Oakland City Wire

FOIA Request to City of Oakland, CA regarding contingency fee contracts on June 18, 2025.

A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the City of Oakland, California, on June 18, 2025. The request seeks detailed information about contingency fee contracts involving the city and various law firms over the past year.

The records requested include all contingency fee agreements between the City of Oakland and any external attorneys or law firms that have been in effect during the last 12 months. Additionally, specific engagement agreements or contracts with Sher Edling LLP, Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss PLLC, and Rex Sharp or Sharp Law LLP are being sought for the same period.

This request was made by a news reporter from Oakland City Wire on behalf of both their publication and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy. The coalition is a non-profit organization that assists media companies and public advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies through Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws.

The requester has also indicated that they are eligible for a fee waiver due to their role as a media professional involved in gathering and reporting news to the public. This access to public records is deemed essential for holding public institutions accountable and ensuring transparency.

Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.