June 16, 2026
City Attorney's Office
Human Resources Department
DATE: June 16, 2026
TO: Mayor Martinez and Members of the City Council
FROM:
Shannon Moore, Interim City Attorney
Sharrone Taylor, Human Resources Director
Subject:
Legal Services Agreement Amendment No. 4 with Liebert
Cassidy Whitmore for Labor and Employment Matters
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The proposed $400,000 expenditure is included within the approved Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-2026 and proposed
FY 2026-2027 Human Resources and Risk Management
budgets (Account Strings: 01181016-400206;
50182316-400206).
PREVIOUS COUNCIL
ACTION:
April 16, 2024
June 20, 2024
November 1, 2022
October 7, 2025
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 to increase the not-to-
exceed amount by $400,000 and to extend the term
through June 30, 2027, so that they can continue
providing ongoing legal support in labor relations and
police personnel matters.
RECOMMENDED ACTION:
APPROVE a fourth amendment to the Legal Services
Agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore for support in
labor relations and police personnel matters, extending the term through June 30, 2027, and increasing the
payment limit by $400,000 for a total amount not to
exceed $1,965,000 – City Attorney’s Office/Human
Resources Department (Shannon Moore 620-
6505/Sharrone Taylor 620-6803).
AGENDA
REPORT
June 16, 2026
DISCUSSION:
City staff request an amendment to the existing legal services agreement with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore (LCW) which expires on June 30, 2026. There is a need to extend the contract term by one year to June 30, 2027, and to increase the not-to-exceed amount to allow for ongoing labor negotiations for successor Memorandums of Understanding for three of the City's bargaining groups and the Fire Department’s transition to Advanced Life Support (ALS) services. 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. There 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 Department requests this amendment to extend the legal services agreement by one year and to cover anticipated expenditures. Rates for LCW partners are $435.00 per hour, Senior Counsel $365 per hour, Associates $260.00 - $345 per hour, and paralegals are $145 per hour.
The services provided by LCW have been extremely beneficial to the City and performed in a very satisfactory manner. Further, continuing the working relationship with LCW 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 Human Resources Department and the City Attorney’s Office request approval of this fourth amendment to the legal services agreement with LCW, to extend the term to June 30, 2027, and to increase the payment limit by $400,000 for a total not-to-exceed amount of $1,965,000.
DOCUMENTS ATTACHED:
Attachment 1 – Original Legal Services Agreement (LSA)
Attachment 2 – First Amendment to the LSA
Attachment 3 – Second Amendment to the LSA
Attachment 4 – Third Amendment to the LSA
Attachment 5 – Fourth Amendment to the LSA (Proposed)