The city of Los Angeles has hired a new firm to represent it in a high-profile federal court case that focuses on whether the city failed to meet its obligations to provide shelter for its unhoused population.
The firm — Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher — has handled major cases around the country and beyond, including last year when the firm represented the city of Grants Pass, Oregon, in a landmark Supreme Court case about how cities can enforce rules about people who camp in public spaces.
L.A. is paying $900,000 for a two-year contract for outside counsel on this case, according to publicly-available online records. LAist has made formal and informal requests for the city’s contract with the firm, but authorities have said they can’t provide the document until after it’s been signed by the city clerk.
Gibson, Dunn and Crutcher attorneys have been representing the city since at least last week, according to court filings. Previously, the city attorney’s office had represented the city in the case, which has been moving through the court for several years.
It’s a high-cost move at a high-stakes moment. In the hearing that began this week, U.S. District Court Judge David O. Carter is weighing whether to transfer control of homelessness spending from the city to a court-appointed receiver.
And it comes at a time when the city is facing a nearly $1 billion budget deficit.
Matthew Umhofer, one of the lawyers who represents the L.A. Alliance for Human Rights, the plaintiffs in the case in front of Carter, questioned both the cost of the city contract and the timing.
“For the city to be in a budget crisis and be cutting back on services across the board, including services on the homelessness side of things, but then be willing to spend potentially…
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