TO: Mayor and City Commission
FROM: Samuel A. May, City Manager
DATE: April 17, 2019
Title
APPROVING APPOINTMENT OF WEISS SEROTA HELFMAN COLE & BIERMAN, P.L. AS INTERIM CITY ATTORNEY; PROVIDING FOR AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
BACKGROUND: In a letter dated, April 5, 2019, Attorney Cherof, on behalf of the firm of Goren Cherof Doody & Ezrol, PA, advised that they will not continue as Interim City Attorneys beyond April 30, 2019. This agenda item provides for the firm of Weiss Serota Helfman Cole & Bierman, P.L. to be the Interim City Attorney until a new City Attorney is appointed by the City Commission. Weiss Serota currently provides Special Magistrate services to the City of Margate.
Attorney Jamie Cole, from Weiss Serota, has advised that Attorney David M. Wolpin will be the lead attorney assigned to the City of Margate. As indicated on the following excerpt from the firm’s website, Attorney Wolpin “…has 41 years of experience in the practice of local government law, including service as assistant city and county attorney, and city attorney. David’s in-house city attorney service includes 11 years as City Attorney for the City of North Miami from 1984-1995. Since joining the firm in 1995, David has performed city attorney services for many of our clients including, Aventura, Bal Harbour, Homestead and Key Biscayne, and he presently sits with the governing body for Aventura.”
RECOMMENDATION: For approval.
FISCAL IMPACT: Total fiscal impact to be determined based upon services provided and length of engagement for legal services.
Hourly rates for legal personnel:
Attorneys - $250.00
Law Clerks - $125.00
Paralegals - $125.00
CONTACT PERSON: Samuel A. May, City Manager