CHAPTER VII.

LAW   DEPARTMENT.

Seo. 255. Corporation counsel to be the head of the law department; duties;
salary.
856. Corporation counsel's power of appointment.
357.  Branch offices.

258.   Bureaus.

259.   Bureau for recovery of penalties.

260.  Bureau of collection of arrears of personal taxes.

261.   Presentation of claims to be pleaded.
263. Jurisdiction of actions against the city.

363.   Service of process,

364,   Issuance of execution.

Corporation counsel to be the bead of the law department; duties;
salary.
§ 255. There shall be a law department of The City of New
York, the head whereof shall be called the corporation counsel,
who shall be the attorney and counsel for The City of New York,
the mayor, the municipal assembly and each and every officer,
board and department of said city. The salary of the corporation
counsel shall be fifteen thousand dollars a year. The corporation
counsel shall have charge and conduct of all the law business of
the corporation and Its departments and boards and of all law
business In which The City of New York Is interested. He shall
have charge and conduct of the legal proceedings necessary in
opening, widening, altering and closing streets, and in acquiring
real estate or interests therein for the city by condemnation pro¬
ceedings, and the preparation of all leases, deeds, contracts, bonds
and other legal papers of the city, or of, or connected with, any
department, board or officer thereof, and he shall approve as to
form all such contracts, leases, deeds, bonds and other legal
papers. He shall be the legal adviser of the mayor, the munici¬
pal assembly and the various departments, boards and officers and
it shall be his duty to furnish to the mayor, the municipal assem¬
bly and to every department, board and officer of the city all
such advice and legal assista^nce as counsel and attorney in or out
of court as may be required by them or either of them, and for