Law Firms’ LAX Pacts Extended
The Airport Commission on Tuesday unanimously approved a $750,000 contract extension with two law firms defending the city against lawsuits challenging its modernization plan for Los Angeles International Airport.
The money brings the total for the 18-month contract with environmental attorneys at Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld and the firm of James A. Geocaris to $5 million.
It pays for billings for April, May, June and part of July, which means airport officials would have to return to the board for more money next month.
The increase comes days before Mayor-elect Antonio Villaraigosa, who has said that he favors only part of the $11-billion modernization plan, takes office.
The City Council is expected to take up the matter today.
The firms will probably be called on to do more work in the coming months, as a Riverside County Superior Court judge Monday postponed the next hearing over the lawsuit that is challenging the airport modernization plan to Oct. 14.
In a letter this week, City Atty. Rocky Delgadillo urged Villaraigosa to quickly decide what he wants to do at LAX to keep legal costs down.
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