There is hereby created a department to be known as the legal department. The director or head of this department shall be a competent practicing attorney of recognized ability and shall be known as the city attorney. The city attorney shall be a resident of the City of Dallas. If at the time of appointment, the city attorney resides outside the City of Dallas, then he or she shall move into the city within a time period required by the city council. The city attorney shall be appointed by a majority vote of all the members of the city council and shall serve for a period of two years from the date of appointment and thereafter until a successor is appointed, unless sooner discharged by the council, and the city attorney shall not be discharged during his or her term of office except upon a majority vote of all members of the city council. The city attorney shall receive such compensation as shall be fixed by the council at the time of appointment and such compensation may not be diminished during the term for which he or she is appointed. (Amend. of 11-8-05, Prop. Nos. 2, 5, and 13)
The city attorney shall have such assistants as shall be provided for by ordinance, and they shall receive such compensation as may be fixed by the city council. Any assistant city attorney may be discharged at any time by the city attorney. The city attorney and all assistant city attorneys shall devote their entire time to the service of the city. All powers and duties imposed on the city attorney may be exercised and performed by any assistant city attorney under the direction of the city attorney. (Amend. of 4-2-83, Prop. No. 7; Amend. of 5-3-97, Prop. No. 10)
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