| Mission Statement The mission of the City Attorney's Office is to serve the City of Folsom by providing accurate, timely and effective legal advice, and representation to the City Council, the City Manager, and the officers and employees of the City. The City Attorney's Office is committed to: 1. Providing high quality and aggressive litigation representation to assure that each case is resolved in a manner that protects the interests of the City; 2. Devoting the time and resources necessary to provide the highest quality legal advice; 3. Responding to requests for opinions, ordinances, contracts and other documents in the highest professional manner; 4. Working creatively with City officers and employees to accomplish the policy objectives of the City and to prevent legal problems from arising. Office of the City Attorney--Authority and Function The authority and function of the City Attorney are set forth in Section 4.03 of the City Charter, which reads as follows: The office of the City Attorney is hereby created. The City Attorney shall be the chief legal officer of the City, and: A. Duties. Shall advise the City Council, individual Council Members, the City Manager and his/her assistants, and department heads regarding the law relating to City affairs. B. Additional Duties. Shall represent the City in all legal proceedings, prepare all ordinances and other needed legal documents, select and retain specialist counsel where there is a need for such specialized legal services, and perform such other duties as may be prescribed by ordinance. C. Department Head. May be a full time department head of the City, or may be contracted as a department head. D. Approval of Contracts. Shall review and approve all City contracts as to legal form. E. Special Counsel. The City Council may retain special counsel in any matter where representation by the City Attorney would create an impermissible conflict, including the discipline or dismissal of the City Manager. The role of the City Attorney is to provide legal representation and give legal advice to a broad array of City officials. Most importantly, the City Attorney advises and represents the City Council and all City Council Members with respect to their official City activities. The City Attorney has an attorney-client relationship with the City Council acting as a body; he does not have an attorney-client relationship with any one Council Member to the exclusion of the other Council Members. The City Attorney has an attorney-client relationship with the City Manager, the City Department Heads, and other City employees and members of City boards and commissions to the extent that such individuals act within the scope of the powers given to them by the City Council. Many citizens believe that the City Attorney serves as the attorney for the community rather than just the municipal corporation known as the City of Folsom. However, the City Attorney works for citizens only indirectly through City officials, and the City Attorney has no attorney-client relationship with citizens at large. | 
