(A) There is hereby created a Department of Law, to be headed by a Director of Law, who shall be elected from the City at large. The Director of Law shall be qualified to practice law in the State of Ohio and shall possess other qualifications for the office as provided in Section 11.01 of this Charter.
(B) At the regular municipal election held in 1979 and each four years thereafter, the Director of Law shall be elected to a four-year term of office commencing on the first day of January following the election.
(C) The Director of Law shall be the legal adviser, attorney, and counsel for the City, and for all offices, departments, divisions, bureaus, boards, commissions and bodies of the City in connection with municipal affairs; and subject to the direction of the Council, shall represent the City in all proceedings in court or before any administrative board or body. The Director of Law also shall perform such other duties consistent with the office as may be required by this Charter, by ordinance or resolution of the Council, or by the laws of the State of Ohio. The Director of Law shall be the prosecuting attorney on behalf of the City.
(D) The Director of Law shall not be required to represent any school district, but may act as counsel to any school district and may accept compensation from a school district for those services in addition to the Director's regular compensation as the Director of Law. Compensation received from a school district shall not be subject to the limitation pertaining to changes in compensation during the term of office under Section 3.05 of this Charter, nor shall the Director of Law's acting as counsel for a school district be considered as holding another public office that is prohibited by Section 11.01 of this Charter.
(E) The Council may provide for assistants and special counsel to the Director of Law. All assistants shall be appointed by and responsible to the Director of Law and, when authorized by the Director of Law, may exercise all or any part of the powers and duties granted to the Director of Law under this Charter. Special counsel may be selected by the Council or the Director of Law as determined by the Council, and special counsel may perform those powers and functions as authorized by and in the manner provided by the Council. Special counsel may also be employed as provided by Section 7.05 of this Charter.
(Amended 11-2-21)
(F) In the event of a vacancy in the office of Director of Law, the Mayor shall appoint a person having the qualifications specified in Division (A) of this Section and in Section 11.01 to serve as Director of Law subject to the approval of Council by a majority vote of its members.
If such a vacancy occurs on any date after the tenth day prior to the last day for filing declarations of candidacy for party nominations for office during second year of the term of a Director of Law, the person appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term of the Director of Law.
If such a vacancy occurs on any earlier date during the term of a Director of Law, the person appointed by the Mayor and approved by the Council shall serve until the first day of January of the year following the election of a successor to the office of Director of Law. Such a successor to the office Director of Law shall be elected for the unexpired term at the next regular municipal election and take office on the first day of January of the following year.
Notwithstanding any statement or implication to the contrary, no person succeeding to the office of Director of Law by appointment shall be entitled to serve for a period longer than his predecessor in that office was entitled to serve under this Division.
(G) The Director of Law shall designate a person to serve as Acting Director of Law in the event of the temporary absence or disability of the Director of Law, and until a successor is appointed pursuant to Division (F) of this Section in the event of vacancy in the office of Director of Law. While acting as the Director of Law, the person designated as the Acting Director of Law shall have all the powers, duties and functions of the Director of Law. The Acting Director of Law shall be a person qualified to practice law in the State of Ohio and may hold other employment.
(Amended 11-6-01)