Hanford council hears presentation from Griswold LaSalle; council directs staff to update city attorney contract

An attorney from Griswold LaSalle outlined the law firm's history, municipal experience and local investments at the Hanford City Council study session and the council unanimously agreed to pursue a modernized city attorney contract.

The presentation, given during the council's study session, described the firm's municipal practice, institutional knowledge and community investments. The presenter said the firm had represented Hanford since 2007 and reported that its current non–tort legal billing to the city for fiscal year 2024 was about $642,000, compared with a $650,000 budgeted amount in 2011. The presenter said an inflation-adjusted equivalent of the 2011 figure would be roughly $927,000 in 2025.

Council members asked questions and several praised the firm’s local hiring, internship and community programs. After discussion, council gave consensus — recorded as a 5-0 confirmation on the record — for staff to work with the firm to produce an updated city attorney contract and bring it back to the council for formal approval.

Why it matters: Hanford's city attorney contract governs the city's primary legal advice and day-to-day representation. Updating the contract would create a contemporary agreement that could reflect current service levels, billing practices and explicit performance expectations.

What was presented: The firm described long tenure advising municipal clients across the valley, litigation experience, land-use expertise and local economic contributions including payroll, downtown investment and a community foundation that funds local scholarships and events. The presenters described a summer clerk and paralegal pathway that brings local students into legal careers and said the office hosts continuing legal education and community events.

Council response and next steps: Councilmembers thanked the presenters for the overview and for local investment, and several members emphasized the value of institutional knowledge when staff research historic documents and ordinances. City staff told council the current city attorney contract dates from April 1, 2011; with council consensus staff will prepare a modern contract for council consideration and return at a future meeting.

Council comments included both praise for the firm's community work and a reminder that an updated contract should be publicly reviewed; no change in legal representation was enacted tonight beyond the direction to draft a new contract for council action.

Ending: Staff and the firm will collaborate on a modernized contract; the council instructed staff to return the draft contract for formal council approval at a subsequent meeting.