Hackensack board appoints outside legal counsel, approves hourly rates

The Hackensack Board of Education voted to appoint outside legal counsel to represent the district from Feb. 12, 2025, through Jan. 31, 2026, and approved hourly billing rates for attorney and paralegal services.

At the Feb. 11 special meeting the board moved and seconded a resolution naming the firm transcribed in the record as “Fitzpatrick Cole and Giblin” to represent the board. The motion specified a rate of $185 per hour for attorneys and $90 per hour for paralegal services and named Jason Nunemacker as the primary contact to coordinate ordinary matters.

The motion was made by Trustee Gilmore and seconded by Trustee Pringle, and the chair called a roll-call vote. The chair announced that the motion passed. During discussion board members repeatedly noted that details about prior counsel and closed-session deliberations remain subject to attorney-client privilege and cannot be disclosed publicly.

Board members said the selection followed an open RFP process that closed Feb. 6 and that the firm selection would be finalized within the coming weeks. The board also acknowledged a short gap between the resignation of the prior firm on Jan. 31, 2025, and the appointment of interim counsel, and members said the district would follow procurement rules while protecting privileged matters.

The appointment was one of the formal actions recorded at the meeting; the board immediately followed with votes on personnel items and committee business. The board said it would notify the public when confidential matters discussed in closed session could be released.

What happens next: The appointed firm will serve as legal counsel through Jan. 31, 2026; the board named a primary contact to coordinate routine attorney-client communication and directed bills to the board secretary for processing.