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Form#: B-52 <br /> 7/18/91 <br /> DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE <br /> REQUEST FOR COUNCIL ACTION <br /> DEPARTMENT: Office of the Corporartion Counsel DATE: 4/23/2024 <br /> STAFF CONTACT: Diana M. Mellon-Lacey PHONE: 808-961-8251 <br /> A. REQUEST: <br /> The Office of the Corporation Counsel requests the placement of the attached draft resolution on the May <br /> 14, 2024 Finance Committee agenda. The attached draft resolution will impart authority to the Office of the <br /> Corporation Counsel to continue the currently existing contract for special counsel with Leong Kunihiro <br /> Brooke & Kim, and increase the budget for legal services by an additional $300,000. <br /> B. BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION (USE ADDITIONAL SHEETS AS NEEDED): <br /> The County's Department of Human Resoures processes numerous workers' compensation claims. The <br /> Office of the Corporation Counsel does not have the expertise, personnel and requisite resources to provide <br /> the technical level of legal services that Special Counsel affords. The firm of Leong Kunihiro Brooke & Kim <br /> ("Special Counsel") has been retained by the County since 2015 and provides comprehensive legal <br /> representation in workers' compensation cases, including: <br /> -Investigation of injury claims related to serious medical conditions where the County's exposure may be <br /> significant(stress, cardiac conditions, neurologic conditions, and employee deaths resulting from work- <br /> related injury; <br /> -All matters heard before the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board; <br /> -Investigation and filing fraud complaiints, including representation at Department of Labor hearings <br /> pertaining to fraud; <br /> -Depositions of parties as a component of the investigation process; <br /> -Claims handling for the most complex cases including multiple dates of injury and/or claims that have been <br /> open for significant periods of time, to bring the claim to closure/resolution; <br /> -Preparation of settlement agreements; <br /> -Preparation and filing of court pleadings and making court appearances as necessary; <br /> -Providing general advice and consultation to the County in relation to claims handling. <br /> Corporation Counsel requests that Council grant the authority for continued employement of Leong Kunihiro <br /> Brooke & Kim as Special Counsel and authorize an additional $300,000 to cover the anticipated costs under <br /> this contract through September 30, 2025. <br /> Digitally signed by J <br /> SIGNED: Yosh i moto DATE: 04-23-24 <br /> Department Head <br />