PHOENIX (CBS5) -
Maricopa County has filed a notice of intent to debar the law firm of Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart after finding nearly 300 billing errors made to the county by the firm, a Maricopa County public information officer said.
Maricopa County filed a class-action lawsuit in Superior Court in May 2011 alleging that the law firm had improperly billed the county lawyer fees for work done by three individuals who had not yet passed the state bar exam.
Further investigation by the county of the firm's billing practices led to the discovery of 299 billing errors where the county believes it was overcharged for work the firm completed, said Cari Gerchick, a spokeswoman for the county.
In addition to the lawsuit, the county sent a notice of intent to debar the firm, Gerchick said. This is the first time the county has moved to debar a firm, which prohibits a vendor from doing business with it.
Gerchick said the firm has reimbursed the county nearly $78,000 but that she believes the total amount of billing errors is closer to $300,000.
The lawsuit was filed after the county refused to pay the remaining $1 million of a $5 million bill until the law firm could prove the county really owed the money.
Ogletree had filed a $12 million suit against the county in January 2011 for defamation of character after former county manager David Smith sent a letter claiming county officials could not get answers on how $5 million in county funds was spent by the firm. The firm also objected to the public dismissal of their services. The defamation lawsuit was later dismissed with no payment by the county.
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart is a national firm with an office in Phoenix.
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