(A) Powers and Duties - General. The Department of Law shall be under the direction and control of a City Law Director. The City Law Director shall be an attorney-at-law admitted and licensed to practice law in Ohio. The City Law Director shall have those powers and perform those duties customarily held and performed by law directors, solicitors, prosecutors and city attorneys of cities under the laws of Ohio; being the chief legal advisor to the City.
(B) Representation Restrictions. The Law Director shall not, but his or her assistants may, with the City Law Director's written consent, privately serve as legal counsel to any school district, including the City's school district, county, township, or other municipality or political subdivision. The City Law Director or any assistant thereto, shall not, through the City's law department, serve as legal counsel for any of the entities here before mentioned, except by consent of the Council; and then, only pursuant to a contract between the entity and the City that is approved by Council, with any compensation under such contract for such services being paid into the municipal treasury. For the purpose of this Section "privately" means, when not otherwise providing a service through the City's Department of Law.
(C) Meeting Attendance. The City Law Director shall attend all Council meetings, unless excused from attendance by the Council President or by Council. He or she shall have the right to participate in Council meetings, but not to vote.
(D) Department Manager. The City Law Director shall generally manage and oversee the operations of subordinate departments under the Department of Law, including the prescribing of general rules and regulations therefor.
(E) Acting Law Director. To appoint an Acting City Law Director, not necessarily a subordinate thereto, in his or her temporary absence, other than an absence due to suspension. When appointment is made by the City Law Director, the Acting City Law Director and City Law Director shall have concurrent powers and duties during the City Law Director's temporary absence. Any appointment of an Acting City Law Director by Council pursuant to their authority, shall supersede any appointment made by the City Law Director.
(F) Special Counsel Permitted. Nothing in this Charter shall be construed to limit or prevent Council or the City Law Director from engaging the legal advice or services of any other person or firm to prosecute, defend or otherwise participate in any complaint, controversy, suit, proceeding, project or other matter involving the City or the City's obligations, and to compensate each person or firm therefor, or when otherwise permitted as provided in this Charter, subject to appropriation of funds by Council, as the same is hereby authorized. However, Council shall not interfere with the City Law Director in matters of criminal prosecution or when taking action against the Council or the Mayor as may be required by law.