Philadelphia Spends Tax money to Hire Outside Attorney to handle denials

[rsklar]

Did you know that Richard A. Berman, the attorney who defends the Gun Permit Unit for Philadelphia PD Denials is actually a contract attorney from Montgomery County.

Not only that, but his regular job is as a Deputy DA for Montgomery County according to the State's Attroney Database.

Our tax money is paying Mr. Berman, his only role for Philadelphia $ 51,300.00 per year to attend the twice a month L&I Hearings.

Contract # 0720560-03
LAW DIVISION CONTRACT for Bradford A. Richman Esq.
Effective: 05/29/2010 Expires 05/28/2011 $51,300.00 Legal Services.

That means he gets over $2,100.00 per hearing which usually is not more than 1/2 day.

If you are outraged, call the City and let them know this is a waste of money.

You mean to tell me they could not even hire a Philadelphia Attorney, or better yet, use one of the many many attorneys who work in the Law Department?

[GunLawyer001]

Did you know that Richard A. Berman, the attorney who defends the Gun Permit Unit for Philadelphia PD Denials is actually a contract attorney from Montgomery County.

Not only that, but his regular job is as a Deputy DA for Montgomery County according to the State's Attroney Database.

Our tax money is paying Mr. Berman, his only role for Philadelphia $ 51,300.00 per year to attend the twice a month L&I Hearings.

Contract # 0720560-03
LAW DIVISION CONTRACT for Bradford A. Richman Esq.
Effective: 05/29/2010 Expires 05/28/2011 $51,300.00 Legal Services.

That means he gets over $2,100.00 per hearing which usually is not more than 1/2 day.

If you are outraged, call the City and let them know this is a waste of money.

You mean to tell me they could not even hire a Philadelphia Attorney, or better yet, use one of the many many attorneys who work in the Law Department?

Um, you got his name wrong.

Furthermore, Brad Richman spent years as the PPD guy who handled gun permit problems, and I always found him to be quite reasonable. If they want to use his many years of experience on these exact issues, in this exact job, that sounds like a good call.

I'm not sure how you calculated his pay, but it's not unreasonable to bill thousands of dollars for a hearing that only lasts an hour. That's like expecting actors to only charge for the 90 minutes of the movie that you see. Because the work doesn't start when the lawyer walks into the courtroom; if your lawyer hasn't done any research, drafted any pleadings, prepared for any possible motions from the other side, and talked to you about the facts and your wishes LONG BEFORE the hearing starts, then get another lawyer.

[rsklar]

Yes I mean Brad Richman as the contract states.

Regardless of his "reasonableness" this is about contracting with someone outside the city and why incur additional expenses for something that should already be covered by our taxes i.e., Department of Law.

Why use a Montgomery County Attorney when they could hire a Philadelphia Attorney?

Although you answered the question, he has the inside track so as usual politics gets the $$.

How does all his work benefit the Citizens of Montgomery County?

[Philbert]

Yes I mean Brad Richman as the contract states.

Regardless of his "reasonableness" this is about contracting with someone outside the city and why incur additional expenses for something that should already be covered by our taxes i.e., Department of Law.

Why use a Montgomery County Attorney when they could hire a Philadelphia Attorney?

Although you answered the question, he has the inside track so as usual politics gets the $$.

How does all his work benefit the Citizens of Montgomery County?

We have Philadelphia lawyer protectionism now? You speak as though Mont Co is a foreign country. Do Philadelphia lawyers work for less money? Or is there some other agenda here?

[GunLawyer001]

Yes I mean Brad Richman as the contract states.

Regardless of his "reasonableness" this is about contracting with someone outside the city and why incur additional expenses for something that should already be covered by our taxes i.e., Department of Law.

Why use a Montgomery County Attorney when they could hire a Philadelphia Attorney?

Although you answered the question, he has the inside track so as usual politics gets the $$.

How does all his work benefit the Citizens of Montgomery County?

I don't know what your agenda is, but you're ranting about something without having any factual basis for it. None.

