FOIA Request to City of Annapolis regarding contingency fee contracts on June 18, 2025.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request was submitted to the City of Annapolis by Anne Arundel Today, a media organization dedicated to providing comprehensive and accurate news coverage on local governmental affairs. The request seeks information under the Maryland Public Information Act Title 4, specifically concerning contingency fee contracts. The request was sent on June 18, 2025.
The FOIA request includes a detailed inquiry into several specific records. These include all contingency fee agreements between the City of Annapolis and any external attorneys or law firms that have been in effect during the last 12 months. Additionally, it requests all engagement agreements or contracts between the city and three specific law firms: Sher Edling LLP, Lewis Baach Kaufmann Middlemiss PLLC, and Rex Sharp or Sharp Law LLP, all within the same timeframe.
The request was made on behalf of Anne Arundel Today and The Coalition Opposing Governmental Secrecy. This coalition is a non-profit organization that assists media companies and public advocacy groups in investigating governmental agencies using Freedom of Information and Sunshine Laws. More information about this coalition can be found on their website at https://stopsecrecy.org/about/.
As members of the media, Anne Arundel Today emphasizes its role in gathering and reporting news to hold public institutions accountable and provide transparency to the public. They have requested a fee waiver for accessing these records due to their professional responsibilities in disseminating information.
Our team will continue to keep you updated as we gather and report news related to this request and other matters of public interest. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or need further clarification regarding this matter.
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