Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools spent at least $379,429 on outside lawyers to investigate Superintendent Crystal Hill, and the bill could still grow.
Itemized invoices obtained through public records requests show the Greensboro law firm Brooks Pierce billed the district for 1,233.4 hours of attorney work between May 13 and July 31, according to The Charlotte Observer. The firm charged $275 an hour. The investigation cost already exceeds Hill's $351,000 annual salary.
The contract with Brooks Pierce runs through June 30, 2027, Queen City News reported, leaving open the possibility of additional charges to taxpayers. Because the investigation did not wrap up until mid-August, the invoices through July 31 likely do not reflect the final cost, WFAE reported.
The total breaks down into two invoices: $130,652.50 for work from May through June 26 and $248,776.50 for work through July 31. The second invoice includes $186,395 in legal fees and $62,381.50 in disbursements, much of it paid to Fitzpatrick Communications, an outside public relations firm that billed at rates of $350 or $450 an hour.
What the lawyers billed for
Line items in the invoices show specific charges. WCCB reported the firm charged more than $2,400 to watch board meeting videos from April 28 and May 8. On June 17, the day Hill was placed on paid leave, the firm billed more than $6,700 for interviewing employees and advising on public statements. On June 23, the firm charged $1,760 to review more than 2,000 emails.
On July 28, Hill's attorney offered a settlement to the district. Brooks Pierce billed $2,887.50 for that conversation. No party has publicly commented on the settlement offer.
The firm also discounted some billable hours, Queen City News reported, though the records do not specify which ones.
Board votes to release summary
The CMS Board of Education voted Tuesday, Aug. 25 to release a summary of the investigation's findings. Six members voted in favor: Charlitta Hatch, Shamaiye Haynes, Cynthia Stone, Liz Monterrey Duvall, Anna London and Dee Rankin. Three members abstained: Board Chair Stephanie Sneed, Monty Witherspoon and Lenora Shipp.
Sneed told the Charlotte Observer she abstained to maintain neutrality as chair. Witherspoon called the vote performative, saying he needed more information before acting.
As we reported Sunday, Aug. 30, board members have clashed over the process surrounding the investigation.
Hatch, who made the motion to release the report, said at the Tuesday, Aug. 25 meeting: "Confidentiality does not have to mean silence. Accountability is not just about completing an investigation but also relating what we learned."
What comes next
The board has not confirmed what prompted the investigation. The Charlotte Observer, citing its news partner WSOC-TV, reported it involved contracts with some of Hill's former colleagues totaling more than $1.7 million over three years.
Hill was placed on paid leave June 17 for what the district called matters of administrative and operational oversight. She was reinstated Aug. 11. Sneed said at the Tuesday, Aug. 25 meeting that she had "complete confidence" Hill could lead the district.
The summary report is expected before the end of September. It will cover the investigation process, lessons learned and recommended improvements to governance and oversight, while complying with state laws protecting confidential personnel records.
