CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago’s law department will pay $1.6 million to a team of private attorneys that reviewed how City Hall attorneys handle excessive-force lawsuits against police.
The Winston & Strawn submitted an invoice this week to the department listing around 5,460 hours spent on the six-month review by ten lawyers, including former U.S. Attorney Dan Webb.
Their July report concluded City Hall attorneys don’t regularly hide or obstruct access to evidence. Some lawyers at other firms disputed that.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel agreed to the review after a judge rebuked city attorney Jordan Marsh for hiding evidence in a lawsuit. Marsh resigned.
The Chicago Sun-Times first reported on the invoice. It says Winston & Strawn agreed to use lower-than-usual rates and that the bill would have otherwise been over $3.5 million.
