Parish attorney warns cuts will force layoffs in legal office; opioid settlement discussed as potential relief

Parish Attorney Greg Rome told the Metro Council that his office is facing deep budget cuts and that he is evaluating staff reductions to meet the proposed 2026 appropriation. "I'm probably gonna have to at least cut 8 lawyers," Rome said, adding that the budget book suggests a cut of 16 and that staffing choices are under review.

Rome highlighted the office’s role in revenue generation and risk mitigation. City court fines for 2025 were projected in the hearing at about $1,842,000; Rome and litigation staff also reported past collections and subrogation amounts in the low millions. He said his office has saved the city large sums in litigation outcomes and that a reduction in lawyers would likely require restructuring but must not erode the "quality of legal advice" the parish depends on.

Rome also discussed opioid settlement money: his office helped secure opioid settlement funds and is evaluating whether the parish attorney’s office and certain attorneys qualify for allocations or reimbursements tied to the settlement. He acknowledged outside counsel budgets are tight (the budget lists legal/outside counsel at roughly $150,000) and said the administration may have to look for additional sources or increased allocations to handle projected litigation and outside‑counsel needs.

Rome invited informal small‑group meetings with council members to explore ideas for shoring up the litigation/settlement budget and said he is pursuing options that could include trying more cases or using other revenue sources.

There were no formal votes on these items during the hearing; Rome said he would follow up with council members on proposals and numbers.