Title
Dept/ Agency: Law
Action: ( ) Ratifying (X) Authorizing ( ) Amending
Type of Service: Professional Services Contract
Purpose: Amended Restated Agreement
Entity Name: DeCotiis Doyle, LLP
Entity Address: 531 Dorchester Drive, River Vale, New Jersey 07675
Contract Amount: $300,000.00
Funding Source: 2026 Budget/Law Department - NW011, Department 040, Division 0401, Account 71260, Budget 2026
Contract Period: February 1, 2026 to December 31, 2026
Contract Basis: ( ) Bid ( ) State Vendor (X) Prof. Ser. ( ) EUS
( ) Fair & Open ( ) No Reportable Contributions ( ) RFP ( ) RFQ
( ) Private Sale ( ) Grant ( ) Sub-recipient ( ) n/a
Additional Information:
body
WHEREAS, Legal Services constitute Professional Services and are exempt from public bidding pursuant to the Local Public Contracts Law, specifically N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i); and
WHEREAS, the Municipal Council, by Resolution 7R6-K approved on December 17, 2025, awarded a professional services contract following a Fair and Open RFQ process to provide Litigation legal services for the City of Newark for calendar year 2026; and
WHEREAS, subsequent to the award of said contract, the contracting firm experienced an internal separation of attorneys and reorganization of its business structure, resulting in a change to the legal entity through which the services are provided; and
WHEREAS, the City desires to amend the existing agreement solely to reflect the firm separation from DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP to DeCotiis Doyle, LLP, while continuing to retain Michael R. DeCotiis, Esq. and his attorneys as originally selected through the RFQ process; and
WHEREAS, City of Newark has requested DeCotiis Doyle, LLP, 531 Dorchester Drive, River Vale, New Jersey 07675, to continue to provide Litigation legal services to the City without interruption within the scope of the existing agreement; and
WHEREAS, the total authorized contract amount remains unchanged at not to exceed Three Hundred Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($300,000.00) for the period of February1, 2026 through December 31, 2026; and
WHEREAS, this Amended Restated Agreement remains in full compliance with the Local Public Contracts Law, the State Pay-to-Play Law, and the City of Newark Pay-to-Play Reform Ordinance.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE MUNICIPAL COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, THAT:
1. The Mayor of the City of Newark and/or his designee, the Corporation Counsel, are hereby authorized to execute a Amended Restated Agreement to with DeCotiis and Doyle, LLP, 531 Dorchester Drive, River Vale, New Jersey 07675, and any other necessary documents as may be required to reflect the firm separation and reorganization, with no change to the total contract amount, for the provision of Litigation legal services for the period February 1, 2026 through December 31, 2026.
2. The Municipal Council hereby ratifies the continued provision of Litigation legal services from the date of the firm separation through the adoption of this Resolution.
3. All other terms and conditions of the original agreement, including the not-to-exceed amount of $300,000.00, shall remain unchanged.
4. This Amended Restated Agreement is executed pursuant to the City’s Fair and Open RFQ process, Professional Services Exception to public bidding under N.J.S.A. 40A:11-5(1)(a)(i), the State Pay-to-Play Law, and the City of Newark Pay-to-Play Reform Ordinance.
5. Pursuant to N.J.A.C. 5:30-5.5(a), a Temporary Budget, attached hereto is a partial Certification of Funds issued by the Chief Financial Officer, which states that funds in the amount of Ten Thousand Dollars and Zero Cents ($10,000.00), line NW011, Department 040, Division 0401, Account 71260, Budget 2026 are available in the aforementioned Law Department Budget, for the purpose set forth hereinabove. The Certification of Funds shall be filed along with this Resolution in the Office of the City Clerk
6. A copy of the fully executed Amended Stated Agreement shall be filed with the Office of the City Clerk and made available for public inspection.
7. Notice of this action shall be published as required by law within ten (10) days of adoption.
STATEMENT
This Resolution ratifies, amends, and authorizes a Amended Restated Agreement for Litigation legal services to reflect an internal firm separation and reorganization from DeCotiis, FitzPatrick, Cole & Giblin, LLP to DeCotiis Doyle, LLP, 531 Dorchester Drive, River Vale, New Jersey 07675 while continuing with Michael R. DeCotiis, Esq., and his attorneys as selected through a Fair and Open RFQ process, with no increase to the authorized contract amount of $300,000.00, for calendar year 2026.