City Council

Item S404: First Amendment to Agreement for Legal Services with Schwartz, Semerdjian,\nCauley, Schena & Bush, LLP to Provide Continuing Legal Services as Panel Outside\nCounsel. (Added 1/8/25)\nThis item will be considered in the afternoon session which is scheduled to begin at\n2:00 p.m.\nTotal Estimated Cost of Proposed Action and Funding Source:\nThe First Amendment to the Contract with the Law Firm is for an increase of\n$1,000,000.00, for a total contract amount not-to-exceed $1,500,000.00. Funding for this\ncontract will come from the Public Liability Fund.\nCouncil District(s) Affected: Citywide.\nProposed Actions:\n(R-2025-260)\nResolution authorizing the First Amendment to legal services agreement (LSA) with\nSchwartz, Semerdjian, Cauley, Schena & Bush to increase the total not-to-exceed amount\nto $1,500,000.00 from $500,000.00. The $1,000,000.00 increase is necessary to continue\nwork the Law Firm is currently performing on behalf of the City, which includes\ndefending the City in the active litigation matter involving 101 Ash Street and multiple\nlawsuits arising from injuries sustained while riding rented electric scooters that include\ntwo electric scooter operators’ bankruptcy/insolvency proceedings. The firm will also\nassist in the City’s defense of multiple lawsuits arising from the January 22, 2024, rain\noccurrence and flooding filed by over 1,200 plaintiffs, including Gregory Montoya et al.\nv. City of San Diego.”\nCommittee Actions Taken: N/A\nOffice of the City Attorney: M. Travis Phelps, (619) 533-6370