2016-031 Ordinance - Laserfiche WebLink

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CHAPTER 137 Department of Law 137.01 Duties of Director of Law 137.02 Claims Settlement Authority of Director of Law 137.99 Composition and Organization of Department of Law 137.01 DUTIES OF DIRECTOR The Director of Law shall act as legal counsel and serve in such capacity, the Mayor, Council, administrative officers and departments and the commissions and boards of the City. 137.02 CLAIMS SETTLEMENT AUTHORITY OF DIRECTOR OF LAW (a) The Director of Law is authorized to settle any claim presented to or filed against the City, provided the settlement amount does not exceed two thousand dollars or the applicable City insurance deductible, whichever is greater, and further provided that sufficient monies have been appropriated and are available for the payment of the settlement amount. (b) The Director of Law is authorized to prosecute and settle any claim of the City, provided that the Director of Law determines the claim to have a settlement value of five thousand dollars or less. (c) At least seven (7) days prior to prosecuting any claim authorized by paragraph (b) above, or settling any claim pursuant to either paragraph (a) or (b), the Director of Law shall report in writing to Council stating the nature of the claim which he proposes to prosecute and/or settle, the dollar amount of the proposed settlement, and the reasons in support of the action he proposes to take. When under the circumstances the notice of a settlement required under this section is not reasonably capable of being given, then the Director of Law shall provide the required written notice within seven (7) days of such settlement. 137.99 COMPOSITION AND ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LAW (a) The Law Department of the City, as provided for in Article V, Section 2 of the City Charter, shall be headed by the Director of Law. The employees of the Department shall consist of up to four Assistant Directors of Law, a legal secretary and up to three law clerks, all of whom shall be appointed by and under the supervision of the Director of Law. All of the Assistant Director of Law positions shall be part-time. Each of the assistant directors of law shall be an attorney in good standing with the Ohio Supreme Court and licensed to practice law in the State of Ohio. The law clerks shall be law students at an accredited law school, or graduates from an accredited law school.