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Board approves extension of law‑firm contract after heated discussion over payment of trustee’s legal fees
Summary
Trustees voted 3–2 to extend a legal-services contract with Garcia Hernandez Sonni LLP for FY 2025–26 after a contentious discussion in which several trustees said the firm’s recent actions put the district at risk and the board agreed not to pay any individual trustee’s personal legal expenses.
The New Haven Unified School District board voted on Aug. 12 to extend a legal-services agreement with Garcia Hernandez Sonni LLP for the 2025–26 fiscal year after a contested discussion about the firm’s recent activities and whether the district should cover a trustee’s personal legal costs.
Trustee Freeberg and other trustees criticized recent actions they said had exposed the board and the district to risk. "The private and personal legal expenses of an individual board member will not be covered by the school district," Vice President Rafé said when summarizing the board’s direction; trustees directed the superintendent and chief business officer not to pay for personal liability or personal legal expenses and asked for itemized invoices from GHS law dated July 1–Aug. 11, 2025 to be shared with the board.
After discussion and a roll-call vote, the motion to extend the legal-services agreement passed 3–2. Several trustees emphasized adherence to board policy 9124 on district access to legal services and asked for an annual evaluation of the firm’s performance going forward.
The vote came after trustees pulled the item from the consent agenda to discuss it separately; during debate Trustee Gonzalez defended their actions in a separate special meeting and urged that legal process should proceed. "Let justice prevail," Trustee Gonzalez said, noting they had not been charged with wrongdoing and asking the district attorney to handle the matter.
The board also approved several other consent and action items during the meeting, including: readmission of one student and expulsion of another (both approved), adoption of Resolution 0012526 designating Sept. 15–Oct. 15, 2025 as Latinx Heritage Month (adopted), approval of a consulting agreement with 3D Strategies Inc., a new fall 2025 flag-football course at James Logan, and purchase of the Elevation Platform by Curriculum Associates for 2025–26.
Next steps: Trustees requested the superintendent and CBO provide itemized invoices related to the firm’s recent billing. The board chair asked that an annual performance evaluation of the district’s legal services provider be placed on a future governance agenda per policy 9124.
