Hoover City Attorney Fees

One, of many, considerations for selecting a city attorney is cost to the taxpayers.  Typically, the city attorney works for the city council, however, in Hoover, Alabama the city attorney reports directly to the mayor.  As can be seen from the Terms of Engagement, the relationship is between the mayor and Phillip Corley, the city attorney.  April 15, 2024 the council proposed and passed an ordinance to adopt a procedure for appointing the city attorney; the mayor vetoed the ordinance. What you might like to know:

• The current relationship is an extension of one that began in 2017; the previous attorney served the city for a partial year for $100,000.  The total cost for legal representation was $616,000 with $515,000 to Mr. Corley for the remainder of the year. 

• In 2022 the Terms of Engagement show $515,000 flat fee for 150 hours per month and $286 per hour above 150 hours. 

• For perspective, Tuscaloosa's 2024 budget indicates $2,047,150 (salary and benefits) for eight full-time attorneys, for an average of $255,894 annually per (full-time) attorney. 

• The 2025 Huntsville budget shows $5,350,332 for legal; including 11 full-time staff attorneys, 9 other full-time employees and one part-time employee. This suggests a city attorney is making less than $515,000 for 160 hours per month (full-time). 

• As of May 2025 the city has paid Mr. Corley's firm $1,258,045.87; $343,328 of the flat fee and 3198 hours at $286 per hour.  Consider we can estimate this  to be 1.5 full-time (40 hours per week) attorneys and this fiscal year has four more months. 

• The council does not approve costs over $515,000. The city attorney is paid through the city clerk's budget.  

Hoover is paying $515,000 annually for legal services that equate to 11 months and one week of work and 3 weeks of paid vacation (120 hours). 

Does this, as a strictly fiscal issue, seem like a good deal? Remember the more the city attorney works, the more he earns. Unlike a staff attorney who makes the same amount and thus litigation is based on cause and not earnings. Are we comfortable with the possibility of an ulterior motive for legal actions in the city?