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Council approves amendment to city attorney contract to adjust paralegal rates and third‑party reimbursable rates
Summary
The council unanimously approved an amendment to the town’s legal services agreement to increase paralegal/document clerk hourly rates and establish market-based rates for attorneys working on third-party‑reimbursable matters; retainer remains unchanged.
The Town of Atherton City Council on June 18 approved an amendment to the legal services agreement with the town’s outside counsel to revise hourly rates for paralegals and document clerks and to set a reimbursable attorney rate for matters where third parties would reimburse legal costs.
City Attorney Mona Ibrahim told the council the amendment raises paralegal and document clerk hourly rates to a range of $200–$220 per hour, while the fixed monthly retainer remains at $17,000. The amendment also establishes an attorney reimbursable rate for third‑party matters that would be more commensurate with market rates rather than the reduced municipal rates the firm charges the town.
Ibrahim said the changes were narrowly scoped, intended to ensure access to experienced paralegals and document clerks at a lower rate than attorney time, and to clarify billing for reimbursable matters if they arise. Council voted unanimously to adopt the amendment.
Sources: City attorney presentation and council vote, June 18, 2025 meeting.
