SAN JOSE, Calif. - A California appellate panel on April 8 reversed a trial judge's ruling and held that public entities may engage private counsel under a contingent fee arrangement to assist in litigation as long as the entities' in-house counsel retain control over all decision making, finding that no authority supports barring private counsel from assisting the public entities in this case (County of Santa Clara, et al. v. Superior Court of the State of California, County of Santa Clara, No. H031540, Calif. App., 6th Dist.). From Mealey's Litigation Report: Lead