Agenda Item
i. Approval of the Parks, Chesin, & Walbert, P.C., Law Firm Agreement
Summary: Presented by: Mr. H. Eric Hilton, Chief Legal Officer, Office of Legal Affairs
Request: It is requested that the Board of Education (“Board”) approve the contract agreement with Parks Chesin & Walbert, P.C. (“Parks”) as Annexation Counsel, at the hourly rate of $400 for A. Lee Parks, Jr., $400 for M. Travis Foust, $300 for Associate Attorneys and $125 for Paralegals, excluding necessary expenses and any necessary complex litigation, which will be determined and authorized by the Board Chair and Superintendent on a case-by-case basis.
Why: Public school systems require sound legal advice on various issues. Therefore, it is prudent for the Board to maintain a law firm they determine to best represent its interests in annexation matters. The approval of the Parks’ contract will enable the DeKalb County School District (“District”) to continue the efficient provision of legal services for annexation matters
Details: If approved by the Board, the Parks law firm will represent the District in any future proceedings filed by the City of Atlanta in the case of City of Atlanta, et al v. DeKalb County School District and Atlanta Independent School System, Superior Court of Fulton County, Georgia, Civil Action File No. 2022CV373394, and other annexation issues as well as any additional matters which the District may assign. This request is approved by the Office of Legal Affairs.
Financial impact: The account code from which the expense will be paid is 100.2300.530002.00011.7080.9990.8010.080.0000.
Contact: Mr. H. Eric Hilton, Chief Legal Officer, Office of Legal Affairs, 678- 676-0159
Effective: January 13, 2026
Status: Approved by the Office of Legal Affairs