Gov. Tom Corbett is bringing in an outside lawyer to lead his defense of the state's same-sex marriage ban in a federal lawsuit.
Corbett's Office of General Counsel said Thursday that West Chester lawyer Bill Lamb, a former Supreme Court justice, was hired to be lead counsel at a rate of $400 an hour.
His associates will be paid $325 an hour.
The case filed two months ago seeks to overturn the 1996 ban on same-sex marriage. Pennsylvania is the only northwestern state that doesn't allow gay marriage or have a system of civil unions.
Republican Corbett is handling the lawsuit after Democratic Attorney General Kathleen Kane said she views the law as unconstitutional and won't defend it.
A legal response by the state is due Sept. 16.
Copyright AP - Associated Press
