[Amended 12-15-1972 by Ord. No. MC-704; 9-11-1975 by Ord. No. MC-1018; 8-25-1977 by Ord. No. MC-1246; 10-23-1980 by Ord. No. MC-1676; 8-13-1981 by Ord. No. MC-1766]
[1]
Editor's Note: Ordinance No. MC-3487, adopted 6-24-1999, transferred the Bureau of City Properties from the Department of Development and Planning to this Office. Ordinance No. MC-3839, adopted 5-8-2003, transferred the Bureau of City Properties from this department to the Department of Development and Planning, Division of Economic Development. Ordinance No. MC-4655, adopted 12-27-2011, transferred the Bureau of City Properties from the Department of Planning and Development back to the Office of the City Attorney. Ordinance No. MC-5232, adopted 12-10-2019, changed the title of this article from Office of City Attorney to Law Department.
[Amended 12-10-2019 by Ord. No. MC-5232]
There shall be a Law Department, the head of which shall be the City Attorney, who shall generally control, supervise and be responsible for the operation of the Department of Law. He/She shall be appointed pursuant to the charter and shall receive such compensation as shall be provided by ordinance.
The City Attorney shall be the legal advisor to the Mayor, to the Council and to all departments, except as may be otherwise provided by the Charter. He/she shall prosecute and defend actions and proceedings by and against the City and every department thereof. In furtherance of these general powers and without limitation thereto, he/she shall:
A. 
Advise the Council as to the form and sufficiency of all ordinances and resolutions prior to their passage.
B. 
Review and approve all contracts, deeds, documents and instruments prior to the execution thereof by or on behalf of the City.
C. 
Conduct appeals from orders, decisions or judgments affecting any interest of the City as he/she may, in his/her discretion, determine to be necessary or desirable or as directed by the Mayor and Council.
D. 
Subject to the approval of the Council, have power to enter into any agreement, compromise or settlement of any litigation or claims by or against the City and to execute any releases, agreements, consents or stipulations necessary thereto.
E. 
Render opinions, in writing, upon any question of law submitted to him/her by the Mayor, the Council, the Business Administrator or the head of any department with respect to their official powers and duties.
F. 
Maintain a record of all actions, suits, proceedings and matters which relate to the City's interests and report thereon, from time to time, as the Mayor or Council may require.
G. 
Conduct prosecutions for crimes, offenses and violations cognizable by the Municipal Court of the City, except such crimes and offenses as it may be the duty of the County Prosecutor to prosecute, including violations of ordinances of the City, complaints of any department under state law and violations of rules or regulations duly promulgated by any department.
H. 
Have such other and different functions, powers and duties as may be provided by the Charter or ordinances of the City.
I. 
[1]Act as counsel to the Affirmative Action Review Council and advise that Council and other branches of City government concerning matters involving affirmative action and employment of City residents.
[Added 9-8-1994 by Ord. No. MC-3032]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former § 5-35I, previously codified in this section, added 2-25-1988 by Ord. No. MC-2364, which established a Bureau of Weights and Measures within the Office of the City Attorney, was repealed 7-11-1991 by Ord. No. MC-2670. See § 7-63 for current provisions regarding the Bureau of Weights and Measures.
J. 
Have control over the Bureau of City Properties, and the day-to-day operations of the Bureau shall be managed by the Real Estate Officer. The Bureau shall be responsible for the management and inventory of all City-owned real property.
[Added 12-27-2011 by Ord. No. MC-4655[2]]
[2]
Editor's Note: This ordinance transferred the Bureau of City Properties from the Department of Planning and Development to the Office of the City Attorney.
[Added 7-11-1991 by Ord. No. MC-2670; amended 9-8-1994 by Ord. No. MC-3032[1]]
There shall be an Office of Risk Management whose function shall be as follows:
A. 
To advise and demonstrate to the appropriate municipal officers the existence of casualty risks to property and person, hazards, damages and situations which could result in the institution of legal actions and claims against the municipality.
B. 
To act as an adjunct in the functioning and operation of any self-insurance program adopted by the City covering any type of risk for which the municipality has qualified and stands as its own insurer in whole or part.
C. 
To investigate facts and circumstances and assist any relevant municipal department to determine the scope and amount of damages caused or suffered by the City.
D. 
To give advice as solicited to the Business Administrator or the Insurance Commission for the purchase of insurance coverage of any type.[2]
[2]
Editor's Note: Former § 5-35.2, Bureau of Weights and Measures, which previously followed this section, was transferred to another City department 4-23-1998 by Ord. No. MC-3384. See now § 7-63.
[1]
Editor's Note: This ordinance provided for the transfer of the Office of Risk Management to the Department of Law from the Department of Human Services.
The City Attorney shall appoint a First Assistant City Attorney and Assistant City Attorneys as he/she may require, with the approval of the Mayor and with the consent of the Council of the City of Camden. The City Attorney shall have the authority to appoint such Assistant City Attorneys assigned to the Mayor and to the Council and to such other divisions or offices of the municipal government as he/she may deem proper, with the approval of the Mayor and with the consent of the Council of the City of Camden. Such appointees shall serve during the term of Office of the City Attorney appointing them. He/she may also designate any of them as City Prosecutor, who, under the supervision of the City Attorney, shall conduct prosecutions for violations tried in the Municipal Court.
A. 
The First Assistant City Attorney shall, during the absence or disability of the City Attorney, possess all the powers and perform all the duties of the City Attorney. In the event of the death or resignation of the City Attorney or of the occurrence of a vacancy in the office for any other reason, the First Assistant City Attorney shall act as City Attorney until the office is duly filled pursuant to the Charter.
B. 
The Assistant City Attorneys shall have authority to the extent delegated by the City Attorney.
C. 
In the event of the absence or disability of the City Attorney and First Assistant City Attorney, the Assistant City Attorney who has been a staff member of the Office of City Attorney for the longest period of time or the Assistant City Attorney who has been designated as the Senior Assistant by the City Attorney shall be the Acting City Attorney.
A. 
Whenever he/she deems the interests of the City so to require, the City Attorney may, with the approval of the Mayor and Council and within the limits of available appropriations, appoint special counsel to assist him/her in the preparation, trial or argument of such legal matters or proceedings as he/she may determine.
B. 
If the City Attorney should be disqualified with respect to any matter, the Mayor shall appoint a special counsel, with the approval of the City Council, to represent the City for and with respect to such matters; provided, however, that in the event of the disqualification of the City Attorney, the appointment of special counsel shall not be required if the First Assistant City Attorney is qualified with respect to such matter.
A. 
All papers, documents, memoranda, reports and other materials relating to the administration of the Office of City Attorney shall be and remain the property of the City. Upon the termination of his/her service with the City, the City Attorney shall forthwith surrender to his/her successor all such property, together with a written consent to substitution of his/her successor in all legal actions and proceedings then pending to which the City is a party. Each Assistant City Attorney shall have a like duty and obligation upon the termination of his/her service with the City.
B. 
Nothing herein shall be construed to prescribe the officials of the Office of City Attorney from retaining, as personal property, extra copies of documents which such officials feel pertinent at the time of their termination of service, provided that such retention shall not, in any way, disturb the files of the Office of City Attorney.[1]
[1]
Editor's Note: Former Art. VII, Department of Economic Development, which previously followed this section, which comprised § 5-40, Establishment; Director of Economic Development, and § 5-41, Powers and duties, was superseded 12-28-1989 by Ord. No. MC-2499.