Special Legal Counsel Services (Public Sector Labor Matters)

The City of East Orange, a municipal corporation in New Jersey, is soliciting Qualification Statements for Special Legal Counsel Services focusing on Public Sector Labor Matters. This Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeks experienced legal professionals to provide specialized representation and guidance to the City, operating under the direct supervision of the City’s Office of Corporation Counsel. The comprehensive scope of work includes, but is not limited to, handling court appearances, arbitrations, conferences, negotiations, meetings, research, investigations, and various legal correspondence. Furthermore, selected counsel will be responsible for representing the City in the negotiation and preparation of collective bargaining agreements with multiple bargaining units. They will also serve as a labor specialist, interpreting and enforcing the terms, conditions, and covenants of these agreements, and providing ancillary services as requested, such as representation in employee disciplinary or broader employment law matters. The intended contract period for these crucial legal services is one year. Prospective contractors must demonstrate a profound expertise in the provision of professional legal services, particularly within the public sector labor and employment law domain, and maintain continuous capability to perform these services. Essential qualifications include possession of all appropriate federal and state licenses required for legal practice. A key requirement is a proven record of litigation experience in the Superior Court of New Jersey, including the Appellate Division, or the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey. Respondents are mandated to submit detailed resumes for all key employees and attorneys proposed for assignment to the City, along with a comprehensive description of their overall experience, a list of relevant clients over the past three years (specifically mentioning municipal government clients), and a disclosure of any prior engagements representing or litigating against the City within the last five years. No mandatory pre-bid meetings or site visits were specified in the RFQ document. Qualification Statements must be submitted in a sealed envelope, with one original (unbound), four physical copies, and one compact disk (CD) set, addressed to the East Orange Office of Procurement, Attention: Racquel Ferguson, at East Orange City Hall, 44 City Hall Plaza, East Orange, New Jersey 07018. The strict deadline for receipt of all submissions is 12:00 P.M. on November 22, 2022; submissions received via facsimile or email will not be accepted. Interested parties can obtain detailed RFQ packets from the Division of Procurement at City Hall (1st Floor) during business hours or download them from www.eastorange-nj.org; a non-refundable fee of $25.00 is charged for physical packets to cover printing and administrative costs. While the RFQ specifies a maximum contract amount of $100,000.00 for the one-year period, it does not stipulate any requirements for bid security, performance bonds, or payment bonds for this qualification phase. For any inquiries, the designated contact is Racquel Ferguson, Purchasing Agent, who can be reached at (973) 266-5162.