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Convention Center pays law firm over $6 million
without normal due diligence

The Lancaster County Convention Center Authority paid more than $6.2 million to Stevens & Lee, its primary legal counsel, from May 2000 to January 2006, an average of $94,000 per month. Yet the only explanation that appears on 227 invoices is the statement: "For Professional Services Rendered on behalf of the Lancaster County Convention Center Authority."

Normally law firms submit detailed break downs with invoices including the names, dates and time worked by employees, their hourly rates and the purpose.

Using the Pennsylvania Right-to-know law, NewsLanc.com requested that the Authority provide copies of "all itemized invoices" from the law firm of Stevens & Lee. A total of 227 invoices were received totaling $6,239,003. Many of the invoices are for more than $50,000 and the largest amounted to $228,777. The handling of Stevens & Lee charges raises questions of how the Authority verified invoice comprising the rest of the $17 million it has spent to date.