Parish attorney warns cuts would force layoffs but says legal work has saved parish millions

Parish Attorney Greg Rome told the Metro Council that his office will face deep budgetary pressure under the proposed 2026 plan and that he may need to cut at least eight attorneys (the budget book suggests up to 16). He warned the council that the quality of legal advice and the office—s ethical obligations cannot suffer even as the office pursues cuts.

Rome reviewed revenue and savings his office helps produce. Litigation staff reported that over roughly the last decade the legal team—s work on fewer than 50 high-exposure cases and many other matters helped save the parish more than $165 million when comparing amounts sought by plaintiffs and outcomes. City court traffic fines and court-related revenues were projected near $1.842 million for 2025; Rome and staff said those funds flow into the general fund, not necessarily directly to prosecution programs.

Council members asked whether the office could tap opioid-settlement money to support legal positions. Rome said some of the office's functions and staff likely qualify under settlement rules and that the administration is pursuing those possibilities while also planning to present options for outside-counsel and settlement-fund shortfalls in small-group briefings to council members.

Rome acknowledged that outside-counsel spending is likely to exceed the $150,000 line item in the budget book and said he and staff would work with finance to manage that exposure through the fiscal year.