Summary of Representation Agreement for Legal Services from San Francisco City Attorney
#publicschoolove
Dear Parents for Public Schools of San Francisco
If approved by the Board of Education, effective February 28, 2025, the San Francisco City Attorney's Office outlines legal services to be provided to the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD). Due to SFUSD reported lack of internal legal resources and the City's support (including a School Stabilization Team), the City Attorney's Office will represent SFUSD, particularly regarding the impact of federal executive orders. The public has not heard a public report or update from the School Stabilization Team since the the initial appointment from Former Mayor London Breed.
The representation agreement covers compensation (hourly rates for various staff), indemnification, termination clauses, conflict of interest procedures, and confidentiality. The Term of the contract is to February 28, 2027, with an option for a two-year extension. It's governed by California law, with venue in San Francisco.
Key Highlights:
Partnership: This agreement, effective February 28, 2025, establishes a formal legal services arrangement between the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and the San Francisco City Attorney's Office. This collaboration is crucial due to SFUSD's limited internal legal resources.
Addressing Federal Impact: A primary focus is managing the potential impact of federal executive orders issued in January 2025, which may significantly affect SFUSD's operations. The City's proactive support, including the deployment of a School Stabilization Team, underscores the importance of this agreement.
Legal Representation: The City Attorney's Office will represent SFUSD in evaluating the impact of these executive orders and, with mutual consent, may pursue legal action to protect the District's interests.
Transparent Compensation: Compensation is defined through a tiered hourly rate structure for various staff levels (investigators, legal assistants, paralegals, and attorneys), ensuring transparency and accountability. While, the representation agreement does not identify a maximum monetary limit of compensation to The City Attorney's Office, several ranges of hourly compensation are outlined as follows:
Investigators: 209-224/hour
Legal Assistants: 180-203/hour
Paralegals:199-236/hour
Attorney: 236-368/hr
Robust Indemnification: The agreement includes comprehensive indemnification clauses, protecting both the City and the Office from potential liabilities arising from the agreement's performance.
Conflict of Interest Management: A detailed protocol is established for managing potential conflicts of interest that might arise from the Office's simultaneous representation of the City and SFUSD. This ensures ethical and transparent practices.
Clear Scope of Representation: The agreement precisely defines the scope of legal representation, limiting it to the District and excluding individual board members or employees.
An update to the Fiscal and Operational Stabilization Plan was last shared with the public on February 25, 2025.
See Report here: https://go.boarddocs.com/ca/sfusd/Board.nsf/files/DE53EC067DB6/$file/02.25.2025%20Fiscal%20and%20Operational%20Health%20Update%20(1).pdf