Lebanon County hires outside counsel to assist Children & Youth Services response

Matthew Eagly, Lebanon County solicitor, briefed commissioners on an engagement letter with the law firm Tucker Arensberg to provide legal services to Lebanon County and the county's Children & Youth Services (CYS) office.

Eagly said the engagement is in response to a recent press release from the district attorney regarding CYS and recommended hiring Tucker Arensberg attorneys Barbara Zemlock and Marissa McClellan, both described in the engagement memo as having litigation and child-welfare experience. "They have extensive litigation experience, and they provided legal experience and representation in another case, in another county, in a similar issue involving children and youth services," Eagly said.

According to the materials presented, Tucker Arensberg is not requiring a retainer and will bill at hourly rates outlined in the engagement letter; Eagly said the rates are discounted to the CCAP rate. The solicitor's office indicated that, for now, any invoices would be charged to the solicitor's general legal line; there is not a specific budget line item for this matter in the 2025 budget.

Commissioners asked about scope and cost. Jamie (county administration) said there was no existing budget item for outside counsel on this issue; invoices would be coded to the solicitor's legal line and, if necessary, a budget conversation for 2026 could follow. The board then moved to approve the engagement and voted to retain Tucker Arensberg for assistance with the matter.

The engagement materials provided to the board identify the client as Lebanon County and Children & Youth Services and name Zemlock and McClellan as the primary attorneys. The board did not discuss paying individual criminal-defense fees for employees; Eagly said such details would depend on the case status and that those matters are preliminary.

The board approved the engagement by motion.