City attorney provides restaffing analysis; committee asks for quarterly updates on settlements and outside counsel

The City Attorney's office told the Budget and Finance Committee on June 4 that its litigation division is significantly under-resourced and asked the committee to note and file a detailed restaffing and cost-benefit report.

Committee members asked questions about outside counsel costs, whether the city should consider excess-liability insurance, and timing for any requests for new positions. The committee voted 4–0 (Hutt absent) to note and file the report and to request quarterly updates on settlement and verdict amounts, outside counsel expenditures, and staffing for fiscal years 2025–26.

In presenting the report, City Attorney staff said they based recommendations on current circumstances and sought to avoid requesting positions unnecessary in normal times; they highlighted litigation as the area with the most acute need. The City Attorney's office also noted difficulty in comparing Los Angeles' litigation costs with county data because the county reports net costs and relies more on outside counsel and different departmental structures. The city attorney's office indicated it will work with the City Administrative Officer on whether to pursue excess-liability insurance for categories such as vehicle liability to reduce exposure to large verdicts.

The committee asked for quarterly reporting that includes outside counsel expenditures; the city attorney agreed to provide quarterly updates instead of the office's current bimonthly settlement reports and to include outside-counsel figures.

Ending: The committee noted the report and directed quarterly updates on settlements, outside counsel costs and staffing to improve transparency and oversight.