(a) Legal division.--The general manager shall establish a legal division which shall be administered by a full-time general counsel, who shall be an attorney at law admitted to practice before the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania and who shall be appointed by the general manager to serve at his or her pleasure. The legal division, in addition to the general counsel, shall consist of those attorneys and other employees as the general counsel shall, from time to time, determine to be necessary and who shall be appointed by the general manager. Except as provided in section 1721 (relating to counsel to the board), the legal division shall administer the legal affairs of the authority, shall prosecute and defend, settle or compromise all suits or claims for and on behalf of the authority and shall advise the general manager in all matters relating to his or her official duties. The authority shall not be considered either an executive agency or an independent agency for the purpose of the act of October 15, 1980 (P.L.950, No.164), known as the Commonwealth Attorneys Act, but shall possess the same status for such purpose as the Auditor General, the State Treasurer and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, except that the provisions of section 204(b) and (f) of the Commonwealth Attorneys Act shall not apply to the authority and, notwithstanding the provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. § 8525 (relating to legal assistance), the authority through its counsel shall defend actions brought against the authority and its officers and employees when acting within the scope of their official duties.

(b) Other counsel.--The general counsel may, from time to time, with the approval of the general manager, retain such other legal counsel on such terms and for such purposes as shall be deemed by the general manager to be necessary or in cases where the needs of the authority would be better served. Nothing in this section or in section 1721 shall be construed so as to limit the power of the legal or other officers of the counties and municipalities comprising the metropolitan area to act in behalf of the general manager in their official capacities when requested to do so by the general manager.