HomeMy WebLinkAbout2000-462S \Our Documents\Ordinances\00\Bickerstaff, Heath etal Ordinance doc
ORDINANCE NO y
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO APPROVE AND EXECUTE
A PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE CITY OF DENTON AND
THE LAW FIRM OF BICKERSTAFF, HEATH, SMILEY, POLLAN, KEVER & MCDANIEL,
L L P FOR REDISTRICTING SERVICES, AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF
FUNDS THEREFORE, AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY ORDAINS
SECTION 1 That the City Manager is hereby authorized to execute an Agreement for
Professional Legal Services with the Law Offices of Bickerstaff, Heath, Smiley, Pollan, Kever &
McDaniel, L L P for redistricting services, a copy of which Agreement is attached hereto and
incorporated herein
SECTION 2 That the expenditure of funds as provided in the attached Agreement is
hereby authorized
SECTION 3
and approval /
PASSED AND APPROVED this the / 9 6
4 day of Qaam, 2000
That this ordinance shall become effective immediately upon its passage
C t'4� AOCL
EULINE BROCK, MAYOR
ATTEST
JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY
....... . ..
PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT
FOR LEGAL SERVICES
STATE OF TEXAS
COUNTY OF DENTON §
THI AGREEMENT is made and entered into as of the IV day of
2000, by and between the City of Denton, Texas, a Texas municipal
corporation, with its principal office at 215 East McKinney Street, Denton, Denton County,
Texas 76201, hereinafter called "CITY" and Bickerstaff, Heath, Smiley, Pollan, Kever &
McDaniel, L L P with its office at 3000 Bank One Center, 1717 Main Street, Dallas, TX 75201-
4335, hereinafter called "CONSULTANT," acting herein, by and through their duly authorized
representatives
WITNESSETH, that in consideration of the covenants and agreements herein contained,
the parties hereto do mutually agree as follows
ARTICLE I
EMPLOYMENT OF CONSULTANT
The CITY hereby contracts with the CONSULTANT, as an independent contractor, and
the CONSULTANT hereby agrees to perform the services herein in connection with the Project
as stated in the sections to follow, with diligence and in accordance with the highest professional
standards customarily obtained for such services in the State of Texas The professional services
set out herein are in connection with the following described project
The Project shall include, without limitation, preparation of a redistricting plan for the
City of Denton based upon the 2000 Census as more fully described in the Scope of Services
ARTICLE II
SCOPE OF SERVICES
The CONSULTANT shall perform the following services in a professional manner
A All those services set forth in CONSULTANT's Engagement Letter which is attached
hereto and made a part hereof as Exhibit "A" as if written word for word herein
B If there is any conflict between the terms of this Agreement and the exhibits attached to
this Agreement, the terms and conditions of this Agreement will control over the terms
and conditions of the attached exhibits or task orders
ARTICLE III
PERIOD OF SERVICE
This Agreement shall become effective upon execution of this Agreement by the CITY
and the CONSULTANT, and shall remain in force for the period which may reasonably be
required for the completion of the Project, including Additional Services, if any, and any
required extensions approved by the CITY This Agreement may be sooner terminated in
accordance with the provisions hereof Time is of the essence in this Agreement The
CONSULTANT shall make all reasonable efforts to complete the services set forth herein as
expeditiously as possible and to meet the schedule established by the CITY, acting through its
City Attorney or his designee
ARTICLE IV
COMPENSATION
A COMPENSATION, BILLING AND PAYMENT For and in consideration of the
professional services to be performed by the CONSULTANT herein, the CITY agrees to
pay, at an hourly rate shown in Exhibit "B" together with the reimbursable expenses
which is attached hereto and made a part of this Agreement as if written word for word
herein
Nothing contained in this Article shall require the CITY to pay for any work which is
unsatisfactory, as reasonably determined by the City Attorney or his designee, or which is
not submitted in compliance with the terms of this Agreement The CITY shall not be
required to make any payments to the CONSULTANT when the CONSULTANT is in
default under this Agreement
It is specifically understood and agreed that the CONSULTANT shall not be authorized
to undertake any work pursuant to this Agreement which would require additional
payments by the CITY for any charge, expense, or reimbursement without first having
obtained written authorization from the CITY
B ADDITIONAL SERVICES For additional services authorized in writing by the CITY,
the CONSULTANT shall be paid based on the Schedule of Charges at an hourly rate
shown in Exhibit "B " Payments for additional services shall be due and payable upon
submission by the CONSULTANT, and shall be in accordance with subsection C hereof
Statements shall not be submitted more frequently than monthly
C PAYMENT If the CITY fails to make payments due the CONSULTANT for services
and expenses within sixty (60) days after receipt of the CONSULTANT's undisputed
statement thereof, the amounts due the CONSULTANT will be increased by the rate of
one percent (1%) per month from the said sixtieth (60s') day, and, in addition, the
