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Coventry council ratifies special counsel appointments in federal and local litigation
Summary
After an executive session, the council publicly ratified contracts for multiple law firms to represent the town and certain council members in ongoing litigation; the vote was 4–0.
Following an executive session, the Coventry Town Council on a 4–0 vote ratified contracts to retain multiple outside law firms as special counsel for ongoing litigation matters identified in closed session.
Councilman Jonathan Pasqua made the motion to appoint and ratify special counsel for Social Holdings LLC et al. v. Town of Coventry, federal case 1:25-CV-00274, and related matters; Vice President Verducci seconded. Council members voted in favor.
The motion as read by the clerk named a group of firms and attorneys to represent the town, town manager and individual council members in the litigation. Firms named in the motion included Moses Ryan, Ltd.; Adler, Pollock & Sheehan, P.C.; DeSisto Law; and Radcliffe, Harton & Gammage LLP (as presented in the executive-session motion read to the public). The clerk reported the motion passed 4–0.
The council also voted to seal the minutes of the executive session, consistent with the executive-session motion the council approved. The council cited Rhode Island General Law Section 42-46-5(a)(2) as authority to meet in closed session for litigation matters.
No additional public deliberation occurred after the vote; the clerk read the firms and the roll call results into the public record.
