The duties of the Department of Law shall be to:
A. Prosecute all complaints before the Municipal Court of the City when
requested to do so by the Municipal Judge.
B. Advise and render legal services to the Mayor and Municipal Council
and all City officers, bodies, boards and agencies (except those bodies,
boards or agencies having retained their own Special Counsel) when
requested to do so.
C. Prepare all contracts and other legal documents of the City in which
the City is interested when requested to do so.
D. Attend meetings of the Council and all City bodies, boards and agencies
(except as aforesaid) when requested to do so.
E. Prosecute and defend actions and proceedings by and against the City
or any of the City's officers, boards, bodies or agencies (except
as aforesaid) in all cases growing out of the City's official business,
except such cases or matters which are defended by attorneys provided
under the provisions of the City's insurance policy or policies.
F. Prepare or approve as to form and legality all resolutions and ordinances
to be executed, passed or adopted by the Council.
G. Review, upon the Council's request, all matters as to form and legality
requiring the Council's approval before the approval thereof.
H. Perform such other legal duties as the Council or Mayor may designate.
If, by reason of disability or absence of the Director of Law, he or she is unable to perform his or her duties, then the Mayor may appoint any attorney at law of New Jersey as a temporary substitute to perform the duties of the disabled or absent incumbent, who shall serve during the pleasure of the Mayor until the absent or disabled incumbent returns to his or her duties or his or her office or position becomes vacant and another Director is duly appointed pursuant to §
5-23. During the period that such substitute shall perform the Director's duties, he or she shall receive from the City the same compensation that the absent or disabled incumbent would be entitled to, and the latter shall forfeit his or her own compensation during such period, except so much thereof to which he or she may be entitled for sick leave.
The Director of Law is hereby authorized, within available appropriations,
to employ such Special Counsel as he or she may deem necessary to
aid in the management or conduct of any proceedings in which the City
may be a party or be interested; and in connection with such proceedings
and within available appropriations, the Director of Law may, in his
or her discretion, employ or retain such expert or experts as he or
she may deem necessary for the proper conduct of said proceedings.