[HISTORY: Adopted City of Norwalk Common Council 4-23-2024.[1] Amendments noted where applicable.]
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance also superseded former Ch. 63, Law Department, adopted 6-8-1971, as amended.
Pursuant to the authority granted to the Common Council by § 8-3 of the Charter of the City of Norwalk (2024 Edition), a Law Department for the City of Norwalk (the "City") is hereby created and established.
The Law Department shall be the legal representative of the municipal corporation, and shall perform the following duties:
A. 
Represent and advise the Mayor, Common Council, and all City officers, agencies, boards and commissions in all matters of law pertaining to their respective offices and/or duties.
B. 
Upon request of the Common Council or any committee or any member thereof, assist in the preparation of any ordinance or other legislation affecting the City. The Corporation Counsel may require that such requests be in writing.
C. 
Represent and appear as and be the attorney of record in all actions and proceedings for the enforcement of ordinances, other regulations and claims of the City and in all actions or proceedings in any court or before any board wherein the City or its officers, officials, boards, agencies or commissions or employees, by reason of any suits growing out of their official duties, shall be parties defendant or parties in interest.
D. 
Supervise the preparation of all ordinances, regulations, resolutions, contracts and any other legal papers of whatever nature.
E. 
Render formal opinions and give necessary legal counsel and advice when requested by the Common Council or any member thereof, the Mayor or any board, agency, commission or department. The Corporation Counsel may require that such requests be in writing.
A. 
The Corporation Counsel shall be the administrative head of the Law Department, and all attorneys and other personnel employed by the City as part of the Department shall be subject to their supervision.
B. 
There shall be one Deputy Corporation Counsel who will be a full-time permanent employee of the City and they shall be subject to removal from office only for just cause.
C. 
The compensation of the Corporation Counsel and the Deputy Corporation Counsel shall be established by the Common Council. There shall be full-time or part-time Assistant Corporation Counsels or attorneys employed for special cases, as established by the Common Council, for a term and compensation as adopted by the Common Council, but in no event shall the appointment of a full-time or part-time Assistant Corporation Counsel be for longer than four years at a time. The Corporation Counsel, the Deputy Corporation Counsel and the full-time or part-time Assistant Corporation Counsels shall be entitled to such pension and other benefits as are provided for full-time and part-time permanent employees of the city.
The Corporation Counsel shall be appointed in the manner set forth in § 8-2A(1) of the Charter of the City of Norwalk, and they shall perform such duties as set forth in said Charter.
A. 
The Deputy Corporation Counsel, the Assistant Corporation Counsels and the attorneys employed for special cases shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to the confirmation of the Common Council.
B. 
Upon good cause, the Corporation Counsel or Deputy Corporation Counsel may retain an attorney or attorneys, not employed by the Law Department, on behalf of the City for purposes of performing any of the duties of the Law Department as set forth in § 63-2.
A. 
The Deputy Corporation Counsel shall be appointed by the Mayor for a permanent full-time position, and shall serve until such time as their successor is duly appointed and qualified, unless removed for just cause.
B. 
Any person appointed to the office of Deputy Corporation Counsel shall be an attorney of at least three years' experience and shall be a member of the Connecticut Bar.