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PROPOSED ORDINANCE
OUTSIDE COUNSEL AND LEGAL FEES
BE IT ORDAINED, by the Forest Preserve District of Cook County Board of Commissioners that Chapter 19 of Title 1 of the Forest Preserve District of Cook County Code of Ordinances is hereby enacted as follows:
A. District Reports to Litigation Subcommittee.
1. Notice of Monetary Counterclaims and Fee Requests. If the Forest Preserve District of Cook County is a party to any civil legal action in state or federal court, the District's Chief Attorney shall provide notice to the Litigation Subcommittee (as defined below) prior to a filing for monetary counterclaim, request for monetary sanctions, request for statutory reimbursement and/or request for fees in excess of $50,000. If the Chief Attorney is unable to provide notice to the Litigation Subcommittee in advance of filing, the Chief Attorney shall inform the Chair of the Litigation Subcommittee in advance of filing and provide notice to the Litigation Subcommittee at its next scheduled meeting.
2. Settlement. The District shall request authority from the Litigation Subcommittee prior to settling any matter in excess of $30,000. District attorneys shall provide a written settlement analysis and recommendation to the Subcommittee and shall be prepared to present that recommendation at a meeting of the Subcommittee. In addition, District attorneys shall provide the Litigation Subcommittee written information regarding cases anticipated to settle in excess of $500,000 and shall place that informational item on the Litigation Subcommittee's agenda at least one month in advance of seeking authority to settle.
3. Permission to Try. The District shall obtain the approval of the Litigation Subcommittee prior to taking a matter to trial in state or federal court. When the District recommends that a civil matter proceed to trial, it shall provide a revised Case Summary (as defined below) and recommendation to the Litigation Subcommittee. The Chief Attorney shal...
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