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Thursday, October 17, 2002 To: Roseville Council From: Neal Seets Here is my review of the four allegations against the law firm of Campbell Knutson made at the October 14� Council Meeting. 1. The allegation is that Campbell Knutson gave poor legal advice and service to the Citv respecting Roseville's Flag Ordinance. My conclusion is that Campbell Knutson had little involvement in this matter - it did not write the Fla� Ordinance in question and it did not handle the lawsuit arising under the Flag Ordinance -- and what involvement thev had was positive resulting in the rewriting of Roseville's Flag Ordinance. Around 2000, the City issued a letter requiring a Roseville business owner to comply with Roseville's Flag Ordinance. The business owner was flying a large "Jolly Roger" skull and cross-bones flag to attract attention to his business. The business owner sued the City over its Flag Ordinance, that had been written and approved many years before. The League of Minnesota Insurance Trust assigned the City's defense to a law firm other than Campbell Knutson. The Judge handling the case found two legal defects in Roseville's already existing Flag Ordinance. The City did not appeal the Judge's ruling, but revised its Flag Ordinance in light of the Judge's ruling. My findings on this allegation are that: . Campbell Knutson did not write the Flag Ordinance which the Judge determined was legally defective in two respects; . Campbell Knutson did not approve the City's letter to the business owner informing him of violating the Flag Ordinance as it then read by flying the "Jolly Roger" to draw attention to the business; . The League of Minnesota Cities Insurance Trust retained a law firm other than Campbell Knutson to defend Roseville in the court case, and that attorney assigned by the LMCIT handled the case and all settlement discussions, not Campbell Knutson, though Campbell Knutson did monitor the case; . Following the Judge's ruling, Campbell Knutson did rewrite Roseville's Flag Ordinance to be consistent with the Judge's ruling.