ASHBURN, Va. (7News) — Last October, Loudoun County Public Schools in a press conference announced it was hiring a law firm to do an independent investigation into how the district handled its investigation into sex assaults at two different high schools.

I-Team Investigative Reporter Scott Taylor has discovered Blankingship & Keith was actually hired months before by the district.

7News put in a public document request this week for the contract between the district and Blankingship & Keith.

SEE ALSO | Loudoun schools superintendent: We 'failed' to provide safe environment after assaults

The documents, which include a letter and contract, spell out the law firm and the district started working on a deal in June that would take effect in July. The law firm says it will provide services as an independent professional and could be at the district office twice a week.

This all went down months before district superintendent Scott Ziegler announced last November the hiring of the law firm to do an independent investigation.

RELATED | Report on how Loudoun Co. schools handled sexual assaults won't be released to public

Ziegler released this statement last year:

"We believe we have followed all mandatory reporting protocols and aided law enforcement to the fullest extent allowed in all investigations regarding these matters," Ziegler said. "We acknowledge that these matters need to be fully reviewed. Consequently, and with full support of the School Board, Loudoun County Public Schools hired Blankingship & Keith, P.C. on October 28, 2021 to conduct an independent review of these incidents."

The firm says in a June 2021 letter to the district, if anyone asks for the district’s file it will notify Loudoun County public Schools so the district may take what efforts it thinks is appropriate.

READ | Email shows Loudoun County schools superintendent knew about sex assault in bathrooms

Earlier this year the district said it won’t release the independent report due to attorney-client privilege and relating to scholastic and personnel information.

We reached out to Blankingship & Keith for a comment but so far 7News has not received a response.

7News has also asked the district to provide the amount it has paid the law firm since it struck a deal with Blankingship & Keith. So are we have not received that amount from the district.

The Loudoun County Sheriff’s Department confirmed that a sexual assault took place in a bathroom at Stone Bridge High School on May 28. They said that they arrested a 14-year-old boy in the case. It took place approximately one month before Smith’s arrest at the school board meeting.

And the problems on school property weren't limited to Stone Bridge. On Oct. 6th, a Sheriff’s Department tweet detailed another alleged assault by the same student at Broad Run High School.