There shall be a Department of Law, the head of which shall be the Solicitor, who shall be appointed by the Mayor with the advice and consent of Council. The Solicitor shall serve during the term of office of the Mayor appointing him or her and until the appointment and qualification of his or her successor.
The Department of Law shall:
A. 
Provide legal advice and assistance to the Mayor and Council and to all other departments, and prosecute and defend actions and proceedings by and against the Township.
B. 
Draft ordinances and resolutions and advise as to their form and sufficiency prior to passage.
C. 
Review and approve all contracts, deeds, documents and instruments prior to the execution thereof by or on behalf of the Township.
D. 
Conduct appeals from orders, decisions or judgments affecting any interest in the Township as the Department may in its discretion determine to be necessary or desirable, or as directed by the Mayor or Council.
E. 
Subject to the approval of the Mayor or Council, have power to enter into any agreement, compromise or settle any litigation in which the Township is involved.
F. 
Render opinions in writing upon any question of law submitted to the Department by the Mayor, Council, Business Administrator or Clerk and to provide such emergency legal advice as may be required to other officials, officers or employees of the Township.
G. 
Maintain a record of all actions, suits, proceedings and matters which relate to the Township's interest and report thereon from time to time as the Mayor and Council may require.
H. 
Recommend to the Mayor and Council the employment of special counsel to assist in the preparation, trial or argument of such legal matters and proceedings as may develop, where it appears to be in the best interests of the Township to obtain the services of special counsel by reason of the nature of the matter or for any other reason whatsoever. Such special counsel shall be employed by the Township only upon the approval of the Mayor and Council and within the available appropriations.
All papers, documents, memoranda, reports and other materials relating to the administration of the Department of Law shall be and remain the property of the Township. Upon the termination of the Solicitor's services with the Township, each legal officer shall forthwith surrender to his or her successor all such property, together with a written consent to the substitution of his or her successor in all legal actions and proceedings then pending to which the Township is a party.