Mayor White excels at getting pro bono legal representation for city
This City Hall blog post by Matt Stiles about Mayor White's response to a lawsuit aimed at the city's tougher smoking ban, included information that a law firm will represent the city pro bono. That led to today's story by Stiles about the mayor's ability to get free legal representation for many of the city's legal battles:
The mayor, a former civil litigator, has recruited some of Houston's most skilled — and expensive — lawyers to fight the city's legal battles. White isn't the only Houston mayor to ask lawyers for favors, but he's clearly taken the practice to a new level.
In recent years, he has persuaded top firms to take on chemical companies, coal-fired power plants and nuisance nightclubs. The lawyers say they do it for several reasons: interest in the issues, civic responsibility and their relationships with White.
"I think he's got people at half the law firms in town doing it. I mean, it's hysterical," said Jim Moriarty, a local lawyer who has taken on several high-profile projects in recent years at no charge, including negotiating a $2.5 million settlement with a trash-hauling contractor accused of overbilling the city.
"You know, I laugh when he calls, because I know it's just one more job I have to do," Moriarty said in jest, adding that being asked to do the work is an honor.
"Said in jest," of course, but there undoubtedly is an expectation that these law firms will help out when the mayor asks.
On the sidebar, Stiles has included some of the issues/mayoral pet projects that have relied upon such representation:
• Smoking ban: Kathy Patrick of Gibbs & Bruns is defending the revised ordinance, which bans smoking in most public places starting next month, from a recent federal court challenge.
• Trash: Jim Moriarty of Moriarty & Associates got a one-time city contractor, Republic Waste Services, to pay for an audit and $2.5 million settlement in 2006 after allegations that some of its employees were overbilling the city.
• Revenue cap: Scott Atlas of Weil, Gotshal & Manges has defended a lawsuit over a ballot measure, passed by voters in 2004, that capped city revenues. The case is on appeal.
• Environment: David Berg of Berg & Androphy negotiated a deal with Texas Petrochemicals. The company agreed to reduce carcinogenic emissions and upgrade its facilities.
• Coal plants: Stephen Susman of Susman Godfrey prepared an administrative challenge on behalf of Houston and a coalition of other Texas cities that opposed a plan to build numerous new coal-fired power plants.
• Nuisance nightclubs: Allan Van Fleet of Greenberg Traurig represented the city in a lawsuit seeking to close down three clubs on Richmond near South Gessner that city officials said were magnets for crime.
• Illegal signs: Lance Lubell of Heard, Robins, Cloud & Lubell filed a lawsuit against a sign company that installed billboards in violation of a city ordinance.
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Posted by Anne Linehan @ 08/12/07 10:37 AM | Houston Politics | Print | Comments (3)
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