Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith - Cyber AttackLEWIS
BRISBOIS
LEWIS BRISBOIS BISGAARD & SMITH LLP
October 28, 2019
VIA EMAIL
India Riedel, Financial Director
City of Okeechobee
55 South East 3rd Ave
Okeechobee, FL 34974
Email: iriedelgcityofokeechobee.com
Re: Engagement Letter
Dear Ms. Riedel:
Sean B. Hoar
888 SW Fifth Avenue, Suite 900
Portland, Oregon 97204-2025
Sean.Hoar@lewisbrisbois.com
Direct: 971.712.2795
File No. new
The purpose of this correspondence is to, upon execution: 1) establish an attorney client relationship
between Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP ("LBBS" or "the Firm") and City of Okeechobee ("City of
Okeechobee"); 2) define the scope of the Firm's representation of City of Okeechobee; and 3) establish other
material terms and conditions of the representation, including but not limited to the financial terms.
Scope of Engagement. LBBS is to represent City of Okeechobee in connection with an information
security incident. This may involve the facilitation of a forensics investigation, an assessment of your
consumer and regulatory notification obligations and, if necessary, drafting of notification letters to affected
consumers and appropriate regulators, facilitation of remediation services like credit monitoring or identity
monitoring for affected consumers, and interfacing with regulators. This letter confirms LBBS'
representation of City of Okeechobee for these purposes.
Terms of Engagement. When undertaking representation, we think it is critical that our clients and the
firm share the same understanding of the attorney-client relationship. To that end, I am enclosing a copy of
our "Standard Terms of Engagement for Legal Services" brochure, which describes in greater detail the basis
on which we provide legal services to our clients. As supplemented by this letter, the "Standard Terms of
Engagement for Legal Services" comprises our engagement agreement. Therefore, I ask that you review it
carefully and contact me promptly if you have any questions about our relationship. Unless later varied, our
engagement agreement will also apply to any subsequent matters we handle for you.
Legal Fees. Fees for services are based on a variety of factors including, for example, time and effort
involved, the experience of those doing the work, the complexity of the matter and the amount involved. Of
these and other considerations, the time devoted and the experience of those providing the services will be
given the most weight. Our hourly rates as authorized by your cyber insurance carrier, Great American
Insurance Group, will be $350 for partners, $250 for associates, and $175 for paralegals.
ARIZONA • CALIFORNIA • COLORADO • CONNECTICUT • FLORIDA • GEORGIA ILLINOIS • INDIANA • KANSAS KENTUCKY
LOUISIANA • MARYLAND MASSACHUSETTS • MISSOURI • NEVADA NEW JERSEY • NEW MEXICO NEW YORK
NORTH CAROLINA • OHIO OREGON • PENNSYLVANIA • RHODE ISLAND TEXAS • WASHINGTON • WEST VIRGINIA
4848-3450-9227.1
India Riedel/ City of Okeechobee
October 28, 2019
Page 2
Advance Fee Deposit. No retainer is being requested at this time. However, if our legal fees are not
paid in a timely manner, we may request that you provide an advance fee deposit equal to the outstanding
legal fees. If that occurs, the advance fee deposit will be placed in a trust account for your benefit. Unless
otherwise agreed, the advance fee deposit will be credited toward your unpaid invoices, if any, at the
conclusion of services. At the conclusion of our legal representation or at such time as the deposit is
unnecessary any remaining balance will be returned to you. If the advance fee deposit proves insufficient to
cover current expenses and fees on at least a two-month basis, it may have to be increased.
Attorney -Client Privilege. Please be aware that many communications between you and our lawyers
and others from the firm are protected by the attorney-client privilege. Although we do not, as a matter of
course, stamp all communications "Attorney -Client Work Product and Privileged," you should treat them as
such. Any privileged information between us should be protected from inadvertent or intentional disclosure
to third parties. Such disclosure may waive the attorney-client privilege. This admonition includes our
billing statements, which may contain references to or summarize legal advice we have provided to you.
Communication. We believe very strongly in maintaining an open line of communication with each
other at all times. This allows us to better serve you and keep you fully informed regarding the status of the
work we are performing on your behalf. For example, we will provide you with copies of all correspondence
in connection with your file. Our normal office hours are Monday — Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. I can be
reached directly at any time on either my office number, 971.712.2795, or my cell phone number,
503.459.7707.
I hope the information contained in this letter is helpful. I am pleased that you are entrusting your work
to us, and we will do our best to provide you with prompt, high quality, cost-effective legal counsel. Please
feel free to call me should you ever have any questions or concerns.
Very truly yours,
—7,-4
LEWIS BRISBOIS BISGAARD & SMITH LLP
Accepted and agreed to by:
Name (signature):
Name (printed): DOWLING R. WATFORD, JR.
Title: MAYOR
Enclosed: "Standard Terms of Engagement "for Legal',$ rvices"
AT T:
Lane Gamioteaj,GMC, City lerk
LEWIS BRISBOIS BISGAARD & SMITH LLP
www.lewisbrisbois.com
4848-3450-9227.1
r
LEWIS
BRISBOIS
Standard Terms of Engagement for Legal Services
This statement sets forth the standard terms of our engagement as your lawyers. Unless
modified in writing by mutual agreement or superseded by contrary controlling law, these terms
will be an integral part of our agreement with you. Therefore, we ask that you review this
statement carefully and contact us promptly if you have any questions. We suggest that you retain
this statement in your file. When the terms "firm, "our," "us," and "we" are used below, they refer
to Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP.
The Scope of Our Work
You should have a clear understanding of the legal services we will provide. Our firm will
provide the services requested, keep you informed of developments and progress in the matter,
and respond promptly to your inquiries. You agree to be truthful and cooperative and apprise
us of all developments relating to your needs and our services, to be available to attend all
requested appearances and depositions, settlement negotiations or court appearances, to
attend meetings when requested by us, and to keep us apprised of any change in address or
telephone numbers. Any expressions on our part concerning the outcome of your legal matters
are expressions of our professional judgment, but are not guarantees. Such opinions are
necessarily limited by our knowledge of the facts and are based on the state of the law at the
time they are expressed.
It is our policy that our client is the person or entity identified in our engagement letter and
does not include any affiliates or constituents of such person or entity (e.g., if you are a
corporation or partnership, any parents, subsidiaries, employees, officers, directors,
shareholders or partners of the corporation or partnership, or commonly owned corporations or
partnerships; or, if you are a trade association, any members of the trade association), whether
or not any such affiliate or constituent is operationally integrated with the person or entity
identified in our engagement letter as our client.
Preservation of Documents, Including Electronically Stored Information
You are generally required by law to retain documents, including electronically stored
information ("ESI"), which may be relevant to the matter which is the subject of the
representation. Preservation of documents including ESI is your responsibility, and it is important
that you take all necessary and reasonable steps to preserve this information. We can provide
written document preservation directives or "legal holds" if they would be of assistance. We are
also available to discuss the scope of your obligations and to provide advice or recommendations
in this regard.
Consent to Electronic Communications
In order to increase our efficiency and responsiveness, we endeavor to use state of the art
communication devices (e.g. email, document transfer by computer, wireless telephones,
facsimile transfer and other devices which may develop in the future). The use of such devices
under current technology may place your confidences and privileges at risk. However, we
believe that the efficiencies involved in the use of these devices outweigh the risk of accidental
4818-7501-7806.1 1
disclosure. By agreeing to these terms you consent to the use of these electronic communication
devices.
Consent to In -House Attorney -Client Privilege
From time to time questions arise as to our duties under the professional conduct rules that
apply to lawyers. These might include, for example, conflict of interest issues, and could even
include issues raised because of a dispute between us and a client over the handling of a matter.
When such issues arise we often seek the advice of our General Counsel who has been given the
responsibility within the firm for providing advice in matters involving professional conduct.
We consider such consultations to be attorney-client privileged conversations between firm
personnel and the counsel for the firm. In recent years, however, there have been a few court
decisions indicating that under some circumstances such conversations involve a conflict of
interest between the client and the firm and that our consultation with the firm's counsel may
not be privileged, unless we either withdraw from the representation of the client or obtain the
client's consent to consult with the firm's counsel.
We believe that it is in our clients' interest, as well as the firm's interest, that, in the event
legal ethics or related issues arise during a representation, we are able to promptly and
confidentially obtain advice regarding our obligations. Accordingly, you agree that if we
determine in our own discretion during the course of the representation that it is appropriate to
consult with our firm counsel (either the firm's internal counsel or, if we choose, outside counsel)
we have your consent to do so and that our contemporaneous representation of you shall not
result in a waiver or invalidation of any attorney-client privilege that the firm has to protect the
confidentiality of our communications with counsel.
Who Will Provide the Legal Services
Customarily, each client of the firm is served by a principal attorney contact. The principal
attorney should be someone in whom you have confidence and with whom you enjoy working.
You are free to request a change of principal attorney at any time. Subject to the supervisory role
of the principal attorney, your work or parts of it may be performed by other lawyers and legal
assistants in the firm. Such delegation may be for the purpose of involving lawyers or legal
assistants with special expertise in a given area, or lawyers who are licensed in a state in which a
particular issue arises, or for the purpose of providing services on an efficient and timely basis.
Whenever practicable, we will advise you of the names of those attorneys and legal assistants
who work on your matters.
How Fees Will Be Set
In determining the amount to be charged for the legal services we provide to you we will
consider:
■ The time and effort required, the novelty and complexity of the issues presented, and the
skill required to perform the legal services promptly;
■ The fees customarily charged in the community for similar services and the value of the
services to you;
■ The amount of money or value of property involved and the results obtained;
■ The time constraints imposed by you as our client and other circumstances, such as an
emergency closing, the need for injunctive relief from court, or substantial disruption of
other office business;
■ The nature and longevity of our professional relationship with you;
4818-7501-7806.1 2
The experience, reputation and expertise of the lawyers performing the services; and
The extent to which office procedures and systems have produced a high-quality product
efficiently.
Among these factors, the time and effort required are typically weighted most heavily. We
will keep accurate records of the time we devote to your work, including conferences (both in
person and over the telephone), negotiations, factual and legal research and analysis, document
preparation and revision, travel on your behalf, and other related matters. We record our time in
units of tenths of an hour.
The hourly rates of our lawyers and legal assistants have an important bearing on the fees we
charge. These rates are adjusted periodically to reflect current levels of legal experience, changes
in overhead costs, and other market factors. These hourly rates may vary, depending on the client,
the nature of the matters involved, or other circumstances.
We are sometimes requested to estimate the amount of fees and costs likely to be incurred in
connection with a particular matter. Whenever possible, we will furnish such an estimate based
upon our professional judgment, but always with a clear understanding that it is not a maximum
or fixed -fee quotation. The ultimate cost frequently is more or less than the amount estimated.
For certain well-defined services (for example, a simple business incorporation), upon
request, we may quote a flat fee. It is our policy not to accept representation on a flat -fee basis
except in such defined -service areas or pursuant to a special arrangement tailored to the needs of
a particular client.
Any flat fee arrangement will be expressed in a letter or an email message that sets forth
both the amount of the fee and the scope of the services to be provided. In undertaking
representation of a client with a personal injury or wrongful death claim or certain other
matters, we will, in appropriate circumstances, provide legal services on a contingent fee basis.
Any such contingent fee arrangement must be reflected in a written contingent fee agreement.
Additional Charges/Third Party Services
Typically, we will charge our clients not only for legal services rendered, and for our
out-of-pocket expenses incurred, but also for other ancillary services provided. Examples
include charges for in-house messenger deliveries, computerized research services, the use
of our facsimile and photocopy machines, discovery data handling and hosting and litigation
support services. While our charges for these services are measured by use, they do not, in
all instances, reflect our actual out-of-pocket costs. For many of these items, the true cost of
providing the service is difficult to establish. While we are constantly striving to maintain
these charges at rates which are the same as or lower than those maintained by others in our
markets, in some instances, the amounts charged exceed the actual costs to the firm. We
would be pleased to discuss the specific schedule of charges for these additional services and
to answer any questions.
In some situations we can arrange for these ancillary services to be provided by third parties
with direct billing to you. This often occurs with certain third party services facilitated by us, such
as forensic or other technology services. We can advance routine expenses for individual items
that cost less than $1,000 but will refer items that cost more directly to you for payment. In the
event third party services are engaged by us, on your behalf and with your written approval, you
agree to pay an outside vendor invoice directly, and if you fail to do so, you agree to defend and
indemnify us with respect to any claim, demands or suit brought against us as a result of your
4818-7501-7806.1 3
failure to pay such invoice. Payment directly by us of any such expense shall not be construed as a
waiver of our right to require you in the future to pay any similar expense directly.
Advance Fee Deposits
New clients of the firm are commonly asked to deposit an advance fee deposit with the
firm. If an advance fee deposit is requested, the engagement is contingent on receipt of that
advance fee deposit. You hereby grant us a security interest in any advance fee deposit with
us and in any other funds we hold on your behalf to secure your obligations to us under this
agreement. The advance fee deposit is often equal to our estimate of the fees and costs
likely to be incurred during a two-month period. Unless otherwise agreed, the advance fee
deposit will be credited toward your unpaid invoices, if any, at the conclusion of services. At
the conclusion of our legal representation or at such time as the deposit has become
unnecessary or has been appropriately reduced, the remaining balance or an appropriate
part of it will be returned to you. If the deposit proves insufficient to cover current expenses
and fees on at least a two-month basis, it may have to be increased.
Deposits which are received to cover specific items will be disbursed as provided in our
agreement with you, and you will be notified from time to time of the amounts applied or
withdrawn. Any amount remaining after disbursement will be returned to you.
All trust deposits we receive from you, including advance fee deposits, will be placed in
a trust account for your benefit. As required by court rule or statute in each jurisdiction in
which the firm has an office, your deposit will be placed in a pooled account if it is not
expected to earn a significant net return, taking into consideration the size and anticipated
duration of the deposit and the transaction costs. Other trust deposits will also be placed in
the pooled account unless you request a segregated account. By court rule or statute in each
of these jurisdictions, interest earned on the pooled account is payable to a charitable
foundation or other non-profit entity established in accordance with such court rule or
statute. Interest earned on a segregated trust account will be added to the deposit for your
benefit and will be includable in your taxable income.
Termination; Retention and Disposition of Documents
You may terminate our representation at any time, with or without cause. Our right or
obligation to terminate our representation is subject to the rules of professional conduct for
the applicable jurisdiction in which we practice, which list several types of conduct or
circumstances that require or permit us to withdraw from a representation, including, for
example, nonpayment of fees or costs, misrepresentation or failure to disclose material facts,
failure to cooperate, taking action contrary to our advice and conflict of interest with another
client. We will try to identify in advance and discuss with you any situation which may lead to
our withdrawal and if we decide to withdraw, we usually give written notice of our withdrawal.
Unless previously terminated by you or us, the attorney-client relationship will be
considered terminated upon our sending you the invoice that describes the final legal services
for all matters that you have retained us to perform. You will not thereafter be considered a
current client because you remain on a firm mailing list or have appointed an affiliate of the
firm to serve as your registered agent or because the firm retains possession of certain of
your papers or other property received in connection with the prior engagement or is
identified as a required recipient of notices under a contract to which you are a party. If you
later retain us to perform further or additional legal services, our attorney-client relationship
will be revived subject to our standard terms of engagement in effect at that time.
4818-7501-7806.1 4
Upon your request after the earlier of the termination of the attorney-client relationship
or conclusion of the matter, we will return to you any original documents and other property
you provided to the firm in connection with the matter. If you do not request your
documents, unless you make written arrangements with us to the contrary (e.g. such as to
retain your original will or other documents in our vault or otherwise), we reserve the right
to destroy or otherwise dispose of them for various reasons, including the minimization of
unnecessary storage expenses, or for no reason, without further notice to you at any time
after ten years following the date of the final invoice to you with respect to the matter.
