07/07/2008 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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• • C. Fees: 1. Fixed Fees We have provided a draft legal services contract for the City to consider which addresses rates for the services the City has identified, at Exhibit D. In our experience, the City may receive proposals with initially lower fees for some services. We believe our fees are competitive, as the $140/hour suggested for general legal services reflects the general range we typically charge our • current clients. We understand the current economic climate cities operate in, and would agree to hold our rates without change through 2009. Thereafter, we typically would request a moderate increase relative to the increased cost of doing business. • • • • • • • We believe our fees will be cost effective for the City, even if initially higher than another proposal. We are providing a team of highly- experienced lawyers with years of service to local government. Our depth and breadth of experience in the Firm will permit the City to benefit from a "one stop shop" law firm, offering further efficiencies and likely cost savings to the City. We recognize the City's right to negotiate these fees with us if we are selected as City Attorney. 2. Alternate Fee Arrangements We are also open to exploring the use of a retainer agreement for identified services to be provided to the City, such as meeting attendance and routine legal services. However, since we are unfamiliar with the City's practices, it is difficult in advance of establishing the attorney /client relationship to determine whether a retainer is in the best interest of the City or Kennedy & Graven. While some of our clients prefer a retainer, most of them seem to prefer hourly billing at agreed -upon rates for identified classifications of services, as we have suggested. We certainly understand that the City reserves the right to negotiate with us on the fee structure if we are selected as City Attorney. 3. Billing Increments and Other Costs The minimum increment of time billed is one -tenth of an hour for all service. There is no minimum increment for any type of service. The Firm will bill its out -of- pocket costs as described in Exhibit D. Our billing statements provide detail for all fees and costs as requested by the City. Kennedy & Graven can fully meet the City's preferred format for monthly billing statements. CONCLUSION We believe that our firm is without equal in terms of providing the breadth, depth, and quality of municipal legal services in this area. We believe that our depth and experience permits us to provide the highest quality legal services to Lino Lakes in the most effective and efficient way and at the lowest reasonable cost. We believe in (and have consistently maintained) long -term relationships with our municipal clients. While it is possible to find lower rates from other proposers, there are no "low ball" rates in the suggested fee schedule we have 13