Sec. 5.5. (a) A clerk or clerk-treasurer may hire or contract with competent attorneys or legal research assistants on terms the clerk or clerk-treasurer considers appropriate.
(b) Employment of an attorney under this section does not affect a city department of law established under IC 36-4-9-4.
(c) Appropriations for the salaries of attorneys and legal research assistants employed under this section shall be approved in the annual budget and must be allocated to the clerk or clerk-treasurer for the payment of attorney's and legal research assistant's salaries.