Legal Services for Litigation, Workers' Compensation, and Special Conflict Counsel

The City of East Orange, a municipal corporation in New Jersey, is soliciting Qualification Statements from qualified individuals and firms to provide comprehensive legal services, specifically Litigation/Defense Counsel, Workers’ Compensation Counsel, and Special Conflict Counsel Services. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) aims to establish a robust pool of attorneys to defend and represent the City, its officers, and employees in a wide array of legal matters. The scope of work includes, but is not limited to, actions arising under the Tort Claims Act (N.J.S.A. 59:1-1 et seq.), the Conscientious Employee Protection Act (CEPA, N.J.S.A. 34:19-1 et seq.), Laws Against Discrimination (LAD, N.J.S.A. 10:5-1 et seq.), 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 actions, contract disputes, challenges to governmental actions, and all aspects of Workers’ Compensation lawsuits pursuant to N.J.S.A. 34:15-1 et seq. These legal services will be provided on an "as needed" basis and coordinated through the City’s Third Party Insurance Administrator (T.P.A.). Prospective contractors must demonstrate substantial experience and expertise in professional legal services, with a proven litigation record in Federal, Superior, Appellate, and Workers’ Compensation courts. Respondents are required to possess and confirm appropriate federal and state licenses to perform legal activities and must comply with various New Jersey statutes, including N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 et seq. (Affirmative Action), N.J.S.A. 10:5-31 et seq. and N.J.A.C. 17:27 et seq. (Contract Compliance and Equal Employment Opportunities), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). Mandatory malpractice insurance coverage must be a minimum of $1,000,000 per claim and $3,000,000 aggregate per policy period. The selection process is conducted under a fair and open process in accordance with the Pay-to-Play Law, N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5 et seq., and municipal ordinances. Qualification Statements must be received by the City no later than 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, November 18, 2020. Submissions must include one original, two copies, and one compact disk (CD) set, and are to be mailed or hand-delivered to the East Orange Office of Procurement, Attention: Lisa L. Jackson, QPA, at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. Submissions transmitted by facsimile or email will not be accepted. A separate Qualification Statement is required for each legal service applied for. Detailed RFQ packets are available for download from www.eastorange-nj.org or can be picked up on-site at the Division of Procurement, City Hall, 1st Floor, for a non-refundable fee of $25.00, payable to the City of East Orange. For any communications or inquiries regarding this RFQ, the designated contact person is Lisa L. Jackson, QPA, Division of Procurement, who can be reached at (973) 266-5162.