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City of Beverly, MA
Essex County
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Code
New Laws (14) Index Notes (1)
There shall be a Law Department which shall be responsible for all of the legal affairs of the City and for the supervision and coordination of all activities of all City agencies to ensure, insofar as it is possible so to do, that City agencies act, at all times, in conformity with law.
The Law Department shall be responsible for the coordination of all legal and law-related activities of the City government and shall include, but is not limited to, the following functions:
A. 
Advise officers: advise the Mayor, the City Council or its committees, and the heads of all departments, agencies, boards, and commissions on all matters relating to their official powers, duties and functions.
B. 
Review ordinances: be responsible for the review of all ordinances and resolutions as requested by the Mayor or the City Council. The Law Department shall advise the City Council as to the form and sufficiency of all ordinances prior to their adoption.
C. 
Give opinions: render legal opinions upon any question of law submitted in writing by the Mayor, the City Council, or the heads of all departments, agencies, boards, or commissions.
D. 
Attend Council meetings: An attorney assigned to the Law Department shall, as requested by the presiding officer of the City Council, attend any meetings of the City Council and any meetings of committees of the City Council.
E. 
Prepare legal instruments: prepare or review and approve all contracts, deeds, documents and instruments prior to the execution thereof by or on behalf of the City, its departments and agencies.
F. 
Prosecute offenders and defend officials: prepare, when authorized by the Mayor, all charges and complaints on behalf of the City, and all departments, agencies, boards, or commissions of the City, and appear in the appropriate court in the prosecution of every person charged with the violation of a City ordinance or of any regulations adopted under authority of the Charter or ordinances, or by virtue of its authority; appear on behalf of the City and all departments, agencies, boards, or commissions of the City in defending every action brought against it or them in connection with the official business of the City.
G. 
Appeals: conduct and prosecute appeals from orders, decisions or judgments affecting any interest of the City as the City Solicitor may, in the exercise of discretion, determine to be necessary or desirable.
H. 
Settlement of claims: have the power to adjust, settle, compromise or submit to arbitration any action, causes of action, accounts, debts, claims, demands, disputes and matters of favor of or against the City or in which the City is concerned as debtor or creditor, now existing or which may hereafter arise, not involving or requiring payment to exceed $5,000, and with the permission of the Mayor may do likewise in matters not involving or requiring payment to exceed $10,000, provided the money to settle claims generally has been appropriated and is available therefor.