Problematic Expense Guide - A to Z

• Legal Expenses & Legal Settlements – The retention, contracting, payment and reimbursement of outside attorneys for legal services by UNM departments is a prohibited use of University funds, unless authorized by the Office of University Counsel.
  
  
  • Examples:
    • Consulting or contracting with outside attorneys on a departmental legal matter or legal settlement.
    • Contracting with or paying outside attorneys regarding the formation of a business entity such as an LLC, Non-Profit, Corporation, Public Private Partnership, etc.
      
      
  • The Reason this is Unallowable – The Office of University Counsel has complete oversight and supervision over any and all legal matters pertaining to the University. All contracts or payments for outside attorneys for legal services are required to be authorized and initiated by the Office of University Counsel.  The payment or contracting of legal services directly by UNM departments (without working through the Office of University Counsel) would violate UNM Regents Policy Manual Section 2.16:  Legal Services for the University.