With added bills from contract lawyers, city's legal costs top $1 million annually

Spread sheet showing this year's salaries and benefits for city's growing legal department; inset policy orchestrators City Manager Katie Ambrose, left, and City Attorney Terence O'Rourke (Courtesy)

ROCHESTER - The total budget for Rochester's legal department is now around $916,000 annually, up more than 40 percent from just two years ago, but when adding on the almost $150,000 spent on cases contracted out, the city's legal expenses top well over a million bucks.

Between July 1, 2023 and Aug. 12 the city paid out $147,407 to contract lawyers: about $36,000 in connection with collective bargaining agreements; and $111,000 for EPA Wastewater Plant Mandates, according to a city document obtained by The Rochester Voice through a Right to Know request.

This year's budget includes salary and benefits for a third attorney to join the city's legal team, which includes two full-time attorneys at a total of $225,00; the new hire will get close to $100,000.

The legal department staff additionally includes a paralegal, two legal assistants and a victim witness advocate at an additional combined $247,000, putting the line item for just salaries at more than $585,000.
The overall salary line for the legal department for fiscal year 2025 is up around 10 percent over last year and up more than 40 percent over what it was in fiscal year 2023.
In addition, the legal staff's benefits budget at $240,000 is also up more than 40 percent since 2023.
The Rochester Voice has repeatedly asked Rochester City Manager Katie Ambrose to explain why the city needs yet another full-time lawyer, but she continues to stonewall The Rochester Voice.

Meanwhile, former Rochester mayoral candidate and downtown business owner Susan Rice has repeatedly demanded that the legal department be more forthright.

"I brought it up several months ago that the legal department should be providing a monthly status report like other city departments do," she said last month. "There's no accountability or transparency."

Former city councilor Steve Beadoin recently said it would be much more efficient if the city just contracted out all its legal work.
"You can't tell me that with almost a million-dollar annual budget, they couldn't farm that out for less money," he said. "You could have a team of lawyers who represent the city far better in specific areas whether it be real estate law or municipal law or whatever. Instead, we have people that don't know any specific areas of law."
Beaudoin said the specter of a third lawyer is unsettling.
"You watch, the legal department is part of weaponizing the city against the people of Rochester," he said.