To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
From: Supervisor Williams and Supervisor Norvell
Meeting Date: July 29, 2025
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Department Contact: |
Supervisor Williams |
Phone: |
707-937-3500 |
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Department Contact: |
Supervisor Norvell |
Phone: |
707-463-4441 |
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Item Type: Consent Agenda |
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Time Allocated for Item: N/A |
Agenda Title:
title
Direction to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to Conduct a Five-Year Cost Trend Analysis of Aggregate Legal Services Including Expenditures on Internal and External Counsel; Direction to County Counsel to Provide the CEO with an Operational Overview and Department Utilization Data to Support this Review; Direction to the CEO to Present Findings and Recommendations from this Collaborative Assessment for a Long-Term Legal Services Model that can Best Meet the Future Legal Service Needs through an Effective and Sustainable Service Model; and Authorization to Use Necessary Support Services Within the CEO’s Existing Purchasing Authority
(Sponsors: Supervisors Williams and Norvell)
End
Recommended Action/Motion:
recommendation
Direct the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) to conduct a five-year cost trend analysis of aggregate legal services including expenditures on internal and external counsel; direct County Counsel to provide the CEO with an operational overview and department utilization data to support this review; direct the CEO to present findings and recommendations from this collaborative assessment that can best meet its future legal service needs through an effective and sustainable service model; and authorize the use of necessary support services within the CEO’s existing purchasing authority.
End
Previous Board/Board Committee Actions:
The Board of Supervisors has approved multiple agreements for legal services in recent years, including those with Kronick, Colantuono, Renne Public Law Group, and others. However, this is the first formal directive to evaluate cumulative trends in legal service costs, staffing, and structure across both internal and external counsel, in order to inform long-term planning and cost management.
Summary of Request:
We propose a proactive, forward-looking review of the County’s legal services to better understand trends in cost, staffing, caseload, contracts, and service delivery over the past five years. The goal is to ensure that legal services, including both internal and contracted resources, remain strong, sustainable, and aligned with the County’s evolving needs. This reflects responsible governance through periodic evaluation of essential functions to confirm that structure and investment are appropriate for long-term service effectiveness and fiscal efficiency. The review is not in response to any deficiency or concern. It is a best practice that allows the County to plan thoughtfully, without causing unnecessary disruption for staff, while supporting a close examination of how to maximize public value.
Over the past five years, Mendocino County has approved numerous contracts for external legal services related to litigation, labor negotiations, CEQA compliance, annexation, tax matters, and other specialized needs. These include agreements such as the second amendment with Colantuono Highsmith & Whatley PC for up to $500,000 in legal services (Mendocino County Board of Supervisors 2022), the fourth amendment with Renne Public Law Group increasing the total to $460,000 for labor and employment advice (Mendocino County Board of Supervisors 2025), and the second amendment with Liebert Cassidy Whitmore increasing the total to $400,000 for personnel matters (Mendocino County Board of Supervisors 2025). Additional firms have been retained for a variety of purposes, with total external counsel expenditures over the period amounting to several million dollars based on Board approvals from 2020 through 2025.
This item would authorize the CEO to review the following:
● Five-Year Cost Trends, including disaggregated data on spending for internal legal operations and contracted services by firm.
● Service Structure and Planning, assessing whether the current mix of internal and external legal services is the most effective and efficient approach for meeting current and future demands.
● Staffing and Workload Patterns, including attorney and support staff capacity in relation to caseloads, mandates, and statutory obligations.
● Caseload Analysis, examining trends in volume, type, and complexity, and whether current legal resources align with the County’s operational priorities.
The CEO is expected to incorporate data and input from County Counsel, financial and budget records, outside contracts, and departmental utilization patterns to produce a cohesive and informative assessment. This review should not only account for direct legal expenditures but also examine how demand for legal services originates and flows through the organization. Because legal service costs are influenced in part by how departments under CEO leadership utilize counsel, effective cost management will require a coordinated understanding of departmental practices and operational needs.
By authorizing this review, the Board takes a responsible step toward gaining a comprehensive understanding of legal service trends and ensuring that resources are used effectively. While the Board regularly considers legal agreements on a case-by-case basis, a broader perspective will help inform future policy and budget decisions. Any consulting services or tools required to support the review will remain within the CEO’s existing purchasing authority, and no budget augmentation is requested.
Achieving this goal will require collaborative input from both the CEO and County Counsel, each of whom reports directly to the Board.
Alternative Action/Motion:
Return to staff for alternate handling.
Strategic Plan Priority Designation: An Effective County Government
Supervisorial District: All
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supplemental Information Available Online At: N/A
Fiscal Details:
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source of funding: Approved Budget |
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current f/y cost: within CEO purchasing |
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budget clarification: N/A |
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annual recurring cost: N/A |
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budgeted in current f/y (if no, please describe): N/A |
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revenue agreement: N/A |
AGREEMENT/RESOLUTION/ORDINANCE APPROVED BY COUNTY COUNSEL: N/A
CEO Liaison: Executive Office
CEO Review: Choose an item.
CEO Comments:
FOR COB USE ONLY
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Executed By: Deputy Clerk |
Final Status: Item Status |
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Date: Date Executed |
Executed Item Type: item |
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Number: |
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