The Legal Department of the City of Bloomington consists of three attorneys and two support staff personnel who provide legal services and clerical support which assist the elected and appointed officials of the City in the discharge of their official duties.

The staff provides legal opinions to City officials on matter of federal, state and municipal law, represents the City in court and before administrative agencies, reviews the work of outside counsel hired by the City, aids in the collection of accounts receivable due the City, and assists in the negotiation of City contracts involving property acquisition, intergovernmental agreements and collective bargaining matters. The department drafts ordinances for consideration by the City Council and initiates enforcement proceedings to compel compliance with City ordinances, including fining violators of those ordinances.

The Legal Department is not authorized to give legal advice to the general public, although it is available to answer inquiries about City ordinances and to refer complainants to the appropriate City department when allegations of ordinance violations are received.