§ 24. Department of Law: Powers and duties.

(a) Legal advisor.

The City Solicitor shall be the legal adviser and representative of the City and its several departments, officers, commissions, boards and authorities, and shall have general supervision and direction of the legal business of the City. Except as provided in subsection (c), no such agency or officer or any authority created in connection with municipal affairs shall have authority to employ or retain counsel other than the City Solicitor.

(b) Legal proceedings; Opinions and advice; Deeds, contracts, etc.

The City Solicitor shall have sole charge and direction of the preparation and trial of all suits, actions and proceedings of every kind to which the City, or any municipal officer or agency, shall be a party.

The City Solicitor shall give advice and opinions in writing upon any legal questions affecting the interest of the City which may be submitted in writing by the Mayor or the City Council, or any committee thereof, or the head of any municipal agency.

All deeds, bonds, contracts, releases and other legal instruments involving the interest of the City or to be executed or approved by the Mayor or other officer of the City before they are executed or accepted, shall be submitted to the City Solicitor and have endorsed upon them the City Solicitor's opinion as to their legal sufficiency.

The City Solicitor shall keep copies of all written opinions furnished by the Department of Law to the City or to any department or officer thereof, and also of all abstracts of title furnished to the City by the Department of Law.

(1) The City Council, Comptroller and, with the approval of the Mayor, a department, commission, board or other authority, may select outside counsel to represent it if:

(i) the City Solicitor gives it written notice that representation of it by the Department of Law involves an irreconcilable conflict of interest; and

(ii) the Board of Estimates authorizes the employment of outside counsel.

(2) The City Council also may employ legal counsel as provided in Article III, § 15 of this Charter.