Section 84. General attorney

There shall be a general attorney of the state
  fund.  He shall have such legal and other assistants as may be required,
  within the limits set forth in the budget.
    It  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  general  attorney  to  advise   the
  commissioners  and  the  management  of the fund upon all matters of law
  arising in connection with any contract or policy of insurance issued by
  the fund, and upon any claim or award of compensation. He  shall  appear
  as  the  attorney  of record in all suits and other proceedings to which
  the state fund or  the  commissioners  thereof  are  parties.  He  shall
  conduct  all  appeals  on behalf of employers insured in the fund and on
  behalf of the fund  itself,  except  where  there  is  a  divergence  of
  interest  between  the  employer  and  the  fund, in which case he shall
  appear on behalf of the  fund  alone.  He  shall  prosecute  all  claims
  against  third parties under the subrogated rights of the state fund, in
  accordance with the provisions of section twenty-nine of  this  chapter.
  He  shall  have the right, subject to the approval of the commissioners,
  to employ special counsel in matters involving special  difficulty,  and
  to provide for the payment of their compensation and expenses out of the
  state fund.