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TRENTON
– Attorney General Stuart Rabner today
announced new procedures for the selection
of outside counsel hired to represent the
state on a variety of legal issues, such
as general litigation, employment and tort
issues, bond work and workers’ compensation
cases.
The
Attorney General, through the Department
of Law and Public Safety’s Division
of Law issued a new Request for Qualifications
(“RFQ”) for outside counsel
and simultaneously revamped internal procedures
for an objective, merit-based, selection
process. The new RFQ is the first step in
a year long process that will lead to new
requests for qualifications in 18 separate
subject matter areas where outside counsel
are retained.
The
first RFQ deals with the areas of general
litigation, employment litigation and the
representation of the County Prosecutors
Offices and employees who are engaged in
law enforcement activities. In the future,
the Attorney General plans to issue separate
RFQs for other practice group areas such
as complex litigation, municipal court,
real estate, labor negotiations, alternative
investments, collections, bond counsel,
medical malpractice, intellectual property,
out-of-state tort, FELA (Federal Employers’
Liability Act), fatal accidents, state vehicle
cases, workers’ compensation and special
railroad counsel.
In
addition to creating new lists of approved
counsel, the Attorney General is establishing
several selection committees consisting
of division of law attorneys familiar with
the subject matter area and client representatives.
The criteria for selection will be based
on relevant expertise, responsiveness, geographic
location, size of firm and past performance,
and the absence of any conflict of interest.
The lists will be current for a two-year
period and all outside counsel will be selected
off the lists unless exceptional circumstances
exist. There are approximately 200 firms
on the existing list.
“The
overall goal of the new procedures is to
ensure quality legal service by a broad
range of outside counsel and to institutionalize
an objective merit-based selection process,’’
Attorney General Rabner said.
In
addition to mailing the RFQ to members on
the existing outside counsel list, announcements
will be made in print advertisements and
on the Department of Law and Public Safety
website. Minorities and women are encouraged
to apply. Those interested can contact Glenn
R. Jones, Assistant Attorney General, by
the following Request
For Qualifications (125k pdf)
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