Tarrant County will pay lawyers $450 an hour in redistricting lawsuit
As three residents raised signs saying “NO,” the Tarrant County Commissioners Court voted along party lines Tuesday, July 1, to hire Virginia-based Public Interest Legal Foundation to defend the county in court at a maximum cost of $250,000.
The nonprofit law firm will represent the county in a lawsuit alleging the redistricting of commissioners’ precincts approved June 3 is racially discriminatory. The county also hired the firm to help draw that map.
The federal lawsuit was originally filed by five Tarrant County voters in the Northern District of Texas in Fort Worth. They echo a sentiment held by a majority of the redistricting’s opposition, saying the new map “surgically moves minority voters” from one precinct to another and “unlawfully dilutes minorities’ voting rights.”
Defendants of the lawsuit are Tarrant County, the Commissioners Court and County Judge Tim O’Hare.
A spokesperson for the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Office told the Star-Telegram when the lawsuit was filed that “generally, this office represents the county in litigation matters.”
Concern over a conflict of interest
In discussion before the deciding vote, Democratic Commissioner Alisa Simmons of Arlington said she does not agree with the decision to overlook the county’s own legal office and hire Public Interest Legal Foundation.
“This is essentially hiring the arsonist to put out the fire,” Simmons said.
Simmons said the Advocate Witness Rule in Texas Rule of Professional Conduct says an attorney cannot represent a party in a lawsuit where they could be called as a witness.
“A lawyer shall not accept or continue employment as an advocate before a tribunal in a contemplated or pending adjudicatory proceeding if the lawyer knows or believes that the lawyer is or may be a witness necessary to establish an essential fact on behalf of the lawyer’s client,” the rule states.
Precinct 4 Commissioner Manny Ramirez said he understands the concern about a conflict of interest, but O’Hare said he would be “stunned” if a judge allowed the law firm to be recused.
“That’s not how the law works,” O’Hare said.
Mark Kratovil, an attorney representing said the District Attorney’s Office “does not have an issue with the contract.” Kratovil also said the District Attorney is capable of representing the county, which Simmons said she would prefer.
Simmons’ No. 2 precinct would likely be Republican under the new map. Voters had elected Democrats to the seat the past two elections.
Dems, residents prefer local representation
Precinct 1 Commissioner Roderick Miles, a Democrat from Fort Worth, restated his concerns that the redistricting process, aided by Public Interest Legal Foundation, was not transparent. Miles said he “cannot support this action” as there are plenty of local law firms to choose from to represent the county in the litigation.
Simmons said she was unimpressed by Public Interest Legal Foundation in the two months it worked with the county.
“They don’t work hard for the money,” Simmons said.
She said the attorneys “barely attended” the public feedback meetings, didn’t make themselves available for questions on the day of the redistricting vote and the invoice the law firm sent could have been done by “a third grader” for a lemonade stand.
Simmons said the invoice sent by Public Interest Legal Foundation for the redistricting process was for the full $30,000 that had been approved by the county with no details. The commissioner showed two unrelated invoices the county has received, saying those itemized bills were much more appropriate and professional.
“I don’t trust PILF,” Simmons said. “I don’t consent to them representing me as a member of this court. We need a law firm all of us can trust.”
All 13 residents who spoke to the commissioners about hiring Public Interest Legal Foundation were opposed to it. They said they do not trust the law firm, do not understand hiring attorneys based 1,300 miles away and do not want more of their tax dollars going to the law firm who gave them a racially gerrymandered map.
After the 3-2 vote, Public Interest Legal Foundation will represent the defendants in court, costing $450 an hour for the attorneys’ time.
The contract for legal services says the nonprofit will “endeavor to” bill the county for less than $250,000 and “to resolve this matter as quickly and inexpensively as reasonably and ethically possible.”
Besides the attorney’s $450 hourly rate, the county will be paying for “reasonable out-of-pocket expenses,” including travel fare, meals and parking. The county will also be billed up to $100 per hour for non-attorneys, paralegals or legal assistants.
Galveston County was billed $4 million in its racial gerrymandering litigation over the course of two years before Public Interest Legal Foundation got involved in 2023. The lawsuit, which alleges the 2021 county redistricting was racially gerrymandered, has continued through March of this year.
This story was originally published July 1, 2025 at 1:12 PM.