8E
Date: April 8, 2025
To: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
From: Patrick Q. Sullivan, City Attorney
By: Jessica Corona, Law Office Administrator | [email protected] Subject: City Attorney – Approve Fee Agreement for Legal Services. Expenditure:
Not-to-Exceed $400,000 (Non-General Fund).
RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation of the City Attorney that City Council approve a fee agreement with law firm Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP of Los Angeles, CA, for an amount not-to-exceed $400,000, to provide the City with legal services pertaining to civil litigation matter Victoria Willis vs. City of Torrance.
FUNDING
Funding is available in the Self -Insurance Fund’s fiscal year 2024 -25 operating budget and is anticipated to be available in subsequent fiscal years.
DISCUSSION
The City Attorney has hired the law firm of Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP, an independent counsel with special expertise, to handle civil litigation matter Victoria Willis vs. City of Torrance.
It is the City Attorney’s recommendation that City Council approve and enter into the attached fee agreement in an amount not to exceed $400,000.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment 1 - Fee Agreement
1 445 S Figueroa St, Suite 3200
Los Angeles, CA 90071
Direct: (714) 647-2527
Email: r
[email protected]
March 3, 2025
VIA E-MAIL
Galen W. Bean
3031 Torrance Boulevard
Torrance CA 90503
Re: Fee Agreement – Not to Exceed $400,000 - Willis, Victoria v. City of Torrance (Los Angeles Superior Court Case No. 23TRCV01004)
Dear Mr. Bean:
This letter will serve as Hawkins Parnell & Young, LLP's ("Hawkins Parnell") fee agreement for representation of the City of Torrance ("the City") relating to the above-referenced lawsuit filed by Victoria Willis.
The hourly rate Hawkins Parnell will charge the City for legal services is $230 per hour for associates and $260 per hour for partners/of-counsel. I will be primary partner handling this matter. Other partners and associate attorneys of Hawkins Parnell who are deemed necessary or appropriate to the engagement, will also assist on the matter. Paralegals are billed at an hourly rate of $115 per hour and those who are deemed necessary or appropriate to the engagement will assist on this matter. At this time, our best estimate of maximum fees and costs for this matter through trial is $400,000. Please be advised that there are potential circumstances beyond our control which could significantly increase this estimate, depending on the amount of experts needed and in the event opposing counsel is obstructive (which has been the case in some of the other cases we have handled on behalf of the City).
This fee agreement is subject to a cap of $400,000. If the fees and costs are later anticipated to go beyond $400,000, we will seek an amendment to this agreement before we exceed that amount.
Hawkins Parnell also requires reimbursement for costs incurred on the City's behalf.
Such costs may include, but are not limited to, messenger and delivery services; postage; photocopying and other reproduction; travel such as mileage, parking, airfare, meals and hotel accommodations (which shall be in addition to hourly fees for travel time); investigation; consultants; process servers; court reporters; filing fees; jury fees and other charges assessed by courts and other public agencies; witness fees; expert fees; maps; plans; exhibits; and, other similar items.
Hawkins Parnell will submit monthly invoices to the City. Each invoice will set forth the dates services were rendered, a description of the services rendered, the identity of the persons 2 ATTACHMENT 1
March 3, 2025
rendering the services, the time expended and the fees incurred, as well as costs advanced by Hawkins Parnell. If, upon the City's receipt of a billing statement, the City has any questions, please promptly telephone or write to Ryan M. Sellers.
Either party may terminate this agreement pursuant to written notice to the other. Upon termination of the engagement by either party, Hawkins Parnell will endeavor immediately to cease providing services. However, it may be necessary for Hawkins Parnell to continue to act on the City's behalf for a brief period after receipt of notice of termination in order to avoid adverse consequences to the City. The City agrees to compensate Hawkins Parnell in the manner described above for services rendered prior to our giving or receiving notice of termination and thereafter as may be reasonably necessary to preserve the City's rights in this matter.
If this Engagement Letter correctly sets forth the City's understandings and the agreements between the City and Hawkins Parnell, please sign and return a copy of this letter.
Very truly yours,
RYAN M. SELLERS
RMS:
CITY OF TORRANCE,
a municipal corporation
_______________________________
George K. Chen, Mayor
ATTEST:
_______________________________
Rebecca Poirier, MMC
City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
PATRICK Q. SULLIVAN
City Attorney
By: ______________________
Galen W. Bean
Deputy City Attorney
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