Legal Fees

Former public relations executive Douglas R. Dowie, convicted in May of bilking the city out of $6 million, has sued to try to force former employer Fleishman-Hillard Inc. to pay his legal bills. Dowie alleges the firm withdrew a promise to pay his $3 million in legal fees after he was indicted, according to the suit, filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court.

The City Council has agreed to pay the legal fees incurred by the Project Area Committee, the citizens group that represents residents and businesses in the relocation area of La Puente's major redevelopment project. Tuesday's vote reverses last month's council refusal to cover the legal costs. "It's a victory for us, but the money allocated was not enough," said Ben Acton, chairman of the Project Area Committee.

The best defense money can buy costs big, big bucks. And for O.J. Simpson, the meter is ticking. During his preliminary hearing, the superstar athlete turned accused murderer was surrounded by as many as five attorneys, led by Robert L. Shapiro. At least two other big-name lawyers--F. Lee Bailey and Alan M. Dershowitz--are acting as advisers but have not appeared in court so far.

The City Council unanimously approved $265,000 in budget amendments, most of it for legal fees in a continuing Justice Department suit against the city. More than $200,000 was approved to defend against a Justice Department suit filed last November alleging discrimination in hiring and recruiting police officers and firefighters.

The financially strapped Compton school district has spent nearly $2 million in legal fees the last four years, at least double what most other Los Angeles County districts spend, according to a report prepared this week by the district's financial staff. The district's Board of Trustees, facing a budget shortfall of at least $7 million in the next school year, ordered the report. One law firm, Melanie E.

John Malone, chairman of television company Liberty Media Corp., sued AT&T Corp. and Comcast Corp. seeking legal fees from litigation over AT&T's 1999 acquisition of Tele-Communications Inc., headed by Malone. After the transaction was announced, TCI shareholders sued company directors, including Malone, claiming that they violated their duties by approving the combination on unfair terms. The case is scheduled for a two-week trial starting Oct. 16 in Delaware Chancery Court.

Albert Dunlap, former chairman and chief executive of Sunbeam Corp., sued his ex-employer for allegedly dragging its feet in paying $500,000 in legal fees he and another executive have racked up defending themselves in securities fraud lawsuits. In a suit filed in Delaware Chancery Court in Wilmington, Del.

The end may be in sight for a long dispute over legal fees accrued by two councilmen who lost a bitter battle against changing election dates. An arbitration hearing to decide who should pay about $145,000 in attorney fees has been scheduled for Aug. 27 and 28 in Los Angeles. The fees were for the representation of Councilman Earl J. Prescott and former Councilman John Kelly in their fight against the council majority's decision to change municipal elections from November to April.

Former City Councilman Orville Amburgey has asked the city to pay legal fees for his defense of a conflict-of-interest charge. The City Council considered the request in closed session Monday night, but delayed a decision until its next meeting in two weeks. The council decided to wait until Amburgey's attorney, Lawrence Harvey, delivered more information on the case to the district attorney's office.