There is hereby created the office of corporation counsel. He shall be appointed by the mayor, by and with the advice and consent of the city council, and shall be the head of the department of law of the city.
The corporation counsel shall perform the following duties:
(a) Superintend and, with his assistants and clerks, conduct all the law business of the city;
(b) Appear for and protect the rights and interests of the city in all actions, suits and proceedings brought by or against it or any city officer, board or department, including actions for damages when brought against such officer in his official capacity;
(c) Appear for and protect the rights and interests of the city in all actions, suits and proceedings brought against any administrative law officer appointed pursuant to Chapter 2-14, including actions for damages, when brought against such officer for performing duties for the city in his official capacity. A lawyer representing an officer pursuant to this subsection (c) may not during such period of representation appear before such officer. The corporation counsel may promulgate such additional rules as necessary to ensure the proper administration of this subsection (c);
(d) Appear for and defend any member, officer, or employee of the department of health, police department or fire department who is sued personally for damages claimed in consequence of any act or omission or neglect of his official duties or in consequence of any act under color of authority or in consequence of any alleged negligence while engaged in the performance of such duties;
(e) Certify to the city comptroller all judgments rendered against the city as of the date following the last day on which appeal may be made, when in the opinion of the corporation counsel no further proceedings are proper; provided, that when the corporation counsel is of the opinion that an appeal is not justified, he may certify such judgment to the city comptroller at any time, and provided further, that when a judgment is rendered against any member of the police department for injury to person or property resulting from the performance of his duties as a policeman, he shall certify such judgment to the city comptroller for payment by the city, when, in his opinion, such member of the police department has not been guilty of wilful misconduct and the corporation counsel is of the opinion that an appeal is not justified.
(f) Investigate, at his discretion, acts of consumer fraud, unfair methods of competition, or deceptive practices by persons conducting business or trade in the city pursuant to Section 2-25-090.
(Prior code § 6-2; Amend Coun. J. 9-5-07, p. 6550, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 11-7-18, p. 88797, § 5; Amend Coun. J. 2-24-21, p. 27657, Art. V, § 1)