By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
INGLEWOOD — The city introduced its new interim city attorney during the June 11 City Council meeting.
Rick Olivarez, founding and managing partner of Olivarez Madruga Lemieux O’Neill, to serve in an interim capacity due to the retirement of Ken Campos, who retired June 7.
Some City Hall watchers questioned the appointment, which could be in conflict with the city charter, civil service rules, and the Inglewood Municipal Code, which governs employees and officers of the city.
According to Section 2-37 of the municipal code all appointive officers and employees shall be … in the classified service of the City.
Civil service rules say the only way you can hire the city attorney as an at-will employee is to remove the position from civil service, thus making the voters responsible for electing the person.
Before Campos became city attorney, he was employed by the city as an assistant city attorney. He was appointed to the role after the retirement of Cal Saunders.
City officials say the municipal code and charter cover employees, temporary, seasonal and part-time assignments, but it is silent on transitional appointments. Olivarez will serve in a transitional capacity.
Officials also said there is no conflict of interest in hiring Olivarez, whose firm is representing the city in several open cases. The city attorney’s office approves all invoices submitted by outside legal firms, so it is unclear if Olivarez will be approving invoices submitted by his own firm.
Olivarez’s firm was initially awarded a contract in 2019 to assist with matters related to the Independent Cities Risk Management Authority, Madison Square Garden, and any other matters directed by the city attorney.
The contract dedicates Olivarez’s partner, Tom Madruga, as the lead attorney on those matters, which have expanded to include representation in two lawsuits involving Mayor James T. Butts Jr. and one with the Inglewood Police Department.
Olivarez’s firm also represented Butts in the now-settled lawsuit filed against him by two drivers he hit near USC in 2019.
The firm also is representing the city in an ongoing matter related to the mayor’s former executive assistant Melanie McDade and a recently filed lawsuit by the family of Ivan Solis Mara who was fatally shot by Inglewood police officers last Sept. 21.
The city has indicated Olivarez will not be paid twice for his work. However, working in the capacity as city attorney he would be overseeing the work performed by his firm in addition to potentially amending the scope of services under the contract, under the direction from either the city council or city administrators.
It is unclear if a conflict of interest exists due to the city attorney’s office authorizing payment of invoices submitted by his firm.
In 2022, Olivarez also invested in the City Council by way of a campaign contribution to former Inglewood Councilman George Dotson under his political action committee Evergreen.
The city has indicated it will retain the Hawkins Company to conduct a nationwide search for a permanent city attorney indicating that Olivarez is not interested in having the job permanently.
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
