School District Legal Expenses

A CLOSER LOOK...

SCHOOL:  BELMONT PUBLIC                                                                          Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane                                      FY2007  Total Legal Expense: $17,557                                                   Total Enrollment:3,831 Spec Ed: 571 Students                                                                                                                                                                                                        

SCHOOL: CARVER PUBLIC
Law Firm: Stoneman, Chandler & Miller
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $42,015
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $58,610
Total Enrollment: 2,025 Spec Ed: 310 Students

SCHOOL: COHASSET PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane (Spec Ed)           Stoneman, Chandler & Miller (Negotiations)
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $61,786
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $45,565
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $57,695 (plus $18,000 legal settlement)
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $32,072
Total Enrollment: 1,489 Spec Ed: 178 Students

SCHOOL: DEDHAM PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
"Total amount paid for special education legal expenses for FY07 and to date for FY08 is $26,870"
Total Enrollment: 2,885 Spec Ed: 543 Students                              

SCHOOL: DUXBURY PUBLIC                                                                         Law Firm: Stoneman, Chandler & Miller
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $194,599
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $130,333
Total Enrollment: 3,372 Spec Ed: 550 Students
Comments: legal services currently billed at $250 per hour

SCHOOL: FOXBOROUGH REGIONAL CHARTER
Law Firm: Stoneman, Chandler and Miller
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $26,528
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $17,099
Total Enrollment: 1,066 Spec Ed: 122 Students

SCHOOL: FRAMINGHAM PUBLIC
Law Firm: Bikofsky, White & Benjamin
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $49,170
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $23,566
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $129,908
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $34,151
Total Enrollment: 8299 Spec Ed: 19.9 % of Students (approx 1651)

SCHOOL: GROTON PUBLIC
Law Firm: Attorney Howard Greenspan
"Total Legal Services for FY 06-07": $338,026 (two year total???)
"Total amount spent for Special Education legal services for FY06 and FY07": $149,888
Total Enrollment: 2,937 Spec Ed: 11% of Students (approx 323)
Comment: This appears to be a two year total.

SCHOOL: HANOVER PUBLIC
Law Firm: Not Given
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $165,875
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $76,448
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $75,991
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $18,302
Total Enrollment: 2,830 Spec Ed: 501 Students

SCHOOL: HINGHAM PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Lamere and Murphy for Spec Ed                   Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane for Town Counsel                        Ropes & Gray for Labor Relations
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $36,551
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $6,513
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $39,166
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $8,804
Total Enrollment: 3,865 Spec Ed: 575 Students     

SCHOOL: LEXINGTON PUBLIC                                                                       Law Firm: Stoneman, Chandler & Miller                                                FY2006 Total legal Expenses: $154,477                                           FY2007 Total Legal Expenses: $139,625                                                 Total Enrollment: 6,199 Spec Ed: 1239 Students                          Comment: "The Lexington Public Schools does not separate Special Education Legal costs". The Secretary of State’s Office assisted in acquiring this public information.

SCHOOL: LYNN PUBLIC
Law Firm: Attorney John Mihos, Attorney Mary Gallant, Cosgrove, Eisenberg & Kiley
FY07 School Committee Legal Expenses (Mr. Mihos): $82,687
FY07 Outside Legal Services (Mr. Kiley): $118,625.50 (includes amount spent on Lynn Classical High settlement)
July 1, 2007 to Current Special Ed Legal Services (Ms. Gallant): $4,342
Total Enrollment: 13,731 Sped Ed: 2,345 Students
Comments: Supt. Kostan responded that "The Freedom of Information Act does not require a government entity to answer questions or to create records in response to a request".
After an investigation by the attorney from the Secretary of State’s office, Supervisor of Records Alan Cote ordered Supt. Kostan to provide the public records within ten days. 

SCHOOL: LYNNFIELD PUBLIC
Law Firm: Sullivan & Nuttall (Special Services)                             Attorney Paul Mulkern (school admin)
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $21,110
FY 2006 Special Services Legal Expense: $980
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $14,292
FY 2007 Special Services Legal Expense: $1,551
Total Enrollment: 2,231 Spec Ed: 274 Students

SCHOOL: MANSFIELD PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $60,984
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $51,451
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $90,444
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $63,607
Total Enrollment: 4,914 Spec Ed: 916 Students

SCHOOL: MARSHFIELD PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane(Spec Ed)             Attorney Robert Garrett (Labor)
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $77,244
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $35,824
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $73,234
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $23,020
Total Enrollment: 4,691 Spec Ed: 817 Students 

SCHOOL: MEDFIELD PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $35,289
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $39,840
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $16,294
Total Enrollment: 3,012 Spec Ed: 410 Students

SCHOOL: MEDFORD PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $29,594
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $27,696
Total Enrollment: 4,861 Spec Ed: 904 Students

SCHOOL: NEEDHAM PUBLIC
Law Firm: Stoneman, Chandler & Miller
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $131,221
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $106,324
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $191,246
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $130,830
Total Enrollment: 5,160 Spec Ed: 687 Students

SCHOOL: NEWTON PUBLIC
Law Firm: City Law Dept. (Spec Ed)
Collins, Loughran & Peloquin (Other Legal Services)
2005-06 School Year School Committee Legal Expense: $190,370
2006-07 School Year School Committee Expense: $174,345
Total Enrollment: 11,501 Spec Ed: 2,113 Students
Comments: Special ed legal services are provided by the City Law Dept, so the school district
does not have a total cost.

