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Fire pension board votes 2–1 to retain Pedro Herrera at Jones Walker LLP
Summary
The New Smyrna Beach Fire Department Pension Board voted 2–1 to shift legal counsel to Jones Walker LLP and to retain Pedro Herrera as the board's primary attorney, with billing to begin May 1 and trustees instructed to finalize fee details.
The New Smyrna Beach Fire Department Pension Board voted to retain Pedro Herrera at Jones Walker LLP, approving a motion to transfer legal services from Sugarman & Susskind to Herrera's new firm. A trustee moved the change, the chair seconded it, and the board reported the voice tally as 2 in favor and 1 opposed.
Pedro Herrera, who identified himself as an experienced public‑pension attorney, told trustees he would match the fee discount offered by Sugarman & Susskind: "I said I would match it," he said during the meeting. Board members agreed Herrera's base of staffing and firm resources addressed concerns about continuity and responsiveness raised during deliberations. Trustees clarified administrative details and confirmed Jones Walker would start billing May 1.
The motion directs staff to finalize language and transition arrangements; the board did not adopt a multi‑year binding commitment and retained the option to revisit counsel if service or fees proved unsatisfactory. The chair said the board could return to the issue at a future meeting if needed.
