Governance: Outside Law Firms, Cozen O'Connor, FOIA #2

Dear Miriam:

Thank you for your interest in Chicago Public Schools. Your FOIA request has been submitted. Your FOIA Center reference number for tracking purposes is: N016973-021625
You have requested the following records: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act., I hereby request the following records:

Since January 1, 2025 through current:

1) Copies of all invoices from the Cozen O'Connor law firm;

2) Copies of records of payments by CPS/Chicago Board of Education to Cozen O'Connor law firm. I want the actual bills as well as proof of payment by the district.

3) Any and all letters of engagement, if changed from previous engagement letters, between CPS/Chicago Board of Education and Cozen O'Connor law firm, including any modifications or changes.

This request is made on behalf of The FOIA Bakery. Because this request is in the public interest for Illinois nonprofit The FOIA Bakery’s work to advocate for public education, please waive any fees in accordance with 5 ILCS § 140/6(c). Feel free to contact me with any questions, or if clarification is needed.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Miriam Bhimani

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) responds to all public records requests in accordance with the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), 5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.
Due to the volume and complexity of requests received in the normal course of business, CPS is extending the time for its initial response to your request by an additional 5 business days (to 10 business days total beginning on the first business day following receipt of the request) pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/3(e)(v) which allows for the examination and evaluation of the requested records by personnel to determine if they are exempt from disclosure under Section 7 of Illinois FOIA or should be revealed only with appropriate deletions.
Upon the completion of a response, CPS will provide the first 50 pages to you at no charge.  If a response is more than 50 pages, a fee of 15¢ per page will be charged for each additional page. All applicable fees must be paid prior to the copying. CPS will inform you of any fees due if your paper response exceeds 50 pages. You can monitor the progress of your request at the link below and you’ll receive an email when your request has been completed. Thank you for using the CPS FOIA Center.

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02/18/2025

Miriam Bhimani

RE: Chicago Public Schools FOIA Request N016973-021625 Dear Miriam Bhimani: Thank you again for using the Chicago Public Schools FOIA Center. Under the Freedom of Information Act, a public body may extend the time to respond to a FOIA request by up to 5 business days for a limited number of reasons. 5 ILCS 140/3(e). We are extending the time to respond to your request by 5 business days for one or more of the following reason(s): (  ) the requested records are stored in whole or in part at other locations than the office having charge of the requested records;
( )  the request requires the collection of a substantial number of specified records;
( ) the request is couched in categorical terms and requires an extensive search for the records responsive to it;
( ) the requested records have not been located in the course of routine search and additional efforts are being made to locate them;
(x) the requested records require examination and evaluation by personnel having the necessary competence and discretion to determine if they are exempt from disclosure under Section 7 of this Act or should be revealed only with appropriate deletions;
(x) the request for records cannot be complied with by the public body within the time limits prescribed by 5 ILCS 140/3 (c) without unduly burdening or interfering with the operations of the public body;
( ) there is need for consultation, which shall be conducted with all practicable speed, with another public body or among two or more components of a public body having a substantial interest in the determination or in the subject matter of the request. Sincerely,
Patricia Majchrowicz
Freedom of Information Act Officer
Chicago Public Schools
Please note that District Offices were closed on Monday, February 17th in observance of Presidents' Day.

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03/04/2025 Miriam Bhimani
Dear Miriam Bhimani: RE: Chicago Public Schools FOIA Request N016973-021625 Thank you for using the Chicago Public Schools FOIA Center. You requested the following: To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the Illinois Freedom of Information Act., I hereby request the following records:

Since January 1, 2025 through current:

1) Copies of all invoices from the Cozen O'Connor law firm;

2) Copies of records of payments by CPS/Chicago Board of Education to Cozen O'Connor law firm. I want the actual bills as well as proof of payment by the district.

3) Any and all letters of engagement, if changed from previous engagement letters, between CPS/Chicago Board of Education and Cozen O'Connor law firm, including any modifications or changes.

This request is made on behalf of The FOIA Bakery. Because this request is in the public interest for Illinois nonprofit The FOIA Bakery’s work to advocate for public education, please waive any fees in accordance with 5 ILCS § 140/6(c). Feel free to contact me with any questions, or if clarification is needed.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 5 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Miriam Bhimani

Upload documents directly: https://www.muckrock.com/ RESPONSE: Documents responsive to your request are available to download via the CPS FOIA Center at www.cps.edu/FOIARequests . Please log in with your username and password to access the records. Materials subject to attorney-client privilege and work-product privilege have been redacted pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(m) which exempts communications between a public body and an attorney representing the public body that would not be subject to discovery in litigation, and materials prepared or compiled by or for a public body in anticipation of a criminal, civil or administrative proceeding upon the request of an attorney advising the public body. Federal employer identification numbers and bank account information were redacted pursuant to 5 ILCS 140/7(1)(kk) which exempts the public body's credit card numbers, debit card numbers, bank account numbers, Federal Employer Identification Number, security code numbers, passwords, and similar account information, the disclosure of which could result in identity theft or impression or defrauding of a governmental entity or a person. Docusign ID Codes were redacted pursuant to (5 ILCS 140/ 7(1)(u), which exempts information that would disclose or might lead to the disclosure of secret or confidential information, codes, algorithms, programs, or private keys intended to be used to create electronic or digital signatures under the Electronic Commerce Security Act. You have a right to have the denial of your request reviewed by the Public Access Counselor (PAC) at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(a). You can file your Request for Review with the PAC by writing to: Leah Bartelt; Public Access Counselor Office of the Attorney General 500 South 2nd Street Springfield, Illinois 62706 E-mail: public.access@ilag.gov 877-299-3642 You also have the right to seek judicial review of your denial by filing a lawsuit in the State circuit court. 5 ILCS 140/11. If you choose to file a Request for Review with the PAC, you must do so within 60 calendar days of the date of this denial letter. 5 ILCS 140/9.5(a). Please note that you must include a copy of your original FOIA request and this denial letter when filing a Request for Review with the PAC. Sincerely, Patricia Majchrowicz Freedom of Information Act Officer Chicago Public Schools