- Practice Areas
Municipal
Our firm has served municipalities and other public bodies for more than 50 years. Our clients include townships, villages, cities, counties, public authorities, courts, public school districts, colleges and universities, public utilities, and public and semi-public corporations.
Our municipal law attorneys review current matters of interest to local governments and public entities, including new legislation, court decisions, and administrative rulings. We publish a Local Government Law Bulletin which is distributed as a courtesy to clients and others. Our municipal lawyers are available to speak at seminars on a wide range of issues of concern to municipal clients.
Our municipal law services include the following:
General Municipal Services
- Ordinances, resolutions, and charters
- Duties of public officers
- Agreements and franchises
- Annexation and boundaries
- Federal and state grants
- Freedom of Information Act
- Open Meetings Act
- Elections and referendums
- Purchase and sale of land
- Licensing and regulation
- Fire and police protection
- Legislation
- Right to Farm Act
- Riparian issues
- Franchises
Property Taxation
- Administration and collection
- Tax tribunal appeals
- Tax abatements and incentives
- Special assessments
- