Forest Dist. consider hiring in-house lawyer

Hefty legal fees are prompting DuPage County Forest Preserve District leaders to consider hiring an in-house lawyer.

The district has paid $555,211 to its attorneys last fiscal year -- and more bills could be forthcoming.

"I feel that I have a duty and responsibility to see if there's a more economically feasible way of addressing our legal bills," district President Dewey Pierotti said.

"We will be looking at the pros and cons of hiring an in-house attorney," he said, adding that commissioners had advised the move.

Currently, the district contracts with a number of lawyers, including specialists in environmental litigation and property acquisition.

The lion's share of the work is done by the firm of Kuhn, Mitchell, Moss, Mork, Kocsis and Lechowicz. Attorney Robert Mork advises commissioners at meetings and handles much of the legal work related to board resolutions.

The firm was paid more than $254,000 for 2006-07.

Pierotti said he was concerned about the district being hit with a double whammy when its attorneys call each other instead of paid staff or himself for direction.

"It's not that they're not legitimate charges but I think we can make better judicial and economical use of our legal advice," he said.

Before reaching any decisions, the district is surveying how forest preserve districts in Kane, Lake and Will counties handle legal affairs.

"Everyone does it in a different manner. Some have a full-time, in-house attorney, others have a partial in-house attorney," Pierotti said.

Commissioner Michael Formento of Glen Ellyn said the time had come to consider the cost-effectiveness of an in-house attorney, especially for routine tasks such as drafting legislation.

"Obviously, there's a number of areas we have to define," Formento said. "It would also allow staff questions to be answered quickly."