The remainder of the file pertaining to the matter will be retained by the firm and will
remain its property. If, upon your request, we agree to provide you with copies of certain
documents from our file pertaining to the matter, you agree to pay the copying costs.
You agree that for various reasons, including the minimization of unnecessary storage
expenses, or for no reason, we may destroy or otherwise dispose of the firm's file pertaining to the
matter at any time after ten years following the date of the final invoice to you with respect to the
matter.
Post -Engagement Matters
You are engaging the firm to provide legal services in connection with a specific matter.
After completion of the matter, changes may occur in the applicable laws or regulations that
could have an impact upon your future rights and liabilities. Unless you engage us after
completion of the matter to provide additional legal advice on issues arising from the matter,
the firm has no continuing obligation to advise you with respect to future legal developments.
Billing Arrangements and Terms of Payments
We will bill you on a regular basis, normally each month, for both fees and
disbursements. You agree to make payment within 30 days after receiving our statement.
Unpaid fees and disbursements accrue interest at the maximum rate permitted by state law
(non -compounded), but not exceeding 1% per month from the beginning of the month in
which they became overdue. (Where fees and disbursements are regularly paid out of a
retainer deposit, no interest will be charged.) If we accept late payment of any invoice without
interest, we do so without waiving any claim in the future for interest on other invoices. If you
timely object in writing to a portion of a statement, you agree to pay the remainder of the
statement which is not in dispute. We agree to accept such partial payment without claiming you
have waived your right to contest the unpaid portion of the bill.
We will give you prompt notice if your account becomes delinquent, and you agree to
bring the account or the retainer deposit current. If the delinquency continues and you do
not arrange satisfactory payment terms, you agree that we may withdraw from the
representation and pursue collection of your account. You agree to pay the expenses of
collecting the debt, including court costs, filing fees and reasonable attorneys' fees.
Related Proceedings
If any claim is brought against the firm or any of its personnel based on your negligence or
misconduct, if we are asked to testify as a result of our representation of you, or if we must defend
the confidentiality of our communications in any proceeding, you agree to reimburse us for any
resulting costs, including for our time, calculated at the hourly rate for the particular individuals
involved, even if our representation of you has terminated.
4818-7501-7806.1 5
Choice of Law/Forum Selection
The engagement letter is deemed to have been executed, and is intended to be performed in the
state of Florida, subject to its laws, regardless of whether services are actually rendered outside of the
State. Any dispute arising from this agreement shall be governed by the laws of the state of Florida. The
venue for the judicial resolution of such dispute shall be proper only within the state of Florida.
Your Right to Arbitrate
If you disagree with the amount of our fee, or if you have any complaint about the services
rendered by us, please take up the question with your principal attorney contact or with the
firm's managing partner. Typically, such disagreements are resolved to the satisfaction of both
sides with little inconvenience or formality. If a fee dispute is not readily resolved, you have
the right to request arbitration under supervision of the bar associations for the jurisdictions
in which we practice, and we agree to participate in that process.
Complete Agreement
As referenced in and supplemented by the engagement letter, these standard terms of
engagement comprise our engagement agreement. No change to this agreement shall be effective
unless and until confirmed in writing by you and the firm. There are no promises, terms,
conditions or obligations other than those contained herein, and this agreement supersedes all
previous communications, representations, or other agreements, either oral or written, between
you and the firm.
Thank you for choosing Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith LLP to represent you in this matter.
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MEMORANDUM
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TO: India j " Lewis DATE: November 6, 2019
FROM: Bobbie Joh'! ,� !� SUBJECT: Lis Brisbois Bis card & Smith,
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j LLP Engagement Letter
Attached to this memorandum for distribution is an original executed Engagement Letters with Lewis
Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith, LLP that the Council approved at last night's meeting.
The Clerk's office has retained the other original for filing.
Thanks!