:
01181016-400206 and 50182316-400206).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
April 16, 2024
June 20, 2024
November 1, 2022
STATEMENT OF THE
ISSUE:
City staff is requesting City Council approve an
amendment to the legal services agreement with the law
firm Liebert Cassidy Whitmore in the amount of $400,000 to continue providing ongoing legal support in labor
relations and police personnel matters.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a third amendment to the Legal Services
Agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore to increase
the payment limit by $400,000, for a total contract
amount not to exceed $1,565,000 – City Attorney’s Office (Dave Aleshire 620-6509/Shannon Moore 620-
6505/Sharrone Taylor 620-6803).
AGENDA
REPORT
October 7, 2025
DISCUSSION:
City staff requests an amendment to the existing legal services agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore to address the need for ongoing legal support in labor negotiations for all the City's bargaining groups, which have Memorandums of Understandings that expire this year. Additionally, the firm provides legal advice on various employment law matters, meet and confer obligations, representation in sworn and non-sworn personnel matters, and training for the City's Management Leadership Academy. The re are ongoing labor negotiations and specialized labor and employment legal expertise that LCW has the attorneys with expertise to provide such support . The Human Resources Management Department requests this amendment to the legal services agreement to cover anticipated expenditures. Rates for Liebe rt Cassidy partners are $435 per hour, Senior Counsel $365 per hour, Associates $26 0 - $345 per hour, and paralegals are $145 per hour.
The services provided by Liebert Cassidy Whitmore have been extremely beneficial to the City and performed in a very s atisfactory manner. Further, continuing the working relationship with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore will provide stability in negotiations and employment law issues, and it would be detrimental to the City's interests to change law firms at this juncture. The H uman Resources Department and the City Attorney’s Office request approval of this third amendment to the legal services agreement with Liebert Cassidy increasing the payment limit by $400,000 for a total not to exceed $1,565,000.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Original Contract
Attachment 2 – First Amendment to the Contract
Attachment 3 – Second Amendment to the Contract
Attachment 4 – Third Amendment to the Contract (Proposed)