HomeMy WebLinkAboutCity Commission 12-09-04Office of the City Attorney
Committed to serve the City and dedicated to excellence.
Values
■ OWNERSHIP
ACCOUNTABILITY
TRANSPARENCY
Mission
To provide quality legal services to the
City, its Commission, Administration, and
other Boards, Authorities and Committees
in a timely, efficient, and cost effective
manner.
3
Plan of Work
Goals & Objectives
Personnel
■ Resources
Systems
Programs
Miami Charter
Sec. 21
Provides in essence:
The City Attorney:
Serves as the Chief Legal Officer;
Counsels City Commission, Administration
and all officers;
Prosecutes and defends all lawsuits for
and on behalf of the City;
Prepares all contracts, bonds and legal
instruments;
Issues legal opinions.
5
Miami Code
Sec. 2-111
Provides in essence:
The City Attorney supervises and controls:
■ All attorneys employed by the City
All outside counsel
Results of assessments:
Skills
■ Talents
Knowledge
Ability
Attorneys' Experience
Experience
15 or more years
Between 7 and 14
years
Less than 7 years
Total number of
attorneys
Number of Attorney
Admitted to the
Florida Bar
16
7
4
27
Practice in Local
Government Law
8
3
16
27
With the Office of
the City Attorney
4
6
17
27
8
Implementing the process
■ Matrix
■ Legal services request
■ Reporting to the client
■ Timing of work
■ Client feedback
Who is the client?
■ Define ultimate client
■ Define authorized client
Authority to request legal service
Note: Under tab number 2 in the notebook
is the list of Departments/Clients and their
respective codes.
Legal Services Request Form
4411
City of Miami
Office of the City Attorney
Legal Services Request
To: Office of the City Attorney Date:
From:
Contact Person
Title
Legal Services Requested:
Department
Telephone
Authorized by: Date response requested by:
Complete form and forward to the Office of the City Attorney.
Do not assume that the Office of the City Attorney
Once your request has been assigned, the lower half of this form will
be completed by the Office of the City Attorney and returned to you.
BELOW PORTION TO BE COMPLETED BY THE OFFICE OF THE CITY ATTORNEY
Assigned Attorney:
File No.
City Attorney Approval: Date:
Comments:
Copy returned to Client
D/R Date:
Type:
Matrix:
Category:
Matrix
Practice Group
100
—
Litigation
&Appellate
practice
200
—
Transactional
300
—
Land
Use
&
Environmental
Law
400
—
Legislation,
Legal
Labor,
Personnel
&
Police
12
100 — Litigation & Appellate Practice
grE
0
(See tab no. 4 for complete listing)
Code 1reas
Definitions
101
Torts
Litigation against the City, its officials and employees under state
law for allegedly intentional or negligent conduct that causes injury
to person or damage to property, and related appeals.
105
Finance
Litigation filed against the City arising from the City's governmental
power to tax, impose special assessments and fees.
108
Workers'
Comp
Claims filed under Chapter 440 Florida Statutes involving work -
related injuries, and related appeals.
13
200 — Transactional
grE
0
(See tab no. 5 for complete listing)
201
Agreements
Issues relating to the review, negotiation and drafting of agreements
such as professional services agreements and use agreements.
203
Public Works/
Transportation
Issues relating to the review, negotiations and drafting of public works
and construction related contracts, CCNA contracts, CIP and
transportation contracts/issues.
208
Real Property
Issues relating to the negotiation and drafting of purchase and sale
agreements and related financings, leases, easements, license
agreements, deeds and other instruments relating to the acquisition,
use and disposition of real estate by the City, other than for affordable
housing.
•
NOV MeV
14
300 — Land Use & Environmental Law
MEd
0
(See tab no. 6 for complete listing)
301
Historic and
Preservation
Environmental
(HEP)
Matters relating to compliance with Chapters 17 and 23 and the
protection of the historic, environmental, archaeological resources of the
City, including tree protection.
307
Major Use
Special Permits
(MUSP)
Matters related to Review and approval of Major Use Special Permits
309
Building Codes
Matters relating to the Florida Building Code and Building Department
orders and permits.
400 - Legislation, Labor, Personnel & Police Legal
(Office Administration)
FE0
J`J
(See tab no. 7 for complete listing)
Code
Definition
401
State and Local
Legislation
Preparation,
Agenda Process
Process for preparation of legislation for City Commission agenda and
statutory amendments, oversight of agenda preparation; Legistar,
election.
403
Labor/Employment
Issues related to City personnel policies and procedures, including
employment, collective bargaining, union contract administration and
grievances, disciplinary maters, civil service board, civil service board
and arbitrations.
406
General Local
Government
Issues related to matters that do not fit into a specific matrix, including
public records, legislative review, elections, Charter, lobbying,
telecommunications, advisory boards, sunshine law, ethics, and gift
law issues.
The Value of Timekeeping
• Managed time maximizes legal resources
• Clients are promptly and properly served
• Professionals and staff are held accountable
• Objective criteria is obtained for performance
evaluation
17
Reporting to the Client
• Hours recorded for specific client
• Hours recorded for specific client by area
of law
• Hours recorded for specific project,
assignment, case, etc.
■ Individual attorney cumulative hours
recorded for specific time period
18
Reducing outside counsel costs
We will be more valuable to our
client by investing in hiring and
training in-house attorneys to
do the work that now goes to
outside counsel.
19
Number of matters handled
by outside counsel by area of practice
FY '03 - 04
Land Use and
Environm ental
3 matters
Litigation
32 cases
Labor and
Em ploym ent
6 matters
Transactional
9 matters
20
Outside counsel fees invoiced
and/or paid by area of law
FY '03 - 04
Land Use and
Environmental
Law $16,814.66
Litigation,
Administrative
Law and Appellate
Practice
$1,186,178, 63 *
•
Legislation,
Labor, Personnel
and Police Legal
$40,558.98
Transactional by
Issue
$564,900.98
* $800,000 City recovered
21
Office Wide Initiatives
■ Professionalism
■ Mentoring
■ Client Delight
22
Strategies for attracting and retaining highly
skilled and motivated attorneys and staff
■ Aggressive recruiting
■ Training
■ Mentoring
Fulfilling career
Financial reward
23
Client Feedback
• Does my lawyer keep me informed?
• Does my lawyer anticipate my
needs?
• Does my lawyer contribute to the
team approach?
Does my lawyer work competently
and efficiently?
• Does my lawyer answer the
unasked question?
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