Policies & Procedures

§2400 Legal Services

It is the responsibility of the Office of Legal Services to serve and administer the legal service needs of the Archdiocese, including management and supervision of outside legal service providers and accounting for the cost thereof.  This section is designed to give Pastors, Principals and Agency Directors the correct procedures for acquiring legal services for a parish, school or agency/department.

 

§2401 The Office of Legal Services

2401.1. Policy Parishes, schools and agencies shall contact the Office of Legal Services for all legal matters in the Archdiocese. The Office of Legal Services shall be contacted before a parish, school, or agency contacts outside legal counsel.

Procedures
The work that the Office of Legal Services is responsible for includes:

  1. education of parishes, schools and agencies on laws affecting them generally.
  2. legal advice to parishes, schools and agencies on specific legal problems confronted by them.
  3. representation of a parish, school or agency in legal proceedings brought by or against them or otherwise involving the parish, school or agency, including:
    1. lawsuits
    2. administrative proceedings
    3. subpoenas
    4. property matters

§2402 Outside Legal Services

2402.1. Policy The authority for representation of the Archdiocese of Chicago, including any parish, school or agency, by outside counsel shall be obtained through the Office of Legal Services as to each matter undertaken.

2402.2. Policy The Office of Legal Services shall inform outside legal counsel employed by the Archdiocese of the management protocol for such counsel.

Procedures
Outside legal counsel will receive a copy of the “Management Protocol for Outside Legal Counsel Employed by the Archdiocese” from the Office of Legal Services. Acceptance of employment by outside legal counsel constitutes counsel’s agreement to comply with the terms of the protocol.