Litigation/Defense Counsel, Workers’ Compensation Counsel & Special Conflict Counsel Services

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, is actively soliciting Qualification Statements (RFQ) from highly experienced and qualified individuals and law firms to establish a pool of legal counsel for various professional services. This comprehensive Request for Qualifications encompasses Litigation/Defense Counsel Services, Workers' Compensation Counsel Services, and Special Conflict Counsel Services. The core objective is to secure legal representation for the City, its officers, and employees across a broad spectrum of legal matters, including but 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. Sec. 1983 actions, contract disputes, and challenges to governmental actions, as well as workers' compensation lawsuits (N.J.S.A. 34:15-1 et seq.). Special Conflict Counsel is specifically sought for situations involving conflicts of interest, non-availability, scheduling conflicts, or when specialized expertise would enhance case effectiveness, with all services coordinated through the City’s Third-Party Insurance Administrator on an "as needed" basis. Successful respondents will be approved by a resolution of the East Orange City Council. Prospective contractors must demonstrate substantial experience in workers' compensation law and a proven track record of litigation success in Federal, Superior, Appellate, and Workers' Compensation courts. Qualification Statements must include evidence of appropriate federal and state licenses to perform legal activities. Furthermore, all professional service contractors are mandated to comply with specific 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 in Public Contract), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). Firms are also required to maintain Professional Liability Insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000.00 per claim and $2,000,000.00 aggregate per policy period. There are no mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits specified in this RFQ. Qualification Statements must be meticulously prepared and received by the City of East Orange no later than 11:00 A.M. on Thursday, November 14, 2024. Submissions must be either mailed or hand-delivered to the East Orange Office of Procurement, directed to the attention of Racquel Ferguson, at 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018; submissions via facsimile or email will be strictly rejected. Each legal service applied for requires a separate Qualification Statement, and the submission package must include one original (unbound), four copies, and one thumb-drive set. Required documentation encompasses numerous forms such as the Business Entity Disclosure Certification, Non-Collusion Affidavit, Disclosure of Ownership Form, Insurance Requirement Acknowledgement Form, EEO/Affirmative Action Compliance Notice, Business Registration Certificate, Professional Service Entity Information Form, Qualification Affidavit, and specific Letters of Intent and Qualification. A non-refundable fee of $25.00 per RFQ packet is applicable for physical pickup at the Division of Procurement, payable to the City of East Orange. For all inquiries and submission coordination, the designated contact person is Racquel C Ferguson, Office of Procurement, who can be reached at (973) 266-5162.