Lockhart ISD board approves contingent-fee legal agreement to join multi-district social media litigation

The Lockhart Independent School District Board of Trustees voted unanimously to adopt a resolution approving a contingent-fee legal services contract and to enter into contingent-fee agreements with Thompson & Horton, LLP; Eiland & Bonnin, PC; and O'Hanlon, Demerath & Castillo, PC to represent the district in multi-district litigation concerning youth social media usage.

Trustee Dr. Barbara Sanchez moved to adopt the resolution that includes the findings required by Texas Government Code Chapter 2254, Subchapter C; Trustee Tom Guyton seconded. The board recorded a 6-0 vote in favor. After a closed session during which the board consulted with legal counsel, Trustee Tom Guyton moved to approve the contingent-fee agreements with the three named firms; Trustee Rebecca Pulliam seconded, and the motion also passed 6-0. The board’s action authorizes the superintendent or any member of the board to execute the agreements and to submit the required materials to the Texas Attorney General for expedited review.

The board record and associated resolution state the district’s rationale: the work requires specialized litigation resources, significant expense (including expert witnesses and discovery costs), and a contingent-fee arrangement was judged appropriate because the district lacks in-house attorneys with the needed expertise. The written record invokes Texas Government Code section 2254 and documents the firms’ qualifications and prior work for the district and in contingent-fee MDL matters.

The public hearing notice on this topic appears earlier in the record; the hearing entry in the meeting minutes shows no public commenters were recorded on that agenda item. The board convened in closed session at 10:19 p.m. to consult with counsel on this and other matters and reconvened in open session to make the two approvals.