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Pension trustees vote to retain Jones Walker and keep Pedro Herrera as counsel
Summary
Trustees for Atlantic Beach's police and general employee pension boards voted May 28 to contract with Jones Walker to continue legal representation by Pedro Herrera, with the police trustees unanimous and the general-employee trustees approving the shift 4–1.
The Board of Trustees for the Police Officers Pension Board and the General Employees Pension Board voted May 28 to contract with Jones Walker and continue representation by attorney Pedro Herrera.
The police trustees first considered a motion to retain Jones Walker and Herrera; the motion passed by voice vote with all police trustees recorded as "aye." On the general-employee side, the board held a separate vote and approved the motion 4–1. Tim Anderson moved the police-side motion and trustees recorded their support; Pedro Herrera thanked the boards after the vote, saying, "I would continue to serve as your primary attorney" and offering to guarantee the fee structure for a period if the boards wished.
The decision followed presentations from the incumbent firm, represented by David Robinson (Sugarman & Susskind), and from Herrera, who described his move to Jones Walker and said the firm gives him a deep bench of litigation, appellate and other resources. Robinson told trustees Sugarman would remain willing to serve and offered a fee reduction; he stressed continuity and experience. Herrera told the boards his proposed hourly rate was $400 and said Jones Walker had national resources to handle litigation or specialized matters. Robinson said Sugarman’s discounted hourly figure in the materials was about $372.75 per hour; another firm that submitted a proposal listed partner rates near $500 and $400 for associates.
Several trustees asked about continuity of service and a specific unresolved overpayment matter on the general side; one trustee cited a case in which benefit payments continued after a retiree’s death and said that factored into deliberations. Trustees were told Sugarman had supplied a letter with a rate reduction but not a full formal proposal; the boards chose to prioritize retaining Herrera while keeping options open for the firm-level relationship.
Outcome and next steps: the boards authorized entering a contract for legal services with Jones Walker to provide pension counsel with Pedro Herrera as the primary attorney. Herrera said he appreciated the trustees’ confidence and would remain available to answer follow-up questions about contract terms and fee guarantees.
