City attorney won’t renew law firm contract

Published 12:01 am Thursday, May 5, 2011

SEATTLE — Seattle’s city attorney says he’ll put complex litigation out for bid and won’t renew the city’s nearly 40-year contract with a private law firm.

Pete Holmes’ office says that police officers in legal trouble will be represented either by the city attorney’s office or outside counsel hired through the bidding process.

Holmes says the change will save Seattle an estimated $800,000 annually. The city contract with Stafford Frey Cooper expired at the end of last year. The city says the firm handled about 30 cases annually for Seattle, at an hourly rate of about $275. The city attorney’s office rate is $100 per hour.

In a memo last summer, Holmes said the city has paid the firm about $18 million since 1999 for representing Seattle police.

The Seattle Times said the city attorney’s office has hired more personnel to deal with the increased work.