AI-assisted research summary: A state agency may not hire a private attorney on a contingency fee contract unless the Attorney General first makes a written finding that it is cost-effective and in the public interest.
(a)A State agency may not enter into a contingency fee contract with a private attorney unless the Attorney General makes a written determination prior to entering into the contract that contingency fee representation is both cost-effective and in the public interest. Any written determination shall include specific findings for each of the following factors: (1)Whether there exist sufficient and appropriate legal and financial resources within the Attorney General’s office to handle the matter. (2)The time and labor required; the novelty, complexity, and difficulty of the questions involved; and the skill requisite to perform the attorney services properly. (3)The geographic area where the attorney services are to be provided. (4)The amount of experience desired for the particular kind of attorney services to be provided and the nature of the private attorney’s experience with similar issues or cases. (b)If the Attorney General makes the determination described in subsection (a) of this section, the Attorney General shall request proposals from private attorneys to represent the State agency on a contingency fee basis and draft a written request for proposals from private attorneys, unless the Attorney General determines that requesting proposals is not feasible under the circumstances and sets forth the basis for this determination in writing. A request for proposals under this provision is not subject to Article 3 of Chapter 143 of the General Statutes. Until the conclusion of the legal proceeding or other matter for which the services of the private attorney were sought, all proposals received shall be maintained by the Attorney General and shall not be deemed a public record within the meaning of Chapter 132 of the General Statutes. All proposals maintained under this subsection shall be made available to the State Auditor for oversight purposes, upon request. (c)A private attorney who submits a proposal under this section shall simultaneously pay a fee in the amount of fifty dollars ($50.00). All fees collected under this subsection shall be used for the maintenance of the Attorney General’s Web site. History: History.2014-110, s. 1.1.