5-Year Contract With Legal Group OKd

Ventura County supervisors have approved a five-year contract with Conflict Defense Associates, a group that represents those who cannot afford attorneys but also have legal conflicts with the public defender’s office.

The agreement calls for CDA to receive more than $6.7 million through June, 1998, an amount less than the original proposal submitted by CDA.

CDA was the only agency submitting a bid, which was for $4.22 million over three years. County and CDA officials agreed to the five-year deal after negotiations earlier this year.

The board approved the agreement on a 4-0 vote Wednesday with little discussion. Supervisor Susan K. Lacey, whose husband is an attorney subcontracting with CDA, abstained from the vote.

“For us, it’s become a full-time job,” said Joel B. Steinfeld, one of four CDA contracting partners.

The deal calls for CDA to be paid $1,313,000 for the fiscal year ending next June, with raises of $30,000 in 1994-95 and $10,000 in 1995-96 and 1996-97.

“We’re happy to be working,” said Steinfeld, who has held the contract for 12 years.

Steinfeld and attorneys James M. Farley, Willard P. Wiksell and Charles L. Cassy make up CDA, but the firm subcontracts additional work to Edward J. Lacey, the supervisor’s husband,and about a dozen other lawyers, Steinfeld said.

CDA handles about 440 cases a year, according to the agreement. Farley won a high-profile victory earlier this week when his 16-year-old client was acquitted of murder.