Local Law Firm Records a Major Victory Against theCounty of Los Angeles.

Business Editors

LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 4, 2000

In a case that could have cost millions of dollars in legal fees, the County Board of Supervisors, on Tuesday, Oct. 3, approved the settlement of a long-term suit between the County of Los Angeles and internationally

In a claim filed in Los Angeles Superior Court in March 1997, by the County of Los Angeles for the Men's Central Jail project, the County was seeking more than $40 million in restitution from HOK related to alleged design plan deficiencies for the Men's Central Jail project.

HOK also entered a cross complaint seeking $1.6 million for unpaid job invoices, inclusive of interest, spanning the final 18 months of construction during the project, for which HOK has never been compensated.

The claim, as entered by the County, cited that the County paid out more than $36 million additional to the contractor, Newberg-Dick, due to delays and disruptions caused by insufficient plans that were drawn by HOK. In addition, the County claimed that the errors and omissions in HOK's drawings led to extensive change orders in excess of $30 million.

After more than two years to design and almost three years to build, the Central Jail has finally found resolution, due to the swift maneuvering by HOK's defense attorney, Michael J. Baker, senior partner at Costa Mesa-based law firm Case & Baker LLP.

Baker and his team of construction specialists found a myriad of flaws in the County's claim against HOK, which led to a settlement of approximately $8 million in cash. "Anyone can fight like a gladiator, but we took an unconventional tack and structured a 'win-win' settlement in a case that is historically expensive to resolve," said Baker, HOK's lead attorney.

As with any major construction project, there are changes that come into play. HOK has been a primary design architect throughout the state of California, including the Los Angeles County USC Medical Center, Arrowhead Pond, Edison Field and Anaheim Convention Center, to name a few.

"We felt that the preservation of the relationship between the County and HOK was far more important than 'slinging hash' and embarrassing the County. After years of information gathering and fact finding, we came to the bargaining table ready to negotiate a 'win-win' and we did," said Baker.

The maximum-security jail, as now constructed, consists of two main towers to house inmates; an inmate receiving-booking facility (inmate reception center), spanning the distance between the two towers and serves as a front portal; the medical services building that functions as a corrective treatment center for the inmates; and an inmate transfer bridge that spans the street (Bauchet) between the old jail and the new facility.

The more than 1.25 million square feet of usable space, which was first designed to house only 2,200 male inmates, now embraces a 5,000-bed facility housing both men and women inmates. The jail facility, which now is looked upon as the "apple of the Sheriffs Department's eye," was the largest and most expensive capital project ever undertaken by the County.