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Stoel Rives LLP / Outside Counsel / Proposed Legal Services Agreement

Council File 26-0668

Approved — the Budget and Finance Committee voted unanimously to hire outside counsel for undisclosed litigation work under a three-year, $300,000 contract, but the full City Council still needs to sign off before the deal is final.

Introduced
2026-05-04
Last changed
2026-06-04
Status
open
Expires
2028-06-02
Committee
Budget and Finance Committee
Initiated by
City Attorney
References
City Attorney Report: R26-0257

Brief

The City Attorney initiated this file to secure a legal services agreement with Stoel Rives LLP for outside counsel support. The Budget and Finance Committee reviewed the proposed agreement in closed session on June 4, 2026, and approved it in open session the same day. The file is now closed following committee approval.

Full summary

The City Attorney submitted a report proposing that the City retain Stoel Rives LLP as outside counsel under a three-year contract with a budget not to exceed $300,000. The file does not specify the particular legal matters or practice areas for which Stoel Rives would be engaged, though the Committee's use of closed session under Government Code Section 54956.9(d)(2) and (d)(4) indicates the work relates to significant exposure to litigation. The Budget and Finance Committee received the referral on May 5, 2026, and scheduled the item for a special meeting on June 4, 2026. At that meeting, the Committee heard public comment, discussed the matter in closed session, and then voted in open session to approve the recommendation. The vote was 3-0 in favor, with members Yaroslavsky, Blumenfield, and Hernandez voting yes and members Hutt and McOsker absent. No fiscal impact statement was submitted by the City Attorney, and neither the City Administrative Officer nor the Chief Legislative Analyst completed a financial analysis prior to the Committee vote. The Committee's approval is not yet official and the file remains open pending full Council action to authorize the City Attorney to execute the contract.

Activity (4)

  • 2026-06-04 Budget and Finance Committee discussed the matter in Closed Session and approved the item in Open Session.
  • 2026-06-02 Budget and Finance Committee scheduled item for committee meeting on June 4, 2026.
  • 2026-05-05 City Attorney document(s) referred to Budget and Finance Committee.
  • 2026-05-04 Document submitted by City Attorney, dated May 4, 2026.

Documents (3)

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