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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08051997 - C113 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Victor J. Westman DATE: July 18, 1997 SUBJECT: Waiver of Potential Conflict of Interest in Tobacco Litigation SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATIONS) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION AUTHORIZE County Counsel, or his designee, to sign a letter waiving any actual or potential conflict of interest arising from the employment of Andrew Blum by the law firm of Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe . BACKGROUND/REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION The law firm of Heller, Ehrman, White & McAuliffe represents Philip Morris, Inc . , in the tobacco litigation. The law firm of Lieff, Cabraser, Heimann & Bernstein represents Contra Costa County, and other counties . Andrew Burns was employed by the Lieff, Cabraser law firm as a summer associate in 1996 and he performed approiximately one hour of legal research for the tobacco litigation. Mr. Burns has now been hired by the Heller, Ehrman law firm. He will NOT be working on any tobacco litigation. It is this potential or actual conflict of interest which the Lieff, Cabraser law firm is asking the plaintiff counties to waive . CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE�I�� , RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S) : ACTION OF BOARD ON August 5, 1997 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT lI TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN AYES: NOES: ACTION TAKEN AND ENTERED ON THE ABSENT: ABSTAIN: MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. Contact: Vickie Dawes ATTESTED August 5, 1997 cc: County Counsel PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF CAO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Health Services Dept . AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY �.�' �, DEPUTY H:\VDAWE\TOBACCO\BOcnflct.wpd