Denver school board approves $1,000-an-hour
The Denver school board approved a contract with an outside law firm costing up to $1,000 per hour for legal advice, a move criticized as too expensive.
Hiring an external attorney could cost Denver Public Schools up to $1,000 an hour. The school board approved the agreement with the law firm Holland & Knight by a 5-1 vote on Thursday.
Board member Marlene De La Rosa cast the sole no vote. She called the agreement too expensive. District officials noted that an attorney the board has used in the past charges $290 an hour. "Paying three times what we are currently paying is incredibly costly," De La Rosa said.
Conflict of interest concerns
Some board members advocated for an outside firm to avoid conflicts of interest concerning the superintendent's contract and performance review. Past practice involved the district's general counsel representing the board. Current board policy now prohibits this arrangement. The board supervises the superintendent, who in turn supervises the general counsel.
Superintendent Alex Marrero has expressed concerns about the board establishing what he called "a parallel legal advisory system." The decision to hire outside counsel occurs amid reported tensions between Marrero and the board, as well as among board members themselves.
Three-tiered pricing structure
The approved agreement with Holland & Knight features a tiered rate schedule. The firm says these rates represent a discount.
| Role | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| Partner Attorney | $1,000 |
| Associate Attorney | $550 |
| Legislative Assistant | $265 |
Board member DJ Torres questioned how the board would determine which level of service to request. Marcus Johnson, a Denver Public Schools attorney who reviewed the agreement, explained the process. You will reach out to them and they will let you know who can do the job you're looking for, Johnson said. It's up to them who they think can provide the services the board needs.
Protocol for engagement and selection
The board can engage the law firm in two ways. Either the board president can make a request, or three board members can submit a written request under a written protocol. Holland & Knight will not represent individual board members.
According to board President Xóchitl Gaytán and member Kimberlee Sia, who led the search, no law firms responded to a formal request for proposals. Sia told the board last month that she instead contacted firms directly to gauge interest. Of the two firms that responded, she and Gaytán selected Holland & Knight.
The board is not required to use Holland & Knight for investigations. This includes a separate investigation into allegations against Vice President Monica Hunter, which the board authorized on the same Thursday.
