Attorney General Sam Olens has released information on fees and expenses paid to Special Assistant Attorneys General (SAAGs) during the third quarter of Fiscal Year 2011. In addition to providing the total amount paid to each SAAG, Olens is continuing his commitment to open government by providing the hourly rate and client for each SAAG.

SAAGs are outside counsel retained by the Georgia Department of Law to perform legal work on behalf of the state. They are typically retained to handle cases where the Attorney General’s office has insufficient staff attorneys to handle the caseload. These are often cases, such as child support or deprivation, in which hearings are held in all 159 counties or instances that involve a specialized practice area in which it is not economical to keep a specialist on staff at the Attorney General’s office.

The information is accessible here.