On outsourcing to outside counsel

Barbara Adams has been named general counsel of the Philadelphia Housing Authority ["PHA"]. One of the factors leading to her appointment was the large expenses incurred by the previous use by PHA of outside counsel.

The Philadelphia Inquirer reported:

Former Executive Director Carl R. Greene dismantled much of PHA's legal apparatus, outsourcing most work to the city's top law firms. From 2007 to 2010, PHA spent $38.5 million on outside legal services, an amount the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development's inspector general said was outrageous.

In an interview, Adams said one of her first tasks would be rebuilding PHA's law department and seeing what work that had been assigned to outside attorneys could be handled by staff.

"We will also take a fresh look and establish guidelines for how and when PHA uses outside counsel and clearly communicate what work can be billed by attorneys," she said.

Adams is a graduate of Temple Law.