Police Practices Defense Counsel Services & Insurance Coverage Defense Counsel Services

The City of East Orange, New Jersey, is soliciting Qualification Statements (RFQ) for two critical legal service categories: Police Practices Defense Counsel Services and Insurance Coverage Defense Counsel Services. For Police Practices, the municipality seeks litigation and defense counsel to represent police officers facing legal actions arising from their employment duties, including cases under the Tort Claims Act, CEPA, LAD, and 42 U.S.C. Sec. 1983 actions, as well as contract matters or challenges to government action. For Insurance Coverage, the City requires counsel with substantial experience to negotiate insurance contract terms, advise on rights and obligations under policies, act as legal representative for claims, present and negotiate recoveries, and pursue claims through various adversarial proceedings, including declaratory judgment actions, mediation, and arbitration. The selected counsel will provide representation on an "as needed" basis, coordinating through the City’s Third Party Insurance Administrator. Prospective firms and individuals must demonstrate robust professional, financial, and administrative capabilities to provide these specialized legal services. Key qualifications include a proven record of litigation experience in Federal court, New Jersey Superior Court, Appellate Court, and Workers’ Compensation cases. Respondents must provide a detailed description of their overall experience, including past work relevant to the RFQ, references, and a list of municipal government clients served within the last three years. Resumes of key employees and attorneys assigned to the City's cases are mandatory. Additionally, respondents must confirm appropriate federal and state licenses, comply with N.J.S.A. 10:5-33 et seq. (Affirmative Action), N.J.S.A. 52:32-44 (Business Registration of Public Contractors), and N.J.S.A. 52:25-24.2 (Disclosure of Ownership). Malpractice insurance coverage limits must also be disclosed. Qualification Statements must be submitted by 11:00 A.M. on Friday, November 30, 2018. Submissions require one original, four copies, and one compact disk (CD) set, which must be mailed or hand-delivered to the East Orange Office of Procurement, Attn: Lisa Jackson, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. Submissions via facsimile or email will not be accepted. A separate Qualification Statement is required for each legal service applied for. There is a non-refundable cost of $25.00 per RFQ packet for those picked up on-site, payable to the City of East Orange. While general insurance and indemnification are mentioned, specific bid security or performance bonds for *submission* are not explicitly required in this RFQ. The primary contact for all communications regarding this RFQ is Lisa L. Jackson, Qualified Purchasing Agent, at (973) 266-5162, Office of Procurement.