Title:
Title
Amendment to Contract No. 2018-1299 for Legal Services for Collections (M16-008) [Continued from 03/24/2020]
End
FileID
File ID: 2020-00236
Location
Location: Citywide
Recommendation:
Recommendation
Pass a Motion amending Contract No. 2018-1299 by $99,000 and authorizing the City Attorney to execute a supplemental contract with Silver & Wright LLP in an amount not to exceed $198,000 to represent the City and collect outstanding judgements in favor of the City, including but not limited to, cannabis monetary judgements.
Contact: Gustavo Martinez, Supervising Deputy City Attorney, (916) 808-5346, Office of the City Attorney
Body
Presenter: None
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Amendment to Contract No. 2018-1299
Description/Analysis
Issue Detail: Staff is seeking Council approval to supplement the current legal services agreement with Silver & Wright, a Professional Law Partnership, in an amount not to exceed $198,000 for expenses associated with collecting cannabis penalties from delinquent property owners. The law firm has been and will continue to demand payment from property owners in cases where cannabis penalties have been upheld following an administrative appeal hearing or in cases where property owners refuse to pay invoices on cannabis penalties that have been determined to be final. This amendment has become necessary due to the significant volume of enforcement cases that have now reached the collection stage and are viable candidates for collection efforts.
The City Attorney’s Office maintains a pre-approved list of qualified outside counsel available to assist with litigation matters. Silver & Wright LLP has been selected as the most qualified firm to strongly represent and collect outstanding cannabis and code enforcement monetary judgements on behalf of the City.
It is recommended that the Council authorize the City Attorney to enter into a contract for legal services with Silver & Wright LLP in an amount not to exceed $198,000.
Policy Considerations: This approval is required to represent and collect outstanding cannabis monetary judgements on behalf of the City.
Economic Impacts: Not applicable.
Environmental Considerations: Contracting for outside legal services is an administrative activity that will not result in direct or indirect physical changes in the environment and is not a project subject to CEQA review. CEQA Guidelines section 15378 (b) (5).
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
Rationale for Recommendation: Silver & Wright LLP has been selected as the most qualified firm to strongly represent and collect outstanding cannabis and code enforcement monetary judgements on behalf of the City. The law firm has a history of collecting judgments on code enforcement cases and expertise in the area of code enforcement.
Financial Considerations: There is enough funding in Project Number I03000100 to pay for the additional cost of the legal services.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.