Owner of Deutsche Bank Tower Hires Law Firm for $1M

The state owner of a condemned ground zero skyscraper has hired a law firm for $1 million to represent it in a criminal investigation into the August blaze that killed two firefighters.

The Lower Manhattan Development Corp.'s board yesterday approved the contract with Dechert LLP to represent the state rebuilding agency in probes into the blaze at the former Deutsche Bank tower. It was among $10.4 million in expenses approved to continue the cleanup and dismantling of the 26-story tower just across from the World Trade Center site.

The Manhattan district attorney's office and the state attorney general's office are investigating the fire at the partially dismantled, contaminated building, which officials have blamed on a construction worker's tossed cigarette.

The firm was retained in late September, although the board was not asked to approve it until yesterday.

The city has hired criminal lawyer Gary Naftalis to represent it in the investigations. Mr. Naftalis and his firm were hired at a $265 hourly rate; a Law Department spokeswoman wouldn't say how many hours had been billed as of yesterday.