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COUNTY OF HAWAIJ STATE OF HAWAIJ <br /> RESOLUTION NO. J65 22 <br /> A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CONTINUED EMPLOYMENT OF LEONG <br /> KUNIHIRO &BROOKE,AS SPECIAL COUNSEL TO REPRESENT THE COUNTY OF <br /> HAWAIJ, DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN RESOURCES, WORKERS' COMPENSATION <br /> DIVISION. <br /> WHEREAS, Section 6-5.5, of the Hawaii County Charter (the "Charter"), Special <br /> Counsel, provides that the County Council, may approve by two-thirds vote of its entire <br /> membership the employment of Special Counsel, for any special matter presenting a real <br /> necessity for such employment; and <br /> WHEREAS, Section 6-5.5 of the Charter states that any such authorization for the <br /> employment of Special Counsel shall specify the compensation to be paid for services; and <br /> WHEREAS, the County of Hawaii, Department of Human Resources, Workers' <br /> Compensation Division ("County") handles numerous workers' compensation cases and due to <br /> the number of cases, is still in need of assistance of a Special Counsel; and <br /> WHEREAS, on November 3, 2015, the County Council approved the hiring of Leong, <br /> Kunihiro, Benton, & Brooke as Special Counsel to represent the County for a sum not to exceed <br /> Three Hundred Thousand Dollars ($300,000.00); and <br /> WHEREAS, on February 19, 2020, the County Council approved an additional Fifty <br /> Thousand dollars ($50,000) for legal services rendered by Special Counsel; and <br /> WHEREAS, on September 16, 2020, the County Council approved an additional Two <br /> Hundred Thousand Dollars ($200,000.00); and <br /> WHEREAS, Special Counsel represents the County in its most challenging workers' <br /> compensation claims, provides claims management oversight, makes recommendations <br /> regarding settlement, negotiations, pertinent evaluations, and investigation, and promotes <br /> resolution and closure; and <br /> WHEREAS, the Office of the Corporation Counsel does not have the expertise and <br /> personnel resources to provide the same level of legal services rendered by Special Counsel; and <br /> WHEREAS, there is a real necessity for Special Counsel to continue representing the <br /> County in its most challenging work; and <br />