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AGENDA ITEM REVIEW FORM |
7.E.
Regular City Council Meeting
- Meeting Date:
- 07/09/2025
- Department Head:
- Kay Macuil
- Submitted By:
- Kay Macuil, City Attorney, Attorney's Office
Action Requested:
Motion
ITEM:
Discussion and possible action on any and all matters regarding renewal of the subscription to Westlaw for West Publishing and Thompson Reuters online legal library, search engine, and AI services for a 3-year contract. (Kay Marion Macuil, City Attorney)
SUMMARY:
The City Attorney’s and Prosecutor's Offices share a subscription to Westlaw and wish to renew the subscription, which expires August 1, 2025.
Background
Westlaw is a web-based service tool providing searchable access to the laws and other legal resources. Westlaw's databases include constitutions, statutes, regulations, cases, legal encyclopedias, scholarly articles on the law, legal practice guides, forms, legal news and more. The service also includes 24-hour live, bar-admitted, legal reference attorneys. For every attorney license, one paralegal is able to use the service without extra charge. It has been a vital tool of the City Attorney's Office for decades. We use it every day.
In March 2025, I upgraded to include CoCounsel in the service, which is an Artificial Intelligence tool. Using chat retrieves relevant legal resources more efficiently than the search engine, which is also provided with the service. Legal documents can be uploaded to it for reviewing key information and summarizing. The City Attorney and Prosecutor's Offices have been able to use these services without extra cost until the renewal date. Since March, the monthly rate has been reduced from $2,282.47 per month to $2,061.63 per month for three attorneys. The service renews on August 1, 2025, for 3 years.
Renewal
Starting August 1, 2025, the rate would have been $2,577.00 per month for three attorneys with an increase 5% annually through July 28, 2028. However, with two attorneys, the cost is $2,372.00 per month, a savings of $205 per month, $2,460 annually. There will be a 5% increase each year. However, locking in this increase now will prevent higher increases with annual renewals.
Compliance with San Luis Code - Purchasing
Other providers were evaluated, such as Lexis/Nexis and Fast Case. However, those services do not have the copyrights to the references that are most useful for transactional municipal lawyers. Under the San Luis City Code, Purchasing Chapter, Section 36.02, where there is only one service provider, other quotes or bidding are not required.
Staff Request
Staff is requesting that the City Council approve a continuation of this essential service for the functioning of the City Attorney's and Prosecutor's Offices.
Background
Westlaw is a web-based service tool providing searchable access to the laws and other legal resources. Westlaw's databases include constitutions, statutes, regulations, cases, legal encyclopedias, scholarly articles on the law, legal practice guides, forms, legal news and more. The service also includes 24-hour live, bar-admitted, legal reference attorneys. For every attorney license, one paralegal is able to use the service without extra charge. It has been a vital tool of the City Attorney's Office for decades. We use it every day.
In March 2025, I upgraded to include CoCounsel in the service, which is an Artificial Intelligence tool. Using chat retrieves relevant legal resources more efficiently than the search engine, which is also provided with the service. Legal documents can be uploaded to it for reviewing key information and summarizing. The City Attorney and Prosecutor's Offices have been able to use these services without extra cost until the renewal date. Since March, the monthly rate has been reduced from $2,282.47 per month to $2,061.63 per month for three attorneys. The service renews on August 1, 2025, for 3 years.
Renewal
Starting August 1, 2025, the rate would have been $2,577.00 per month for three attorneys with an increase 5% annually through July 28, 2028. However, with two attorneys, the cost is $2,372.00 per month, a savings of $205 per month, $2,460 annually. There will be a 5% increase each year. However, locking in this increase now will prevent higher increases with annual renewals.
Compliance with San Luis Code - Purchasing
Other providers were evaluated, such as Lexis/Nexis and Fast Case. However, those services do not have the copyrights to the references that are most useful for transactional municipal lawyers. Under the San Luis City Code, Purchasing Chapter, Section 36.02, where there is only one service provider, other quotes or bidding are not required.
Staff Request
Staff is requesting that the City Council approve a continuation of this essential service for the functioning of the City Attorney's and Prosecutor's Offices.
RECOMMENDATION / SUGGESTED MOTION:
I MOVE TO APPROVE THE RENEWAL OF THE WESTLAW SUBSCRIPTION FOR THREE (3) YEARS AS PRESENTED.
Fiscal Impact
- IS THERE FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ITEM:
- Yes, Prosecutor
- CITY/STATE/FEDERAL FUNDS:
- City
- TOTAL:
- $13,046.00 See Fiscal Impact for Subsequent years under the Contract
- BUDGETED AMOUNT:
- $14,810.00 Projected in the Prosecutor's budget
- AVAILABLE AMOUNT TO TRANSFER:
- N/A
- ACCT NAME & GL#/REMAINING BALANCE BEFORE PURCHASE:
- Dues & Subscriptions GL # 100-118-60020 $14,810.00
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT (IF THIS IS A BUDGET TRANSFER, YOU MUST ATTACH THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FORM):
The City Attorney's Budget pays for half of the total, and the Prosecutor's budget pays for the other half, since there is one attorney in each office. This contract will start in August 2025.