CONSULTANT may, after giving seven (7) days' written notice to the CITY, suspend
services under this Agreement until the CONSULTANT has been paid in full all amounts
due for services, expenses, and charges, provided, however, nothing herein shall require
the CITY to pay the late charge of one percent (1%) set forth herein if the CITY
reasonably determines that the work is unsatisfactory, in accordance with this Article V,
"Compensation "
ARTICLE V
OBSERVATION AND REVIEW OF THE WORK
The CONSULTANT will exercise reasonable care and due diligence in discovering and
promptly reporting to the CITY any defects or deficiencies in the work of the CONSULTANT or
any subcontractors or subconsultants
ARTICLE VI
OWNERSHIP OF DOCUMENTS
All final documents prepared or furnished by the CONSULTANT (and
CONSULTANT's subcontractors or subconsultants) pursuant to this Agreement are instruments
of service, and shall become the property of the CITY upon the termination of this Agreement
The CONSULTANT is entitled to retain copies of all such documents The documents prepared
and furnished by the CONSULTANT are intended only to be applicable to this Project, and
CITY's use of these documents in other projects shall be at CITY's sole risk and expense In the
event the CITY uses any of the information or materials developed pursuant to this Agreement in
another project or for other purposes than specified herein, CONSULTANT is released from any
and all liability relating to their use in that project
ARTICLE VII
INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR
CONSULTANT shall provide services to CITY as an independent contractor, not as an
employee of the CITY CONSULTANT shall not have or claim any right arising from employee
status
ARTICLE VIII
INDEMNITY AGREEMENT
The CONSULTANT shall indemnify and save and hold harmless the CITY and its
officers, agents, and employees from and against any and all liability, claims, demands, damages,
losses, and expenses, including, but not limited to court costs and reasonable attorney fees
incurred by the CITY, and including, without limitation, damages for bodily and personal injury,
death and property damage, resulting from the negligent acts or omissions of the
CONSULTANT or its officers, shareholders, agents, or employees in the execution, operation, or
performance of this Agreement
Nothing in this Agreement shall be construed to create a liability to any person who is not
a party to this Agreement, and nothing herein shall waive any of the parties' defenses, both at
law or equity, to any claim, cause of action, or litigation filed by anyone not a party to this
Agreement, including the defense of governmental immunity, which defenses are hereby
expressly reserved
ARTICLE IX
INSURANCE
CONSULTANT shall maintain and shall be caused to be in force at all times during the
term of this Agreement, a legally binding policy of professional liability insurance, issued by an
insurance carrier approved to do business in the State of Texas by the State Insurance Board,
which carrier must be rated by Best Rated Carriers, with a rating of "A-" or higher Such
coverage shall cover any claim hereunder occasioned by the CONSULTANT'S negligent
professional act and/or error or omission, in an amount not less than $500,000 00 combined
single limit coverage per occurrence In the event of changes to or cancellation of the policy by
the insurer, CONSULTANT hereby covenants to immediately advise the CITY thereof, and in
such event, CONSULTANT shall, prior to the effective date of change or cancellation, provide a
substitute policy furnishing the same coverage to the CITY Consultant shall provide a copy of
such policy and the declarations page of the existing policy to the CITY through its City
Attorney, simultaneously with the execution of this Agreement
ARTICLE X
ARBITRATION AND ALTERNATE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
The parties may agree to settle any disputes under this Agreement by submitting the
dispute to arbitration or other means of alternate dispute resolution, such as mediation No
arbitration or alternate dispute resolution arising out of or relating to this Agreement, involving
one party's disagreement, may include the other party to the disagreement without the other's
approval
ARTICLE XI
TERMINATION OF AGREEMENT
A Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, either party may terminate by
giving thirty (30) days' advance written notice to the other party
B This Agreement may be terminated in whole or in part in the event of either party
substantially failing to fulfill its obligations under this Agreement No such termination
will be affected unless the other party is given (1) written notice (delivered by certified
mail, return receipt requested) of intent to terminate and setting forth the reasons
specifying the non-performance, and not less than thirty (30) calendar days to cure the
failure, and (2) an opportunity for consultation with the terminating party prior to
termination
C If the Agreement is terminated prior to completion of the services to be provided
hereunder, CONSULTANT shall immediately cease all services and shall render a final
bill for services to the CITY within thirty (30) days after the date of termination The
CITY shall pay CONSULTANT for all services properly rendered and satisfactorily
performed and for reimbursable expenses to termination incurred prior to the date of