The city has to pay someone, they chose someone for whom they presumably won't have to pay health insurance, unemployment insurance, Social Security tax, medicaid....every employer knows that hiring someone as an independent contractor saves you a lot of baggage.

Furthermore, I've told you that I have first-hand knowledge that he is a smart and reasonable lawyer. He knows the difference between keeping guns out of the hands of bad guys, and screwing over honest citizens just for the heck of it. I'm telling you as a pro-gun advocate, that the city could have put an incompetent hack into that job, but they put in someone fair and very knowledgeable.

Were you under the impression that staff lawyers were "free" to taxpayers? Did you forget that you're still paying for the pensions of staff lawyers who retired decades ago?

Save your energy, there's no scandal here.

[rsklar]

More curiosity than any concern about Phila, the real question is why is there a need to a) contract out a service that can be handled within the City (i.e., Office of Law) without incurring additional expenses to the taxpayers of a City that can't even keep city pools open without donors, has laid off hundreds of City workers, etc. and b) how does using Berman help the City if he is taking time away from his taxpayer duties in another county?

I am quite sure they are not pro-rating his pay in MontCo, although I plan to find out.

But why are you do defensive of him, Something we should know?

[GunLawyer001]

More curiosity than any concern about Phila, the real question is why is there a need to a) contract out a service that can be handled within the City (i.e., Office of Law) without incurring additional expenses to the taxpayers of a City that can't even keep city pools open without donors, has laid off hundreds of City workers, etc. and b) how does using Berman help the City if he is taking time away from his taxpayer duties in another county?

I am quite sure they are not pro-rating his pay in MontCo, although I plan to find out.

But why are you do defensive of him, Something we should know?

Yes, you should know that his name is not "Berman", as I've told you once.

You should learn to be sure of things AFTER you find out what the facts are. That seems to work best for the non-crazy folks.

I don't know how to puncture your self-righteous paranoia gently, so I'll just say this: You're acting crazy. The city hired a lawyer who understands the law of firearms in Pennsylvania, something which the city attorneys who advise the City Council do NOT understand, as evidenced by their occasional efforts to re-define the PA Prohibited Weapons Statute (but only within city limits), ban "assault weapons", and otherwise fly in the face of preemption. We'd all be happy with Philadelphia if they'd just obey PA law. This seems like a step in that direction.

Now I have to ask you, did your cousin fail in his attempt to get a job as a city attorney or something? Were you frightened by a MontCo resident once? What's your deal?

[rsklar]

The city has to pay someone, they chose someone for whom they presumably won't have to pay health insurance, unemployment insurance, Social Security tax, medicaid....every employer knows that hiring someone as an independent contractor saves you a lot of baggage.


Furthermore, I've told you that I have first-hand knowledge that he is a smart and reasonable lawyer. He knows the difference between keeping guns out of the hands of bad guys, and screwing over honest citizens just for the heck of it. I'm telling you as a pro-gun advocate, that the city could have put an incompetent hack into that job, but they put in someone fair and very knowledgeable.

Were you under the impression that staff lawyers were "free" to taxpayers? Did you forget that you're still paying for the pensions of staff lawyers who retired decades ago?

Save your energy, there's no scandal here.

Are for staff attorney's you are correct, however we have already paid for them, this is an ADDITIONAL expense that is not necessary.


He is not Smart, many of the examples of people on the forum being denied were approved by him, such as people with old parking tickets as the sole basis, 9 year old DUI, etc. He defends these arbitrary denials... That is smart?

I am quite sure the PPD is spending more money to have an outside attorney represent their denials than the revenue generated from the whole process. Again, costing the taxpayers more money.

Also I never said it was a scandal, I just merely pointed out that I thought it was of concern...the choices made by our civic leaders while claiming city services need to be reduced. If his pay could put one more Cop on the Street or Keep one more Librarian employed than better for us.

[GunLawyer001]

I put the facts out, the rest of you recognize the truth.

I can't argue with crazy.

[DonM55]

Now I have to ask you, did your cousin fail in his attempt to get a job as a city attorney or something? Were you frightened by a MontCo resident once? What's your deal?

I see no issue here and was beginning to wonder if he was denied.