SCHOOL: NORTON PUBLIC
Law Firm: Collins, Loughran & Peloquin
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $44,583
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $15,172
Total Enrollment: 3,032 Spec Ed: 640 Students

SCHOOL: NORWELL PUBLIC
Law Firm: Long & DiPietro, LLP                                                               Seyfarth Shaw, LLP
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $41,633
Total Enrollment: 2,272 Spec Ed: 19.4% of Students (approx 441)
Comments: Long & DiPietro charged $125 to $150 per hour        Seyfarth Shaw charged $275 to $300 per hour

SCHOOL: PEMBROKE PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane (Spec Ed)            Attorney Robert Garrett (labor, employment, negotiations, employee discipline)                                                                                     Attorney Joseph Emerson (special labor 2006)                                        Attorney James Lampke (litigation with Silver Lake 2007)
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $28,443
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $5891
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $44,378
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $4991
Total Enrollment: 3,374 Spec Ed: 450 Students

SCHOOL: PLYMOUTH PUBLIC
Comments: The superintendent sent a bill for $106.00 and later $50.00 for charges related to preparing the requested public documents. The Secretary of State’s office investigated and issued a three page report stating that the school "district does not maintain a bottom line figure by total amount of money spent on legal services", so they are permitted to charge the $50 fee. Total Enrollment: 8,325 Spec Ed: 16.3% (approx 1357 students)

SCHOOL: SCITUATE PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane (Spec Ed)            Attorney Robert Garret (labor)
FY 2006-07 Total Legal Expense: $38,754 (8/18/06 to 7/9/07)
FY 2006-07 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $28,613 (8/18/06 to 7/9/07)
Total Enrollment: 3,225    Spec Ed: 524 Students
Comments: The Secretary of State’s office assisted in acquiring this public information.

SCHOOL: SILVER LAKE REGIONAL
Law Firm: Stoneman,                                                                                         Chandler & Miller (Spec Ed)                                                                               Law Offices of Fernand Dupere (Labor)                                                   Attorney John Wyman (general counsel)
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $99,323
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $17,000
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $84,784
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $24,451
Total Enrollment: 3,857 Spec Ed: 618 Students

SCHOOL: SWAMPSCOTT PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $17,362
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $5,463
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $70,086
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $12,305
Total Enrollment: 2,385 Spec Ed: 372 Students
Comments: The Secretary of State’s Office assisted in acquiring this public information.

SCHOOL: TAUNTON PUBLIC
Law Firm: Gay, Gay & Fiel
Total Legal Expense 7/1/05 - 9/11/07: $106,413 (appropriated $98,500)
Spec Ed Legal Expense 8/9/05 - 9/11/07: $14,359
Total Enrollment: 8,155 Spec Ed: 17.7% of Students (approx 1443)
Comments: The Secretary of State’s Office assisted in acquiring this public information. 

SCHOOL: TEWKSBURY PUBLIC
Law Firm: Sullivan and Nuttall from Marshfield
2006 Total Legal Expense: $79,874
2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $45,499
2007 Total Legal Expense (1/1/7 - 8/29/7): $63,319
2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense (1/1/7 - 8/29/7): $38,356
Total Enrollment: 4,761 Spec Ed: 16.3 % of Students (approx 776) 

SCHOOL: WALPOLE PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Lemere & Murphy (Spec Ed)                              Collins, Loughran & Pelloquin (other)
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $62,159
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $89,721
Total Enrollment: 3,915 Spec Ed: 18.1% of Students (approx 709) 

SCHOOL: WAYLAND PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $36,296
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $19,864
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $99,326 plus settlement of $65,000
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $38,849 plus settlement of $65,000
Total Enrollment: 2,858 Spec Ed: 550 Students 

SCHOOL: WELLESLEY PUBLIC
Law Firm: Town Counsel Al Robinson
Legal Expense: Since school legal services are provided by Town Counsel Al Robinson,                                                                                   Wellesley’s legal expenses "are not broken down by school district".
Total Enrollment: 4,631 Spec Ed: 15.9% (approx 736 students)
Comment: The Secretary of State’s office assisted in acquiring this public information. 

SCHOOL: WEST BRIDGEWATER PUBLIC
Law Firm: Long & DiPietro
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $16,239
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $15,150
Total Enrollment: 1,220 Spec Ed: 141 Students  

SCHOOL: WESTFORD PUBLIC
Law Firm: Nutter, McClennen & Fish
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $29,533
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $19,463
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $16,052
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $23,842
Total Enrollment: 5,259 Spec Ed: 592 Students
Comments: Special Ed Legal Expense was reported to be more than the total legal expenses for FY07  

SCHOOL: WESTON PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse & Toomey (Spec Ed)Stoneman, Chandler & Miller (general) Morgan, Brown & Joy (general)
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $39,632
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $4,881
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $41,843
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $7,916
Total Enrollment: 2,345 (K-12) Spec Ed: 329 Students (K-12)
Comments: FY07 Preschool Students on IEPs: 52

SCHOOL: WESTPORT PUBLIC
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $51,313
FY 2006 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $6,100
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $32,708
FY 2007 Spec Ed Legal Expense: $5,427
Total Enrollment: 1,934 Spec Ed: 328 Students

SCHOOL: WHITMAN HANSON REGIONAL
Law Firm: Murphy, Hesse, Toomey & Lehane
FY 2006 Total Legal Expense: $26,319
FY 2007 Total Legal Expense: $58,994
Total Enrollment: 4,373 Spec Ed: 685 Student