In accordance with the Charter, there shall be a Law Department, the head of which shall be the Corporation Counsel, who shall be appointed biennially at the first Council meeting in December, commencing with December 1979. The Corporation Counsel shall have the power to appoint such number of assistants as shall be authorized by Council.
In addition to such powers and duties as it may be assigned by statute, the Charter, this chapter or other legislation, the Law Department shall be responsible for the following:
A. 
It may accept a release from a claimant who has given legal notice to the City of his pending claim for compensation for damage to his person or his property for a consideration to be paid by the City not to exceed the sum of $3,000. Whenever the Corporation Counsel recommends to the appropriate committee of Council the payment of a sum in excess of $3,000 by the City in consideration for a release to be given by a claimant who has filed notice of claim for injuries to person or property against the City, the committee shall prepare a written resolution recommending or denying such payment for presentation to the Council in accordance with the usual practice of such committee and the Council.