Photograph: Attorney Robert Hammonds (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Contributing Writer
The St. Landry Parish School Board is scheduled during a special board meeting Monday to select a law firm which will handle legal matters for the District.
At this point the Board is positioned to decide whether to retain Hammonds, Stills, Adkins, Guice, Noah and Perkins, which has represented the District since 2014, or choose legal representation from McGlinchey Stafford which has also presented a proposal to serve as legal representative for the school system.
Attorneys from each legal firm presented proposals to board members during a June 1 meeting. However after listening to each presentation, board members decided to discuss the matter further and perhaps make a decision during the Monday meeting scheduled to start at 4 p.m.
Robert L. Hammonds Jr., a founding partner of Hammonds Stills, who represented the legal firm at the June 1 meeting, told the board that the legal firm he represents, plans to continue representing the District at the current rate of $150 an hour.
Hammonds Stills, Hammonds said, employs 25 attorneys currently representing 60 school districts. Robert Hammonds said, is still charging the District the same rate as it did nine years ago.
Hammonds told board members to confer with other school districts represented by Hammonds Stills in order to validate the services provided by Hammonds Stills before hiring a legal counsel for the St. Landry school system.
“We represent school systems, teachers and administrators. School law is all we do,” said Hammonds.
During a subsequent presentation at the June 1 meeting, Courtney Joiner, who was employed by Hammonds Stills until last month, indicated that he would continue serving as the main legal counsel for the District if board members approve hiring McGlinchey Stafford.
Joiner, who was the primary St. Landry School District legal representative for St. Landry during the past nine years, told the Board last month that he was leaving Hammonds Stills as soon as contract negotiations with new superintendent Milton Batiste III were completed.
McGlinchey Stafford Joiner said, intends to charge the District on a sliding scale not to exceed $225 an hour for handling legal matters. Joiner described McGinchey Stafford as a law firm that employs $600-per-hour attorneys, but because of the firm’s technology and resources, the firm can often charge less to clients.
Joiner added that the legal fees McGlinchey Stafford would charge the District at an hourly rate that will be determined by how much of the legal work is performed by paralegal personnel.
“I guarantee that (McGlinchey-Stafford) will continue to give (the District) the best service money provides. I want to continue that relationship that I had with (the District),” said Joiner.
Hammonds said that Joiner left Hammonds Stills on good terms on less than one week’s notice.
“I have nothing negative to say about Courtney or his new firm. I still think that we will continue to do a good job (for the District) as we have done for nine years. I think you need to ask yourself what law firm has the most extensive experience with school law, the most diversity of employees and which firm is the most economical. Since we already represent (the District), you won’t need to take any action (on hiring a firm),” Hammonds said.
