The Board of Education seeks to contract for legal services with a General Counsel/Board Attorney, who will serve as the chief general legal officer of the District. The selected School Board Attorney will be expected to provide specialized professional services to the Board of Education and District administrators on an as-needed basis throughout the year. Various issues arise during the normal course of business that require professional services, necessitating guidance and advice from the aforementioned profession. SCOPE OF SERVICE The attorney and/or law firm contracted by the Board of Education shall provide the following services: Attendance at Board Meetings The School Board Attorney shall attend all public meetings of the Board of Education and other meetings if deemed necessary by the Superintendent of Schools or the Board President. The School Board Attorney shall attend Board Committee meetings when so invited by the Superintendent of Schools or the committee chairperson. Attendance at Board meetings may be virtual or in-person. The following is a typical meeting schedule of the Board of Education. One Regular Public meeting per month, One Workshop Public meeting per month; and Special and Emergency meetings as may be required Parliamentarian When requested, the School Board Attorney shall assist the School Board President in conducting Board meetings and guide all parliamentary procedures and voting matters. The attorney and/or law firm contracted by the Board shall provide the following services: Board Policy Guidance and Review The School Board Attorney shall prepare and/or review all Board policies in a legal form before they are reviewed and adopted by the Board of Education. Code of Ethics/Ethics Compliance—Annual Training The School Board Attorney shall provide, in accordance with N.J.A.C. 6A:32-3.2, annual training on the School Ethics Act and the Code of Ethics to the members of the Board at a regularly scheduled board meeting, as requested. Code of Ethics Guidance The School Board Attorney shall provide guidance to all Board members and District administrators regarding all ethics questions that may arise during the year. Leased Facilities—Chief Negotiator; When Applicable The School Board Attorney shall serve as the chief negotiator for all buildings in which the Board of Education is a tenant and prepare, review, and provide to the Board all proposed lease agreements, as applicable. The School Board Attorney shall also advise the Board, the Superintendent, and the School Business Administrator on any purchase or sale of real property. Legal Counsel and Advice The School Board Attorney shall: Legal/Contractual Procedures Advise the Board of Education on the legal and contractual procedures that the Board must follow to take action or make a decision.
