B.O.C. Lawsuit Still Haunts Tulsa Taxpayers

Friday, June 6th 2003, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

The Atlanta-based law firm of Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker represented the Black Officers Coalition in a widely publicized lawsuit against the City of Tulsa nearly 9 years ago.

Now the Georgia law firm is demanding that the City of Tulsa pay nearly $3 million in additional fees and expenses. They have filed a federal lawsuit to settle the dispute.

So far the City of Tulsa has paid the Atlanta-based law firm $1,520,122 for work performed up to August of 2001. The Atlanta firm withdrew from the case in January of 2002. They want another $691,000 for work they say was performed from August 2001 through January 2002.

The city has authorized payment of up to $229,500 to Tulsa attorney Joel Wohlgemuth's firm for defending the City of Tulsa in the B.O.C. lawsuit.

Another measure before Mayor Bill LaFortune would increase to $191,000 the maximum amount that could be paid to Wohlgemuth's firm to defend Tulsa in the federal court case filed by Paul, Hastings, Janofsky & Walker of Atlanta.