termination, in accordance with Article V "Compensation " Should the CITY
subsequently contract with a new consultant for the continuation of services on the
Project, CONSULTANT shall cooperate in providing information The CONSULTANT
shall turn over all documents prepared or furnished by CONSULTANT pursuant to this
Agreement to the CITY on or before the date of termination, but may maintain copies of
such documents for its use
ARTICLE XII
RESPONSIBILITY FOR CLAIMS AND LIABILITIES
Approval by the CITY shall not constitute, nor be deemed a release of the responsibility
and liability of the CONSULTANT, its employees, associates, agents, subcontractors, and
subconsultants for the accuracy and competency of their designs or other work, nor shall such
approval be deemed to be an assumption of such responsibility by the CITY for any defect in the
design or other work prepared by the CONSULTANT, its employees, subcontractors, agents, and
consultants
ARTICLE XIII
NOTICES
All notices, communications, and reports required or permitted under this Agreement
shall be personally delivered or mailed to the respective parties by depositing same in the United
States mail to the address shown below, certified mail, return receipt requested, unless otherwise
specified herein Mailed notices shall be deemed communicated as of three (3) days after
mailing
To CONSULTANT
Karen Brophy
Bickerstaff, Heath, Smiley, Pollan
Kever & McDaniel, L L P
1717 Main Street, Suite 3000
Dallas, TX 75201-4335
To CITY
Herbert L Prouty
City Attorney
City of Denton
215 East McKinney
Denton, Texas 76201
All notices shall be deemed effective upon receipt by the party to whom such notice is
given, or within three (3) days after mailing
ARTICLE XIV
ENTIRE AGREEMENT
This Agreement, consisting of eight pages and two exhibits, constitutes the complete and
final expression of the agreement of the parties, and is intended as a complete and exclusive
statement of the terms of their agreements, and supersedes all prior or contemporaneous offers,
promises, representations, negotiations, discussions, communications, and agreements which
may have been made in connection with the subject matter hereof
ARTICLE XV
SEVERABILITY
If any provision of this Agreement is found or deemed by a court of competent
jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable, it shall be considered severable from the remainder of
this Agreement and shall not cause the remainder to be invalid or unenforceable In such event,
the parties shall reform this Agreement to replace such stricken provision with a valid and
enforceable provision which comes as close as possible to expressing the intention of the stricken
provision
ARTICLE XVI
COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS
The CONSULTANT shall comply with all federal, state, and local laws, rules,
regulations, and ordinances applicable to the work covered hereunder as they may now read or
hereinafter be amended
ARTICLE XVII
DISCRIMINATION PROHIBITED
In performing the services required hereunder, the CONSULTANT shall not discriminate
against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, or
physical handicap
ARTICLE XIII
PERSONNEL
A The CONSULTANT represents that it has or will secure, at its own expense, all
personnel required to perform all the services required under this Agreement Such
personnel shall not be employees or officers of, or have any contractual relations with the
CITY CONSULTANT shall inform the CITY of any conflict of interest or potential
conflict of interest that may arise during the term of this Agreement
B All services required hereunder will be performed by the CONSULTANT or under its
supervision All personnel engaged in work shall be qualified, and shall be authorized
and permitted under state and local laws to perform such services
ARTICLE XIX
ASSIGNABILITY
The CONSULTANT shall not assign any interest in this Agreement, and shall not
transfer any interest in this Agreement (whether by assignment, novation, or otherwise) without
the prior written consent of the CITY
ARTICLE XX
MODIFICATION
No waiver or modification of this Agreement or of any covenant, condition, or limitation
herein contained shall be valid unless in writing and duly executed by the party to be charged
therewith, and no evidence of any waiver or modification shall be offered or received in evidence
in any proceeding ansmg between the parties hereto out of or affecting this Agreement, or the
rights or obligations of the parties hereunder, and unless such waiver or modification is in
writing and duly executed, and the parties further agree that the provisions of this section will not
be waived unless as set forth herein
ARTICLE XXI
MISCELLANEOUS
A The following exhibits are attached to and made a part of this Agreement )
1 Exhibit A Engagement Letter
2 Exhibit B Standard Terms of Engagement
B CONSULTANT agrees that CITY consistent with the attorney client relationship shall,
until the expiration of three (3) years after the final payment under this Agreement, have
access to and the right to examine any directly pertinent books, documents, papers, and
records of the CONSULTANT involving transactions relating to this Agreement
CONSULTANT agrees that CITY shall have access during normal working hours to all
necessary CONSULTANT facilities and shall be provided adequate and appropriate
working space in order to conduct audits in compliance with this section CITY shall
