9 Law Firms Vie For Hinsdale D86 Legal Work

DARIEN, IL – Hinsdale High School District 86, whose last law firm left criticizing the district, has received proposals from nine firms to take the job.

"I'm told that the previous time that District 86 did this, we got six proposals," Superintendent Michael Lach told the board Thursday.

"So the demand to work for District 86 from a legal perspective has increased by 50 percent. Good to hear," board member Jeff Waters said.

District officials plan to rank the proposals. They said three firms would present to the board at a Nov. 12 special meeting.

The board is tentatively slated to vote on a new firm at its regular meeting on Nov. 21. It may hire more than one firm, with one specializing in special education and student services, officials said.

Lach said he wanted action soon.

"I super want to get a new attorney lined up," he told the board.

In early September, the Chicago-based Robbins Schwartz firm terminated its relationship with District 86, saying that serving the district was "unreasonably difficult."

On Thursday, the board voted against paying the firm's $131,070 August legal bill, which is the highest since the board hired the firm in January.

Patch has filed a public records request for the law firms' proposals.