The Director of Law shall be the head of the Law Department of the City and commencing with the regular municipal election in the year 1977, and every fourth (4th) year thereafter, the Director shall be elected for a term of four (4) years. Their term shall begin and they shall assume office on the first day of January next following such election. The Director of Law shall be empowered to designate such assistants as shall be authorized by and approved by Council. No person shall be eligible to be the Director of Law unless they are authorized to practice as an attorney in Ohio and have been engaged in the active practice of law in Ohio continuously for a period of five years next preceding their election, has been a qualified elector and a resident of the City for at least two (2) years immediately prior to the date of their election, and shall continue to be a qualified elector and resident of the City during their term of office.
In the event the office of Director of Law shall become vacant for any reason, the Mayor shall appoint a successor, subject to confirmation by a majority of the members of Council, to serve for the unexpired term or until the election of a successor for the unexpired term at the next regular municipal election provided that, (a) such election shall occur more than two (2) years prior to the expiration of the unexpired term, and (b) the vacancy shall have occurred not less than thirty (30) days prior to the candidate filing deadline for said next regular municipal election.
The Council may remove the Director of Law for conviction while in office of a felony or other crime involving moral turpitude, adjudicated incompetency while in office, or a failure while in office to meet the Charter qualifications for holding said office. Such removal pursuant to this provisions of the Charter may only be initiated by a written complaint signed by at least four members of Council. Thereafter, Council shall convene a meeting of its Committee of the Whole to hear said complaint for removal. Such removal shall not take place without the concurrence of two-thirds of the members of Council nor until the Director of Law shall have been notified in writing of the complaint against them at least thirty (30) days in advance of any hearing upon such complaint and they and their counsel have been given an opportunity to be heard, present evidence, and examine any witness appearing in support of such complaint. Council may, by rule, establish additional procedures regarding such removal proceedings not in conflict or inconsistent with this or any other provision of the Charter.
The Director of Law shall act as legal counsel and serve in such capacity the Mayor, Council, administrative officers, departments, and the commissions and boards of the City. As legal counsel and attorney, they shall represent the City in all proceedings in court or before any administrative body and in such other matters and controversies as he is, by resolution or ordinance, directed to prosecute. The Director of Law may with the approval of a majority of the members of Council retain the services of outside counsel to assist him/her in carrying out any of duties specified in this Section. The Director of Law or an Assistant Director of Law shall act as Prosecuting Attorney for the City. The Director of Law shall perform all other duties now or hereinafter imposed by Council or the Mayor consistent with the duties of the office of Director of Law.
(Amended 11-2-10.)