Fiscal Year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026
July 1, 2025, will be under the old contract, $2,061.63, which included a discount for the trial period with CoCounsel, a tool using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
$2,372.00 /month x 11 months (August through June) = $26,092 /2 for Prosecutor's Office = $13,046.00 Total Fiscal Year 2026
Fiscal Year July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027
July 1, 2026, will be $2,372 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $118.60 monthly increase.
$2,372+ $118.60 = $2,490.60/ month
$2,490.60 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $27,396.60
$27,396.60 for August through June + $2,372 for July = $29.769.20 /2 for Prosecutor's Office = $14,884.60 Total Fiscal Year 2027
Fiscal Year July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028
July 1, 2027, will be $2,490.60 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $124.53 monthly increase.
$2,490.60+ $124.53 = $2,615.13 /month
$2,615.13 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $28,766.43
$28,766.43 for August through June + $2,490.60 for July = $31.257.03 /2 for Prosecutor's Office = $15,628.51 Total Fiscal Year 2028
Fiscal Year July 1, 2028, will be $2,615.13 /month / 2 for the Prosecutor's Office = $1,307.56 for the last month of the contract.
Fiscal Year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026
July 1, 2025, will be under the old contract, $2,061.63, which included a discount for the trial period with CoCounsel, a tool using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
$2,372.00 /month x 11 months (August through June) = $26,092 /2 for Prosecutor's Office = $13,046.00 Total Fiscal Year 2026
Fiscal Year July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027
July 1, 2026, will be $2,372 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $118.60 monthly increase.
$2,372+ $118.60 = $2,490.60/ month
$2,490.60 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $27,396.60
$27,396.60 for August through June + $2,372 for July = $29.769.20 /2 for Prosecutor's Office = $14,884.60 Total Fiscal Year 2027
Fiscal Year July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028
July 1, 2027, will be $2,490.60 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $124.53 monthly increase.
$2,490.60+ $124.53 = $2,615.13 /month
$2,615.13 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $28,766.43
$28,766.43 for August through June + $2,490.60 for July = $31.257.03 /2 for Prosecutor's Office = $15,628.51 Total Fiscal Year 2028
Fiscal Year July 1, 2028, will be $2,615.13 /month / 2 for the Prosecutor's Office = $1,307.56 for the last month of the contract.
- IS THERE FISCAL IMPACT ASSOCIATED WITH THIS ITEM:
- Yes, City Attorney
- CITY/STATE/FEDERAL FUNDS:
- City
- TOTAL:
- $13,046.00 See the Fiscal Impact for Subsequent years under the Contract
- BUDGETED AMOUNT:
- $28,600.00 Projected in the City Attorney's Budget
- AVAILABLE AMOUNT TO TRANSFER:
- N/A
- ACCT NAME & GL#/REMAINING BALANCE BEFORE PURCHASE:
- Dues & Subscriptions GL#100-118-60020 $30,910.00
FISCAL IMPACT STATEMENT (IF THIS IS A BUDGET TRANSFER, YOU MUST ATTACH THE BUDGET ADJUSTMENT FORM):
The City Attorney's Budget pays for half of the total, and the Prosecutor's budget pays for the other half, since there is one attorney in each office. This contract will start in August 2025.
Fiscal Year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026
July 2025 will be under the old contract, $2,061.63, which included a discount for the trial period with CoCounsel, a tool using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
$2,372.00 /month x 11 months (August through June) = $26,092 /2 for the City Attorney's Office = $13,046.00 Total Fiscal Year 2026
Fiscal Year July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027
July 2026 will be $2,372 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $118.60 monthly increase.
$2,372+ $118.60 = $2,490.60/ month
$2,490.60 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $27,396.60
$27,396.60 for August through June + $2,372 for July = $29.769.20 /2 for the City's Office = $14,884.60 Total Fiscal Year 2027
Fiscal Year July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028
July 1, 2027, will be $2,490.60 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $124.53 monthly increase.
$2,490.60+ $124.53 = $2,615.13 /month
$2,615.13 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $28,766.43
$28,766.43 for August through June + $2,490.60 for July = $31.257.03 /2 for the City Attorney's Office = $15,628.52 Total Fiscal Year 2028
Fiscal Year July 1, 2028: $2,615.13/month / 2 for the City Attorney's Office = $1,307.57 for the last month of the contract.
Fiscal Year July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026
July 2025 will be under the old contract, $2,061.63, which included a discount for the trial period with CoCounsel, a tool using Artificial Intelligence (AI).
$2,372.00 /month x 11 months (August through June) = $26,092 /2 for the City Attorney's Office = $13,046.00 Total Fiscal Year 2026
Fiscal Year July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027
July 2026 will be $2,372 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $118.60 monthly increase.
$2,372+ $118.60 = $2,490.60/ month
$2,490.60 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $27,396.60
$27,396.60 for August through June + $2,372 for July = $29.769.20 /2 for the City's Office = $14,884.60 Total Fiscal Year 2027
Fiscal Year July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028
July 1, 2027, will be $2,490.60 before the 5% annual increase, which equals a $124.53 monthly increase.
$2,490.60+ $124.53 = $2,615.13 /month
$2,615.13 / month x 11 months (August 2026 through June 2027) = $28,766.43
$28,766.43 for August through June + $2,490.60 for July = $31.257.03 /2 for the City Attorney's Office = $15,628.52 Total Fiscal Year 2028
Fiscal Year July 1, 2028: $2,615.13/month / 2 for the City Attorney's Office = $1,307.57 for the last month of the contract.