Louisiana Pays D.C. Attorneys $1,000 an Hour to Defend Against Federal Probe
Louisiana has enlisted the high-profile Washington, D.C. law firm WilmerHale to defend the Louisiana State Police (LSP) against a federal civil rights investigation, paying $1,000 an hour for their services.
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) launched the investigation into the LSP following evidence of racial discrimination and excessive force, with several state troopers implicated in high-profile incidents involving brutality against Black men, including the 2019 death of Ronald Green.
Governor-elect Jeff Landry, who took office in January after serving as attorney general, initially contracted WilmerHale in November 2023 to provide legal services related to federal government matters and consent decrees. The initial three-month contract, capped at $300,000, set the firm's hourly rate at $750.
A subsequent one-year contract, signed in April but backdated to February 1, raised the hourly rate to $1,000 and set a $2 million cap. This contract, obtained after a two-month public-records battle and a lawsuit filed by The Lens, includes an option for a two-year extension.
WilmerHale partners Ed O’Callaghan, a former DOJ official under President Trump, and Aaron Zebley, a former FBI special agent and federal prosecutor, are among those named in the contract. The firm's role is explicitly to defend LSP against the DOJ investigation, which could lead to a consent decree—a federal court order mandating reforms within the police department.
The DOJ investigation, prompted by multiple allegations of misconduct and cover-ups within the LSP, seeks to determine if the agency engages in racially discriminatory practices and excessive force. Such investigations can result in extensive and costly reforms monitored by a federal judge.
Former Governor John Bel Edwards and ex-LSP Superintendent Lamar Davis had previously expressed willingness to cooperate with the DOJ. However, the state has since shifted its stance, opting to conduct an internal review and engage the DOJ through WilmerHale.
Critics, including Alanah Odoms, executive director of the ACLU of Louisiana, argue that the state’s financial priorities are misplaced. "LSP should be investing in additional training and resources to change its violent behavior, not wasting resources in this manner," Odoms said.
The contract's high costs have raised eyebrows, especially given that WilmerHale's rate far exceeds typical state legal contracts. For comparison, the Louisiana-based firm Rodrigue and Arcuri was hired around the same time for $225 an hour to handle similar matters.
Louisiana law generally caps legal fees at $500 per hour, though an exemption for tort litigation and self-insurance matters was cited to justify the WilmerHale contract. Legal experts, however, question this interpretation, noting that many civil rights cases are typically handled by the AG’s office or local firms at lower rates.
