Westfield pays leading law firm to defend police officers’ wage theft case

WESTFIELD — The city has hired one of the nation’s top law firms specializing in employment law to defend itself against a civil lawsuit filed in September by 19 police officers alleging wage theft.

On Oct. 24, five city officials, including Mayor Michael McCabe, signed a contract with Seyfarth Shaw LLP to defend the city in wage and hour lawsuits and related matters and to provide the city with “assistance, professional advice and legal counsel” on related matters . According to the city’s contract with the firm, obtained after a public records request by The Westfield News.

Under the agreement, Seyfarth Shaw will bill the city $660 per hour for attorneys’ fees and $275 per hour for paralegals’ services.