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Board renews agreement with Darren Smith and adds Gibbs Murrow LLP for social-media litigation
Summary
The board approved a three-year renewal with Darren Smith for legal services (07/01/2026–06/30/2029) and voted to add Gibbs Murrow LLP to the district's counsel roster for ongoing social-media litigation; board members noted a recent large settlement in a related Kentucky case as background.
The Edgecombe County Board of Education voted to renew its legal-services agreement with Darren Smith for the period July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029, and approved adding Gibbs Murrow LLP to the district’s legal team for social-media litigation.
Staff presented the renewal package and said there would be a slight increase in fees over the three-year term but recommended moving forward given the firm’s familiarity with district finances and prior work. The motion to approve the Darren Smith agreement passed by voice vote.
On a separate but related agenda item, staff recommended adding Gibbs Murrow LLP as counsel specifically for the district’s social-media litigation. A board member provided a brief litigation update, referencing a large settlement in Kentucky involving multiple defendants as an external data point. The board approved adding Gibbs Murrow LLP by voice vote.
The votes were unanimous by voice; staff and the board said representatives from the firms were available to answer questions during the meeting packet review and noted the changes reflect ongoing needs in litigation management.
