| Advisory opinion regarding whether private attorneys may provide pro bono services in blight proceedings on behalf of the City of New Orleans. |
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New Orleans City Attorney Richard Cortizas states that blight has become a significant issue in New Orleans in recent years. As a result the administration of judicial efficiency and overall growth of New Orleans has been severely hindered. A possible solution is the use of pro bono services of private attorneys and their staff in blight proceedings. Mr. Cortizas states that arguably a private attorney who provides pro bono services for the City Attorney's office is a public servant engaged in a governmental function. Thus, it is the City Attorney's office concern of whether the private law firms continued compensation to the private attorneys employed in their office would be done so in violation of Section 1111C(1). It is the City Attorney's office that the private attorney's are not being paid by the private law firms for the pro bono work being performed and the non public income received would not increase or decrease in relation to the pro bono service provided to the City Attorney's office.
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Section 1111C(1) of the Code prohibits from receiving anything of economic value for any service that is the subject matter of their duties and responsibilities, programs, or operations of the public servants agency and in which he participated, or that draw substantially upon official data that has not become a part of the body of the public.
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Adopt the advisory opinion.
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| Assigned Attorney: |
Aneatra Boykin |
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