REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 24, 2026
FROM
REBECCA SUAREZ, Director, Department of Risk Management
LAURA FEINGOLD, County Counsel
SUBJECT
Title
Contracts for Civil Litigation Defense Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Contracts for the following civil litigation defense service firms, including non-standard terms, in the aggregate estimated amount of $82,000,000, at the established hourly rates, for the provisions of legal defense services for the County’s self-insured public liability programs for the period of April 15, 2026, through April 14, 2031 (Four votes required):
1. Alvarez-Glasman & Colvin
2. BDG LAW GROUP, APLC
3. Burke, Williams & Sorenson, LLP
4. Civica Law Group, APC
5. Cole Huber LLP
6. COLLINS + COLLINS LLP
7. Davis Grass Goldenstein & Finlay
8. Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP
9. Fujii Law Group LLP
10. Graves & King LLP
11. Gutierrez, Preciado & House, LLP
12. Kjar McKenna & Stockalper LLP
13. LaFollette, Johnson, DeHaas, Fesler & Ames
14. Lawrence Beach Allen & Choi, PC
15. Lynberg and Watkins
16. Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP
17. Michael Sullivan & Associates
18. Miller Barondess, LLP
19. Peterson, Bradford, Burkwitz, Gregorio, Burkwitz, & Su, LLP.
20. Sanders Roberts, LLP
21. Serviam by Wright, LLP
22. Thompson & Colegate LLP
23. Wagner, Zemming & Christensen, LLP
24. Walker Law Group, LLP
25. Wesierski & Zurek LLP
26. Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP
(Presenter: Rebecca Suarez, Director, 386-8723)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). These services will be paid on a fee-for-service basis in accordance with the fee schedules included in the contracts and will not exceed $82,000,000 between the 26 contracts across a five-year period.
The anticipated annual cost of $16,400,000 is included in the Department of Risk Management (DRM) approved 2025-26 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets. Costs are charged back to County departments via Board of Supervisors approved premiums billed through the annual budget process. Non-standard terms have no financial impact.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Department of Risk Management (DRM) self-administers the County’s public liability insurance programs. Legal defense for insured claims is provided primarily by the Office of County Counsel, with supplemental services provided by outside attorney firms with specialized knowledge. In today’s litigious climate against public agencies, recent legislative changes, and high-dollar jury verdicts, it is critical that experienced law firms be available to the County when additional services are needed. Contracting with attorney firms allows the County to control expenses by locking in hourly rates for the term of the contract, thereby lowering defense expenses while ensuring representation with legal expertise. The recommended action will establish a list of 26 public liability attorney firms that have specialized public entity experience and have agreed to specific terms that ensure optimal service to the County at competitive rates.
The recommended contracts will create a list of well-qualified and diverse firms. Contracts shall be effective from April 15, 2026, through April 14, 2031, with the County able to terminate for its unrestricted convenience with notice, and either party able to terminate with at least 30-days written notice provided all handled matters are transferred to new counsel. Though the mutual termination provision is non-standard (Section D.2), it is based in ethics rules that apply to all attorneys regarding limits on ending the attorney-client relationship, and it recognizes common industry practice regarding those limits.
Government Code section 25203 states approval of contracts with firms to assist the district attorney, county counsel, or other counsel for the county or any public entity for which the Board is the governing body must have a four-vote approved by the Board.
PROCUREMENT
The County Administrative Office approved and authorized the release of Request for Proposals of RMG126-RMADM-6092 with the Purchasing Department on October 17, 2025, to solicit proposals from interested and qualified Civil Litigation Defense Services for a period of 5 years. The RFP was released and posted to the County’s Electronic Procurement Network (ePro). 28 law firm proposals were received by the established deadline in the RFP. Proposals. One proposal from Law Office of Vincent C. Ewing was incomplete and was rejected, and one proposal from Smith Law Offices became duplicative when Smith Law Offices merged with Manning | Kass, a qualifying proposer, generating the current list of the 26 proposals listed in the recommendation.
|
Proposer Name |
Location |
|
Alvarez-Glasman Colvin |
Industry, CA |
|
BDG LAW GROUP, APLC |
Los Angeles, CA |
|
Burke, Williams & Sorenson, LLP |
Riverside, CA |
|
Civica Law Group, APC |
Irvine, CA |
|
Cole Huber LLP |
Ontario, CA |
|
COLLINS + COLLINS LLP |
Carlsbad, CA |
|
Davis Grass Goldstein & Finlay |
Ontario, CA |
|
Fagen Friedman & Fulfrost LLP |
Corona, CA |
|
Fujii Law Group LLP |
Irvine, CA |
|
Graves & King LLP |
Riverside, CA |
|
Gutierrez, Preciado & House, LLP |
Pasadena, CA |
|
Kjar McKenna & Stockalper LLP |
El Segundo, CA |
|
LaFollette, Johnson, DeHaas, Fesler & Ames |
Glendale, CA |
|
Lawrence Beach Allen & Choi, PC |
Costa Mesa, CA |
|
Lynberg and Watkins |
Orange, CA |
|
Manning & Kass, Ellrod, Ramirez, Trester LLP |
Los Angeles, CA |
|
Michael Sullivan & Associates |
Ontario, CA |
|
Miller Barondess, LLP |
Los Angeles, CA |
|
Peterson, Bradford, Burkwitz, Gregorio, Burkwitz, & Su, LLP. |
Burbank, CA |
|
Sanders Roberts, LLP |
Los Angeles, CA |
|
Serviam by Wright LLP |
Irvine, CA |
|
Thompson & Colegate LLP |
Riverside, CA |
|
Wagner Zemming Christensen, LLP |
Riverside, CA |
|
Walker Law Group, LLP |
Rancho Cucamonga, CA |
|
Wesierski & Zurek LLP |
Lake Forest, CA |
|
Wood Smith Henning & Berman LLP |
Ontario, CA |
The proposals were evaluated based on the following criteria: compliance with RFP requirements, experience and expertise in defending public entities, and strength in specialties needed to serve the County. The evaluation committee recommends contracts with all 26 law firms. Award letters were sent out on March 3, 2026 and no appeals were received within the allowable period.
Purchasing supports this competitive procurement based on the formal solicitation described above.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (G. Ross Trindle III, Chief Assistant County Counsel, 387-5451) on March 6, 2026; Purchasing (Jessica Barajas, Supervising Buyer, 387-2065) on February 26, 2026; and Finance and Administration (Ivan Ramirez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4020 and Penelope Chang, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-4886) on March 9, 2026.