give CONSULTANT reasonable advance notice of intended audits
C Venue of any suit or cause of action under tlus Agreement shall lie exclusively in Denton
County, Texas This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the
State of Texas
D For the purpose of this Agreement, the key person who will supervise and coordinate the
work hereunder shall be Karen Brophy However, nothing herein shall limit
CONSULTANT from using other qualified and competent members of its firm to
perform the services required herein
E CONSULTANT shall commence, carry on, and complete any and all projects with all
applicable dispatch, in a sound, economical, and efficient manner and in accordance with
the provisions hereof In accomplishing the projects, CONSULTANT shall take such
steps as are appropriate to ensure that the work involved is properly coordinated with
related work being carried on by the CITY
F The CITY shall assist the CONSULTANT by placing at the CONSULTANT's disposal
all available information pertinent to the Project, including previous reports, any other
data relative to the Project, and arranging for the access thereto, and make all provisions
for the CONSULTANT to enter in or upon public and private property as required for the
CONSULTANT to perform services under this Agreement
G The captions of this Agreement are for informational purposes only, and shall not in any
way affect the substantive terms or conditions of this Agreement
IN WITNESS HEREOF, the City of Denton, Texas has caused this Agreement to be
executed by its duly authorized City Manager, and CONSULT has execute this Ag Bement
through its duly authorized undersigned officer on this the day of ,
2000
ATTEST
JENNIFER WALTERS, CITY SECRETARY
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM
HERBERT L PROUTY, CITY ATTORNEY
Ji.
WITNESS
BY
CITY OF DENTON, TEXAS
MANAGER
BICKERSTAFF, HEATH, SMILEY,
POLLAN, KEVER & McDANIEL, L L P
.,.
Bickerstaff, Heath, Smiley, Pollan, Kever & McDaniel, LIT
3000 Dank One Center 1717 Main Street Dallas Am 752014335 (214)762 8021 Fax (214)763 0200 wwwbickeretaff eom
KAREN H. BROPHY
(214) 753-0225
(214) 753-0200 Fax
E-Mail kbrophy@bickerstaff com
December 19, 2000
Herbert L Prouty
City Attorney
City of Denton
215 East McKinney Street
Denton, Texas 76201
RE: Engagement Letter for Hourly Representation
Dear Herb
Thank you for selecting our law firm to represent you We appreciate your confidence in us
and will do our best to achieve satisfactory results
The purpose of this letter, together with the enclosed "Standard Terms of Engagement", is
to set out our understanding with respect to the specific terms of our relationship Please review the
Standard Terms of Engagement carefully and contact us promptly if you have any questions
regarding our relationship This letter, together with the Standard Terms of Engagement, constitutes
our agreement with you (this "Agreement") under which our services will be provided
Identity of Client
We will be representing the interests of the City of Denton, Texas
Time of Performance
The services will be performed within a mutually agreed upon schedule to provide for a
Department of Justice submission by December 31, 2001
Nature and Scope of Representation
We understand that while in the future we may from time to time be employed on other
matters, our present relationship is limited to representing the City of Denton as follows preparation
of a redistricting plan for Denton based upon the 2000 Census and as directed by the City Attorney,
including
Exhibit A Engagement Letter
City of Denton Professional services Agreement 1 "
SCOPE OF SERVICES
• Analysis of Census 2000 data, preparation of Initial Assessment
• Attend a city council meeting to present the Initial Assessment, and provide
assistance in setting priorities and establishing the City's criteria for the redistricting
processes and implementation
• Attend one public hearing to obtain public input and analyze citizen comments
• Preparation of up to three proposed city council district plans
• Appearance before the Denton council, involving presentation of the proposed plans,
the redistricting processes and implementation and advising the council on its options
and the legal consequences surrounding those options
• Preparation of the submission to the United States Department of Justice requesting
preclearance of election changes
Supervision and Delegation
I will be the partner who will coordinate and supervise the services we perform on your
behalf, assisted by Alan Bojorquez We routinely delegate selected responsibilities to other persons
in our Firm when, because of special expertise, time availability or other reasons, they are in a better
position to carry them out In addition, we will try, where feasible and appropriate, to delegate tasks
to persons who can properly perform them at the least cost to you
Financial Arrangements
The enclosed Standard Terms of Engagement, together with this letter, outlines the financial
terms of our engagement It is the Firm's understanding that the City has initially authorized a
budget for this matter of $25,000 No legal work which would result in fees in excess of that amount
would be expected of the firm unless the City authorizes an additional budget, should it be
determined that any additional services of the firm are required in this matter If anything in this
