The Department of Law shall consist of the City Attorney and such assistants as he or she shall appoint pursuant to §
6.3 of the City Charter.
It shall be the duty of the City Attorney to
prepare, when authorized by the Council, charges and complaints against
any person charged with violation of a City ordinance or any regulation
adopted under authority of the City Charter, or any person charged
with the commission of a violation or misdemeanor as declared by the
Charter or by virtue of its authority. It shall further be the duty
of the City Attorney to appear in the appropriate court in the prosecution
of any charge or complaint so issued by him or her.
The Council may in its discretion by motion,
resolution or otherwise retain private legal counsel and provide for
the payment of the same from City funds in any case wherein it determines
that the City Attorney may be disqualified because of a conflict of
interest or due to the subject matter of any controversy which may
arise between the Council and the executive department of the City
government.