Erie County IDA may change lawyers
Agency panel recommends that Harris Beach replace Hurwitz & Fine as the IDA’s general counsel
An Erie County Industrial Development Agency committee has recommended the agency choose law firm Harris Beach its general counsel, rather than Hurwitz & Fine, which has served in that role for the past 18 years.
The agency’s governance committee on Monday recommended Harris Beach by a 4-1 vote. The ECIDA’s board will have the final say when it votes on the issue Jan. 12.
County Executive Chris Collins, who is not a member of the governance committee but is an ECIDA board member, described Harris Beach as a good fit for the expanded role he envisions for the agency in economic development.
“Harris Beach was far and away the most experienced of any of the respondees,” Collins said.
In September, the ECIDA’s board adopted a measure requiring the agency to put its legal, accounting and other professional services up for bid every few years.
The measure was controversial, winning approval in an 11-7 vote. Debate centered on the agency’s long history with Hurwitz & Fine.
Critics of the measure said putting legal services out to bid every few years would open the door for politics to enter the selection process. They also said it discounted the benefits the agency receives from working with an experienced law firm well versed in the IDA’s past dealings.
But supporters of the measure said competitive bidding every five to seven years would ensure the agency would receive top performance from its services at the best price.
ECIDA staff members whittled the list of firms that responded to five finalists, which included Hurwitz & Fine, and conducted interviews with each of them. The staff unanimously recommended Harris Beach as its choice to the governance committee, Collins said.
R. J. Stapell, managing partner for Harris Beach’s Buffalo office, declined to comment until the ECIDA votes next week. Robert Fine of Hurwitz & Fine could not be reached to comment Monday afternoon.
Collins said the candidates were rated in categories such as experience and qualifications, cost, and the role women and minorities play in their firm. He said cost accounted for 35 percent of the total score, and that Harris Beach’s proposal was 10 percent less than the next lowest- cost proposal.
Collins said Harris Beach represents 26 other IDAs around New York state and that the firm’s experience in issues connected to economic development will help the ECIDA pursue its goals.
“We’re going to have to be much more aggressive in economic development,” he said.
Collins also credited Hurwitz & Fine with doing a “good job” over its long service to the agency. “They’ve done what the IDA has asked them to do,” he said.
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