Idaho’s legal bill in school broadband case tops $1 million

The state has paid close to $1.1 million to the Boise law firm hired to defend the voided Idaho Education Network contract.

The state’s Administration Department has paid Hawley Troxell $798,793.74, chief financial officer D. Keith Reynolds said in an email Tuesday. The Administration Department was in charge of overseeing the high school broadband contract — until the $60 million contract was thrown out in court.

Attorney General Lawrence Wasden’s office also paid Hawley Troxell $269,700 to take over the case as outside counsel. Those were early payments in the protracted legal battle, made before the Administration Department assumed all costs.

This tally doesn’t include the money the state may owe to Syringa Networks, which successfully challenged the network contract in court. On June 30, Ada County District Judge Patrick Owen said Syringa was eligible for $930,000 in legal fees.

To read more, visit Idaho Education News’ website.

This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 11:31 AM with the headline "Idaho’s legal bill in school broadband case tops $1 million."