New MUSD lawyers may carry unwanted baggage
In its special meeting last Wednesday evening, a majority of Madera Unified trustees, at the behest of board president Maria Velarde-Garcia, hired a new law firm, Garcia, Hernandez, Sawhney & Bermudez, without following the board’s by-laws.
Although there was some discussion about suspending the applicable by-laws, no such action was taken. The board, on a 4-3 vote, entered into an agreement with GHS&B without vetting the firm, which violated board bylaws, and in so doing it may have missed certain allegations that have been leveled at the firm’s managing partner and co-founder, Bonifacio Garcia.
Mary T. Hernandez, a founding partner of GHS&B and longtime associate of Garcia, was invited to Wednesday’s meeting by Velarde-Garcia and presented an overview of her firm and its areas of expertise. She also provided each board member with a portfolio of the firm’s attorneys, their backgrounds and numerous legal accomplishments.
It was a persuasive description of what Madera Unified could expect if it hired GHS&B, but it understandably did not include a history of public criticism alleging high fees and corruption that would have been disclosed if the board had followed its bylaws and vetted the new firm...