San Miguel County has retained Thomasson Law, LLC to serve as outside litigation counsel for pending land use and housing cases and any future similar matters as determined by the County Attorney, according to records obtained via a public records request by SW Colorado News on Feb. 19.
The decision follows a waiver of formal request-for-proposal (RFP) requirements, allowing the county to continue contracting with Lane Thomasson without competitive bidding. This move was recommended by County Attorney Maura Boylan and approved by the Board of County Commissioners. The arrangement is intended to avoid delays or hardship in ongoing legal matters, including one case scheduled for the Colorado Court of Appeals in February 2026.
According to contract documents, “The December 17, 2025, contract with Thomasson Law sets Ms. Thomasson’s rate at $200 per hour, billed in tenths, plus costs. It covers ongoing cases, including 24CV30044 (Lucarelli) and 23CV30036 (Three-K-9), as well as any future challenges under Rule 57 or Rule 106 related to land use or housing decisions. The contract runs from January 1 through December 31, 2026, and automatically renews each year unless ended by the county… A December 8, 2025, memo from the County Attorney said that requiring a formal request for proposal could cause delays or hardship, especially with one case scheduled for the Colorado Court of Appeals in February 2026,” according to Manual.
FOIA records show San Miguel County paid Thomasson Law regularly throughout 2025 for these services. The firm also handled interim County Attorney duties and housing authority matters in 2024 and 2025 under earlier hourly contracts. No competitive bidding was required for the 2026 continuation after the Board approved a waiver recommended by Boylan according to official county archives.
A July 2025 white paper from the Washington Legal Foundation authored by former Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson noted legal and policy questions about the authority of municipalities to retain private law firms for public-interest litigation. The paper highlighted concerns about transparency and accountability in contingency-fee arrangements according to WLF.
Lane Thomasson has practiced law in Southwest Colorado since moving to the Montrose/Ouray area in 2015, focusing on civil litigation, real property, contracts, local government, and business law. She previously served as senior assistant county attorney for Montrose County and was appointed to the Ouray County Court bench in 2022…Thomasson Law, LLC was selected for county work due to her established relationships with county staff and the Board of County Commissioners according to information provided by Thomasson Law.
