City expands law firm’s role in fight over Downtown arena

In a unanimous vote, El Paso city representatives voted to hire a new law firm to assist with pending litigation in the fight over the downtown arena in the area known as Duranguito.

City reps ended executive sessions with six affirmative votes. Deciding to bring Alexander Debose Jefferson and Townsend L-L-P, a law firm that the city has already worked with in the past, on board to assist with two separate lawsuits brought on by historian and Duranguito supporter Max Grossman regarding the fight over the Downtown arena. Jefferson, a former Chief Justice of the Texas Supreme Court, had previously shown up in Austin to represent the city in regards to the bond validation lawsuit.

That is when the judge decided the city could build an arena with money from the 2012 quality of life bond, but it couldn’t be built to be suitable for sports.

City attorney, Silvia Firth, says they wanted to add a fresh pair of eyes to their team, but also someone who’s familiar with the case. Firth told ABC-7 there would be additional costs,but she’s not able to say just how much at this time.

This makes for two prominent attorneys on both sides of the aisle. Grossman is currently represented by a former supreme court justice.