Lafayette School Board Officially Selects Interim Legal Counsel

After releasing the district attorney's office from the position, the Lafayette Parish School Board has now awarded a temporary contract to a firm that will provide legal counsel.

Hammonds, Sills, Adkins and Guice has been representing the board since it voted to do away with the DA's office last year, and after Wednesday night's 6-3 vote, it will continue to provide the service until permanent counsel is chosen.

The firm represents other school districts throughout the state.

Board members Mark Cockerham, Kermit Bouillion and Shelton Cobb voted against the selection. Superintendent Pat Cooper was also against the Board's action, alleging it mishandled the selection process and went against its own policies.

Cooper placed an item on the meeting's agenda that would have had the Board direct him to draw up a contract for paying Hammonds & Sills for services performed before the contract was awarded.

The item failed to receive a two-thirds vote that would have warranted action that night.

A Board committee began discussion Tuesday on how to move forward with selecting permanent counsel. The process should be complete by July.