Sec. 108.504. - Conduct, prosecution and defense of litigation reserved to Office of General Counsel.

Unless otherwise provided by law or by the Council, the conduct, prosecution and defense of all civil litigation in which the City or an independent agency is a party or is interested, is reserved to the Office of General Counsel. The General Counsel shall supervise all litigation prosecuted or defended by the Office of General Counsel and shall direct all Assistant General Counsels and special counsels authorized pursuant to Section 108.505 in the discharge of their respective duties. The General Counsel or an Assistant General Counsel or special counsel detailed by him or her may go to any place within or without the State to attend to the interests of the City or of an independent agency in a suit pending in a State or Federal court, or to attend to any other interest of the City or of an independent agency. For the purposes of this Section, the term civil litigation includes administrative proceedings in cases in which the Office of General Counsel represents the City or an independent agency, the word suit includes an administrative proceeding and the term State or Federal court includes an administrative tribunal. The General Counsel or an Assistant General Counsel or special counsel shall promptly enter a defense on a claim made against the City, an independent agency, or officer or employee thereof. Upon the authorization of an appropriate City department head, an appropriate manager of an independent agency, or by resolution of the City Council, the General Counsel or an Assistant General Counsel or special counsel is authorized to seek administrative or judicial relief to enjoin the violation of any provision of the Ordinance Code, to recover damages, fines, penalties, or any other monetary relief believed to be owed to the City or its independent agencies, or to seek declaratory relief. (Ord. 83-591-400, § 1; Ord. 2004-990-E, § 1)