The City Corporation Counsel is appointed by the Mayor and approved by the City Council to serve as the chief legal advisor to the Council, the Director of Administrative Services, and all City departments, offices and agencies.  The City Legal Department represents the City in all legal proceedings.

 

The City Legal Department is committed to providing the highest quality legal representation possible to meet the present and future needs of the City of Quincy in an efficient and effective manner.  The office maintains continuous communication between City departments and their legal representatives.

 

The City Legal Department is made up of 3 positions: Corporation Counsel, Assistant Corporation Counsel, and City Attorney.

 

The Legal Department is responsible for providing legal services to City departments, boards and commissions as well as the Mayor, Director of Administrative Services and City Council.  The Legal Department handles all legal claims against the City of Quincy.  City departments are assigned an attorney to provide them the varied legal services necessary to their operations.  Attorneys in the Legal Department represent the City in local, state and federal courts, as well as before administrative agencies and legislative bodies.  In addition to representing the City in litigation and settlement negotiations, City attorneys work with the departments they represent in drafting ordinances, contract and other legal documents.

 

Members of the Legal Department also provide parliamentary advice at meetings, review Freedom of Information Act compliance and enforce city ordinances in court.

 

Ordinances and Statutes

The City of Quincy is a home-rule unit of local government under the Illinois Constitution.  The City has adopted its own Code, the Municipal Code of the City of Quincy (2015), which provides the rules and regulations deemed necessary by the City Council to preserve the public health, safety and welfare of the people of the City of Quincy (link to the City Code?).

Some State laws which have a direct affect upon the operation of the City of Quincy municipal government are:

• The Open Meetings Act (5 ILCS 120/1 et seq.)
• The Freedom of Information Act (5 ILCS 140/1 et seq.)
• Illinois Governmental Ethics Act (5 ILCS 420/1-101 et seq.)
• Disclosure of Economic Interests (5 ILCS 420/4A-101 et seq.)
• The Election Code (10 ILCS 5/1-1)
• The Illinois Municipal Code (65 ILCS 5/1-1-1 et seq.)

Please visit the State of Illinois website for a complete listing of State laws which may impact the operation of municipal government.