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BEST BEST & KRIEGER LLP <br />A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY PARTNERSHIP INCLUDING PROFESSIONAL CORPORATIONS <br />LAWYERS <br />ARTHUR L. LITTLEWORTH* <br />WILLIAM R.DEWOLFE* <br />RICHARD T, ANDERSON• <br />JOHN D. WAHLIN* <br />JOHN E. BROWN* <br />MICHAEL T. RIDDELL• <br />MICHAEL GRANT - <br />FRANCIS J. BAUM* <br />ANNE T. THOMAS - <br />GEORGE M. REYES* <br />WILLIAM W. FLOYD, JR. <br />GREGORY L. HARDKE <br />KENDALL H. MACVEY <br />CLARK H. ALSOP <br />DAVID J. ERWIN- <br />MICHAEL J. ANDEL SON* <br />DOUGLAS S. PHILLIPS• <br />GREGORY K. WILKINSON <br />GENE TANAKA <br />VICTOR L. WOLF <br />DANIEL E. OLIVIER <br />HOWARD B. GOLD5 <br />STEPHEN P. DEITSCH <br />JOHN R. ROTTSCHAEFER <br />MARTIN A. MUELLER <br />J. MICHAEL SUMMEROUR <br />SCOTT C. SMITH <br />JACK B. CLARKE, JR. <br />* A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION <br />BRIAN M. LEWIS- <br />BRADLEY E. NEUFELD <br />PETER M. BARMACK <br />JEFFREY V. DUNN <br />STEVEN C. DEBAUN <br />ERIC L. GARNER* <br />DENNIS M. COTA <br />P.H.W.F. PEARCE <br />ROBERT W. HARGREAVES <br />C. MICHAEL COWETT <br />BRUCE W. BEACH <br />ARLENE PRATER <br />MARK A. EASTER <br />MICHELLE OUELLETTE <br />KEVIN K. RANDOLPH <br />CYNTHIA M. GERMANO <br />MARGUERITE S. STRAND <br />KYLE A. SNOW <br />JAMES B. GILPIN <br />KIM A. BYRENS <br />WILLIAM D. DAHLING, JR. <br />KIRK W. SMITH <br />BERNIE L. WILLIAMSON <br />G. HENRY WELLES <br />DINA O. HARRIS <br />RICHARD T. EGGER <br />DEAN DERLETH <br />SONIA RUBIO CARVALHO <br />JOHN 0. PINKNEY <br />PATRICIA BYARS CISNEROS <br />JACQUELINE E. BAILEY <br />SUSAN D. WILSON <br />DAVID J. HANCOCK <br />KAREN M. LEWIS <br />HAYLEY E. PETERSON <br />ROGER K. CRAWFORD <br />SHAWN D. HAGERTY <br />PIERO C. DALLARDA <br />DWIGHT M. MONTGOMERY <br />JAMES P. MORRIS <br />KEVIN T. COLLINS <br />CARYN L. CRAIG <br />DAVID W. NEWMAN <br />GREGORY K. HANSEN <br />JENNIFER T. BUCKMAN <br />MARIA E. GLESS <br />GLEN W. PRICE <br />MARYMICHAEL MCLEOD <br />JAMES R. TOUCHSTONE <br />STEVEN M. ANDERSON <br />ROBERT L. PATTERSON <br />BRYAN K. BENARD <br />PAULA C.P. DE SOUSA <br />JAMIE L. RAYMOND <br />LYSA M. SALTZMAN <br />THERESA HAN SAVAGE <br />SUSAN M. YOUNT <br />MARCO A. MARTINEZ <br />JOHN F. WALSH <br />DANIEL G. STEVENSON <br />JEFFRY F. FERRE <br />BRONWYN WHITTAKER PETERSEN <br />DORINE LAWRENCE -HUGHES <br />BRIAN P. HICKEY <br />KARLINA E. KUNZ <br />ALISON D. ALPERT <br />RAYMOND BEST (1868-1957) <br />JAMES H. KRIEGER (1913-1975) <br />EUGENE BEST (1893-1981) <br />CITY OF COLTON <br />LITIGATION UPDATE AND REVIEW <br />FEBRUARY 9, 1999 <br />SUMMARY <br />3750 UNIVERSITY AVENUE <br />RIVERSIDE, CALIFORNIA 92502-1028 <br />TELEPHONE (909) 686-1450 <br />TELECOPIERS <br />(909) 686-3083 682-4612 <br />W W W.BBKLAW.COM <br />OF COUNSEL <br />CHRISTOPHER L. CARPENTER* <br />MICHAEL O. HARRIS* <br />DONALD F. ZIMMER- <br />CHRISTINA L. DYER <br />FRANKLIN C. ADAMS <br />WILLIAM WOOD MERRILL <br />OFFICES IN <br />RANCHO MIRAGE (760) 568-2611 <br />ONTARIO (909) 989-8584 <br />SAN DIEGO (619) 525-1300 <br />�. Approximately one year ago, we met with the City Council to discuss how the City Attorney <br />viewed its role in managing litigation services provided by Best Best & Krieger LLP and outside <br />counsel. At that time, we indicated to the Council that we viewed our role as two -fold. First, that <br />.P. we ensure that litigation is handled effectively and cost -efficiently. Second, that we assist the City's <br />risk management staff and claims administrator in minimizing future claims. <br />Before our firm took over as City Attorney in October of 1997, the City's legal costs had <br />soared to nearly $1.2 million for fiscal year 1996-97. Based on an in-depth review of the City's <br />pending litigation, and working closely with the City Manager and the City's risk management team, <br />we identified three goals which we felt were critical in achieving more effective litigation <br />management. <br />• First, that we reduce overall legal costs to the City. (See Tab 2.) The City Manager <br />directed the City Attorney to immediately implement a policy of resolving claims and <br />cases as quickly as possible where liability exists, and to defend claims and cases <br />where necessary in a reasonable and cost-effective manner. By implementing this <br />policy, and taking a very proactive role with pending litigation being handled by <br />outside counsel, the City reduced its overall litigation costs in fiscal year 1997-98 by <br />approximately $300,000 over the previous year. (See Tab 2.) For the current fiscal <br />year, we are projecting a reduction of approximately $500,000 over fiscal year 1996- <br />1997. <br />RELFnVLW\60212 <br />