Special Conflict Counsel Services for the City Council

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, is soliciting Qualification Statements from legal professionals for Special Conflict Counsel Services to represent the City Council. This critical service is required when a legal conflict of interest arises, effectively disqualifying the City's Law Department from providing legal advice. The comprehensive scope of work includes defending and initiating legal claims and lawsuits on behalf of the City Council, preparing detailed reports, offering legal advice and counsel on various issues such as litigation, regulations, and ordinances, and actively interacting with both the City Administration on related legal matters and the City's insurance carrier regarding liability concerns. Additionally, the selected counsel will be expected to attend meetings as requested by the Mayor and Council, ensuring seamless legal representation in complex scenarios. The contract term for the approved Special Conflict Counsel will not exceed one (1) year from the date of the award, with compensation based on an hourly rate of $125.00, not to exceed $30,000.00 per matter. Prospective contractors must demonstrate substantial qualifications, including a minimum of ten (10) years of experience providing legal services to a municipal or government entity within the State of New Jersey prior to proposal submission. The attorney or law firm must possess sufficient staff capacity to competently fulfill the described scope of services. Furthermore, the lead attorney must be licensed and in good standing with the Bar Association of the State of New Jersey and have at least ten (10) years of proven experience in municipal litigation or serving as Special Counsel to Governing Bodies. A mandatory requirement is professional liability insurance with a minimum coverage of $1,000,000.00 per claim and aggregate, from a carrier rated AAA by Best Insurance Digest. Crucially, the attorney or firm must attest to not having represented any adverse parties or claims against the City of East Orange within the past three (3) years. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits specified for this Request for Qualifications. Qualification Statements must be meticulously prepared and submitted by the strict deadline of November 27, 2018, at 2:00 P.M. Submissions require one (1) original, two (2) copies, and one (1) compact disk (CD) set, all individually sealed within an envelope. Proposals must be either mailed or hand-delivered to the East Orange Office of Procurement, addressed to Lisa Jackson, at East Orange City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. Submissions via facsimile or email will not be accepted. This solicitation is conducted through a fair and open process, adhering to the New Jersey Local Unit Pay-to-Play Law (N.J.S.A. 19:44A-20.5 et seq.) and relevant municipal ordinances, ensuring transparency and equal opportunity for all qualified respondents. For inquiries or to obtain copies of the RFQ, Lisa L. Jackson, Qualified Purchasing Agent, can be contacted at (973) 266-5162, with a fax number of (973) 678-8059.