ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — Much of recent attention on St. Louis County government has involved a county council leadership fight, but a related matter is highlighting a concern over increased litigation — and its reliance on private law firms for help.
The focus so far has been Councilwoman Rochelle Walton Gray's Jan. 5 vote to re-elect Councilwoman Lisa Clancy as chair of the county council — and subsequent votes overturning that move. Gray's term ended Dec. 31, but because of a voter-approved change to the county charter last year, her successor, Shalonda Webb, wasn't sworn in until Jan. 12, a week later than was previously custom. That sparked a leadership fight between two factions on the council, and a debate over whether Webb should have been allowed to vote. That dispute has made its way to court, while Councilwoman Rita Days acts as chair.
But Gray cast another, little-noticed vote Jan. 5, for a bill authorizing Beth Orwick, County Executive Sam Page's top lawyer, to enter into contracts with outside legal firms in which the only stated limitation is that hourly rates not exceed $400. Previously, the council OK'd outside legal contracts one by one. Like in the leadership matter, Gray cast the deciding vote in a 4-3 tally.
Since then, Orwick has quickly struck deals with area law firms for a variety of matters, according to documents obtained through an open-records request.
The deals are:
- With Stinson LLP's Clayton office to represent the county in Richard Ulrich IV's 2017 employment discrimination lawsuit against the police department. Stinson employees are to be paid $285 to $695 an hour, with partner Joseph Santucci Jr. taking in the top rate if the county counselor first approves, according to the Jan. 29 contract.
- With St. Louis-based Lewis Rice LLC to represent the county in a November case in which two police lieutenants alleged they were denied opportunities to advance because they're Black. That Jan. 22 contract is not to exceed a $400 hourly average.
- Another, dated Jan. 23, with Lewis Rice for unspecified matters, also not to exceed $400 an hour.
- With Littler Mendelson PC's St. Louis office to represent the county in former Councilwoman Hazel Erby's October lawsuit alleging she was fired from a government diversity post for disclosing violations of the county's minority contracting ordinance. That Feb. 1 contract is not to exceed a $400 hourly average.
Click here for the full story.
