City Solicitor

Unique IDAG-0074DescriptionThe City Solicitor was not strictly speaking an employee of Council but a solicitor or firm of solicitors in private practice appointed by the Council. The first City Solicitor was George Robert Nichol who was appointed at a meeting on 28 July 1843 at a salary of 100 pounds per annum.

The City Solicitor was responsible for providing expert legal advice to Council. The duties of the Solicitor also included the conduct of most legal proceedings, preparation and evaluation of legislation and by-laws, resumptions of property, assessment appeals, conveyancing, drawing up of legal contracts, providing opinions on legal matters, and recovery of overdue rates, rents and accounts. In some cases the legal work was handled by staff of the Legal Section in Treasury. In 1993 the Legal Section was transferred to the control of CA 106, Corporate Secretary.

Until 31 August 1994, the work was carried out by one firm, Blake Dawson Waldron, who had been the City Solicitors for many years. After this date, legal work commissioned by the Council was divided between the firms of Blake Dawson Waldron, Gadens Ridgeway, and Dunhill Madden Butler, and the agency of City Solicitor ceased to exist.

The Legal Services unit within CA 106, (renamed Legal & Secretariat Services) was strengthened during the later 1990s by employment of a small team of in-house solicitors to handle most legal matters.CreationResolution of Council 28 July 1843Abolition31-Aug-94

Series

City Solicitor's Letters

General Correspondence and Subject Files, 1979-1997

City Solicitor's Packets, 1834-1977 [Municipal Council of Sydney / City of Sydney]

Town Clerk's Department Correspondence Files, 1914-1978 [Municipal Council of Sydney / City of Sydney]

Town Clerk's Correspondence Folders, 1899-1913

Letters Sent, 1842-1900

Letters Received, 1843-1899 [Municipal Council of Sydney]

Agency

Leichhardt Municipal Council

Legal and Governance

Town Clerk's Department

City Treasury Department I

Administration Department

Position

Clerk [City Solicitor]

Messenger [City Solicitor]

Solicitor [City Solicitor]

City Solicitor [multiple departments]

Typist [multiple departments]

Description

Start date28th July 1843End date31st August 1994Relationship legacy dataPRECEDED BY: Camperdown Municipal Council AG-0063 (01/01/1909)
PRECEDED BY: Waterloo Municipal Council AG-0071 (01/01/1949)
PRECEDED BY: Paddington Municipal Council AG-0070 (01/01/1949)
PRECEDED BY: Redfern Municipal Council AG-0069 (01/01/1949)
PRECEDED BY: Newtown Municipal Council AG-0068 (01/01/1949)
PRECEDED BY: Erskineville Municipal Council AG-0065 (01/01/1949)
PRECEDED BY: Darlington Municipal Council AG-0064 (01/01/1949)
PRECEDED BY: Alexandria Municipal Council AG-0062 (01/01/1949)
PRECEDED BY: Glebe Municipal Council AG-0066 (01/01/1949)
RELATED TO: Sydney City Council OR-0001 (28/07/1843 to 31/08/1994)
RELATED TO: Council administration FN-0026 (28/07/1843 to 31/08/1994)
Source System ID74

Relationships

Preceding agenciesGlebe Municipal CouncilAlexandria Municipal CouncilDarlington Municipal CouncilErskineville Municipal CouncilNewtown Municipal CouncilRedfern Municipal CouncilPaddington Municipal CouncilWaterloo Municipal CouncilCamperdown Municipal CouncilOrganisationSydney City CouncilRelated functionsCouncil administration

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City Solicitor