Board clarifies $600,000 annual retainer and hourly litigation fees for General Counsel

The Lakewood Board of Education on July 17 approved a clarification and extension of the contract for General Counsel Michael I. Inzelbuch, restating terms that call for a $600,000 annualized retainer (paid in equal monthly installments) and $475 per hour for litigation services.

Why it matters: a $600,000 retainer is a material legal‑services commitment for a school district and signals a continuing reliance on outside counsel for broad governance and litigation matters.

The agenda item specifies that the retainer is payable in equal monthly amounts beginning August 1, 2024 (covering July 2024) and continuing through July 2025 for services rendered during the preceding month. The agenda also clarified expense‑reimbursement practices: customary third‑party disbursements (filing fees, messenger services, transcripts) will be reimbursed, while mileage, travel, parking, photocopying and similar items will not be reimbursed. The agenda reiterates that the counsel is engaged as an independent contractor and thus not eligible for district pension or health benefits under the contract terms.

The motion as printed in the agenda formalized an extension of the terms for July 1, 2024–June 30, 2025 and referenced prior contract terms from April 26, 2023. The board recorded the clarification under the superintendent agenda; the item was part of the consent slate that carried in the recorded vote.

What’s next: the Office of General Counsel and the Business Office will continue to implement contractual billing and, if litigation services are required, present itemized logs for hourly charges as described in the contract language.