Abita Springs council confirms new town attorney; firm outlines fees and services

The Abita Springs Town Council on Tuesday confirmed the mayor’s appointment of Carlin Fitz Morris as town attorney, effective March 6, 2026.

Two attorneys who said they would serve on the proposed team, Elizabeth Concert and Stephanie Huff, addressed the council in support of the appointment. Elizabeth Concert identified herself as the managing partner of Smith Concert and said the firm has extensive municipal-law experience, including service as city attorney for Mandeville. Stephanie Huff described experience working in and outside government, and both said the firm would emphasize standard contract templates, public-records processing and risk-management advice to reduce legal costs for the town.

Carlin Fitz Morris presented a cost proposal included in council packets: senior litigators would be available at $300 per hour when needed; senior attorney rates for routine town work were presented at $225 per hour (with a higher $250 per-hour court-appearance rate noted for one attorney); Stephanie Huff was listed at $200 per hour; and a reduced paralegal rate of $80 per hour was proposed for handling routine public-records requests. The presenters said they would emphasize using paralegals and templates to minimize taxpayer expense.

After public comment and brief discussion, the council took a voice vote to confirm the mayor’s appointment. A council representative clarified the vote confirmed the mayor’s appointment and that the appointment is effective March 6, 2026.

Why it matters: A town attorney advises the council and staff on legal matters including contracts, code enforcement and public-records compliance. The firm’s combination of municipal experience and a tiered-fee approach is aimed at containing legal costs while providing litigation support when required.