Introduction
The City of Lake Forest Legal Committee was established in 2005. The Committee’s purpose is to review and monitor legal claims filed against the City. With the City Attorney, the Committee is responsible for reviewing the Litigation Management Policy, recent legal decisions and opinions, related ordinances and contracts, plus relevant materials in order to promote the efficient and effective management of litigation and threats of litigation against The City of Lake Forest.
Roles and Responsibilities
The committee is comprised of 5 members, including the Chair. Members are recommended by the Caucus Committee, appointed by Mayor, and then approved by City Council. Each term is 2 years, and there is a maximum of 3 terms.
Expectations of members are to:
- Represent all citizens honestly and equally
- Avoid any conflicts of interest or any appearance of impropriety which could result from the position
- Do not use the office position for personal gain
- Recognize that a committee member has no legal authority as an individual and that decisions can be made only by a majority vote in an open meeting
- Abide by the majority decision by the Council even if you personally disagree with the decision, and take no public or private actions that might compromise the Council or City Staff
Qualifications
- Must be a resident of Lake Forest
- Must be a certified attorney
- Possess excellent communication skills
- Ability to attend quarterly meetings and any additional special meetings in person
Time Commitment
- Meets quarterly (January, April, July, October) at City Hall, typically for 2 hours
- Additional time commitment for special meetings may be required
- Expected time commitment is 6 hours per month for meeting preparation and attendance