[ad_1]
Attorney General Ashley Moody The Department is requesting $11.2 million next year to increase the salaries and benefits of attorneys appointed to represent the state to help “attract and retain high-quality legal talent.”
The matter was raised in the Department of Justice’ legal budget requestreleased last month and amended on Tuesday.
The proposal says the agency is competing with state and local agencies as well as the private sector, and areas of the law that require specialized expertise are becoming more difficult to recruit and retain. from lawyers with skills in those areas.
“The (Office of the Attorney General) represents the State of Florida in some of the most important legal matters affecting the state,” the legislative budget request states.
“While OAG offers a great work environment and attractive benefits and retirement package, most OAG attorney fees are below market. To recruit and retain high quality attorneys, OAG attorney fees should be adjusted.
Lawmakers approved a salary increase for the OAG this year, but the agency is still struggling to compete with other options.
If approved, the additional funds would support an increase in base pay for the 454 full-time attorneys in the office, but would also target raises and increased benefits in the field. specifically, such as Medicaid fraud and tax fraud.
The proposal says the agency is struggling to fill those areas, and has lost lawyers in the Complex Settlements and State Programs divisions, which are “defending legal challenges to federal laws.” government and projects at the judicial level, often on a fast-track basis, requiring trial skills and human rights litigation experience.”
The office also recently “lost several senior attorneys” in its Jacksonville office to that city’s attorneys’ offices and the private sector.
Also cited were attorney losses in the Third District Court of Appeals, which covers Miami-Dade and Monroe counties, and the Fourth DCA, which covers Broward, Palm Beach, Martin, St. . agencies or local governments.
To compensate for the increase, the proposal would increase funding to help take away from federal funds, which would pay 75% of the increase in the Medicaid fraud group. Additional revenue comes from allowing the agency to charge state agencies higher rates for legal services.
The state pays below-market rates to other state governments, the petitioner argued. It says the $99 to $119 hourly rates offered in state agencies are “significantly” below the median rate of $300 an hour, according to a 2018 survey conducted by The Florida Bar.
“Apart from some private staff, most of the outside counsel in areas where the OAG works, such as administrative law, civil litigation, tax law and labor litigation, bills at higher rates,” the request reads. “The modest increase in OAG hourly rates will help offset the cost of the proposal and keep the OAG below the median hourly rate filed by Florida attorneys.”
Lawmakers will review the proposal when they work on the budget in next year’s Legislative Session, which begins March 7.
Read Review:
0
[ad_2]
Source link