letter or the Standard Terms of Engagement is unclear or presents a problem to you, please advise
me promptly so we may discuss it and reach a full understanding
Acceptance of Terms
If this arrangement is acceptable to you and the City of Denton, please sign the enclosed
duplicate original of this letter and return it to us at your earliest convenience
We truly appreciate the opportunity to be of service to you and look forward to working with
each of you and the City of Denton in a mutually beneficial relationship
Exhibit A Engagement Letter
City of Denton Professional Services Agreement 2
AGREED TO AND ACCEPTED:
DENTON,
Name Michael
Title
Very truly yours,
tAC�W/?W�r Date
City Manager
cc Billing Department
Exbibit A Engagement Letter
City of Denton Professional Services Agreement
STANDARD TERMS OF ENGAGEMENT
This statement sets forth the standard terms of our engagement as your attorneys Unless
modified in writing by mutual agreement, these terms will be an integral part of our agreement with
you Therefore, we ask that you review this statement carefully and contact us promptly if you have
any questions We suggest that you retain this statement in your file
The Scove of Our Work
You should have a clear understanding of the legal services we will provide Any questions
that you have should be dealt with promptly We will provide services related only to matters as to
which we have been specifically engaged
We will at all times act on your behalf to the best of our ability Any expressions on our part
concerning the outcome of your legal matters are expressions of our best professional judgment, but
are not guarantees Such opinions are necessarily limited by our knowledge of the facts and are
based on the state of the law at the time they are expressed We cannot guarantee the success of any
given matter, but we will strive to represent your interests professionally and efficiently
Fees For Legal Services
Our charges for professional services are customarily based on the time devoted to the
matter, the novelty and difficulty of the questions presented, the requisite experience, reputation and
skill requested to deal with those questions, time limitations imposed by the circumstances, and the
amount involved and the results obtained Unless otherwise indicated in writing, our fees for legal
services are determined on the basis of the hourly rates of the respective lawyers and paralegals who
perform the services These rates vary depending on the expertise and experience of the individual
We adjust these rates from time to time, increasing them as the individuals gam experience and
expertise and to reflect current economic conditions We will notify you in writing if this fee
structure is modified At the present time the standard billing rates for partners in this firm are
between $175 00 and $250 00 per hour, the billing rates for associates are between $90 00 and
$175 00 per hour, the billing rates for paralegals are $65 00 per hour, the billing rate for briefing
clerks is $50 00 per hour, and the billing rate for our redistricting specialist is $90 00 per hour (all
fees quoted are in U S Dollars)
Other Charges
All out-of-pocket expenses (such as long distance telephone charges, copying charges, travel
expenses, messenger expenses and the like) incurred by us in connection with our representation of
you will be billed to you as a separate item on your monthly statement We have enclosed a
schedule which indicates the rate at which most of these items will be charged
Billing Procedures and Terms of Payment
Our billing period begins on the 16th of the month and ends on the 15`h of the following
Exhibit B Standard Terms of Engagement -1-
City of Denton Professional Services Agreement
month We will render periodic statements to you for legal services and expenses We usually mail
these periodic statements toward the end of the month following the latest date covered in the
statement Each statement is payable within 30 days of its stated date and must be paid in U S
Dollars If any statement is not paid within 30 days after its stated date, interest at the rate of 1 1/2
percent per month (18 percent per annum) will accrue on the balance due However, if at anytime
18 percent per annum exceeds the highest interest rate permitted by applicable law, then the interest
rate that will be applied to any overdue amounts will be reduced to the maximum rate permitted
under applicable law
If you have any question or disagreement about any statement that we submit to you for
payment, please contact me at your earliest convenience so that we can resolve any problems without
delay Typically, such questions or disagreements can be resolved to the satisfaction of both sides
with little inconvenience or formality
.Termination of Services
You have the right at any time to terminate our employment upon written notice to us, and
if you do we will immediately cease to render additional services We reserve the right to
discontinue work on pending matters or terminate our attorney -client relationship with you at any
time that payment of your account becomes delinquent Additionally, in the event that you fail to
follow our advice and counsel, or otherwise fail to cooperate reasonably with us, we reserve the right
to withdraw from representing you upon short notice, regardless of the then status of your matter
No termination shall relieve you of the obligation to pay fees and expenses incurred prior to such
termination
6 Retention of Documents
Although historically we have attempted to retain for a reasonable time copies of most
documents generated by this Firm, we cannot be held responsible in any way for failure to do so, and
we hereby expressly disclaim any such responsibility or liability You must ultimately retain all
originals and copies you desire among your own files for future reference
Fee Estimates
We are often requested to estimate the amount of fees and costs likely to be incurred in
connection with a particular matter Our attorneys do their best to estimate fees and expenses for
particular matters when asked to do so However, an estimate is just that, and the fees and expenses
required are ultimately a function of many conditions over which we have little or no control,
especially in litigation or negotiation situations where the extent of necessary legal services may
depend to a significant degree upon the tactics of the opposition Unless otherwise agreed in writing
with respect to a specific matter, all estimates made by us shall be subject to your agreement and
understanding that such estimates do not constitute maximum or fixed fee quotations and that the
ultimate cost is frequently more or less than the amount estimated
Governing Law
Exhibit B Standard Terms of Engagement -2-
City of Denton Professional Services Agreement
This Agreement shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State
of Texas, United States of America Venue of any case or controversy arising under or pursuant to
this Agreement shall be in Denton County, Texas, United States of America
estions
If you have any questions from time to time about any aspect of our arrangements, please
feel entirely free to raise those questions We want to proceed in our work for you with a clear and
satisfactory understanding about every aspect of our billing and payment policies, and we encourage
an open and frank discussion of any or all of the matters mentioned in this memorandum
Exhibit B Standard Terms of Engagement -3-
City of Denton Professional Services Agreement
Client Costs Advanced
Bickerstaff, Heath, Smiley, Pollan, Kever & McDaniel, L.L.P
The firm incurs expenses on behalf of clients only when required by the legal needs of the clients
Some cases or matters require extensive use of copy facilities, and other cases may not be so paper
intensive Standard services such as secretarial and word processing time, file setup, and file storage
are not charged, however, other expenses such as long distance fees, copies, delivery fees, and fax
charges are billed to the client needing those services An explanation of the billing structure is as
follows
Delivery Services
Outside delivery services are used for pick-up and delivery of documents to the client as well
as to courts, agencies, and opposing parties Outside delivery fees are charged to the client
at the rate charged to the firm Overnight delivery services are also charged at the rate
charged to the firm Firm Office Services Department personnel may provide delivery
service in urgent situations and charges for such in-house service will not exceed the charge
that would be made by an outside service in a similar situation
Telephone
Our long distance charges are based on the exact number of minutes per call as provided by
our carriers The rate applied to the call is $ 20 per minute Cell phone charges will be
charged at invoice rate if the call is long distance, otherwise, local cell phone charges will
not be charged to the client
Postage
Our postal equipment calculates exact US postage for all sizes and weights of posted
material The rate charged for postage is the same as the amount affixed to the material that
is mailed
Copies
Our standard rate for copies made by firm personnel is $ 15 per copy This charge covers
paper, equipment costs, and other supplies If savings can be realized within the required
time frame by sending copy jobs to subcontractors, the firm uses only qualified legal services
copiers and the cost charged to the client is the same as the amount billed to the firm
Computerized Research
If a case requires the use of computerized legal research, trained and skilled legal researchers
are used to minimize on-line data charges The firm charges $4 00 per minute of on-line
connect time
Fax
Fax copies will be charged at the rate of $ 25 per page
Travel
Attorney and paralegal time spent traveling on behalf of a client is billed to the client Hotel,
meal, local transportation, and similar expenses are charged based on receipts and travel
Exhibit B Standard Terms of Engagement .4-
City of Denton Professional Services Agreement
expense forms submitted by the attorney Documentation is available to the client if
requested
Other Expenses
Expenses incurred to outside providers in connection with the client's legal services should
be paid by the client directly to the outside provider unless specifically arranged in advance
If the firm agrees to pay outside providers, the cost charged to the client is the same as the
amount billed to the firm Examples of such charges include court reporter fees, filing fees,
newspaper charges for publication notices, PUC download fees, expert witness fees,
consultants, and other similar expenses Such expenses will not be incurred without approval
from the client
Exhibit B Standard Terms of Engagement -5-
City of Denton Professional Services Agreement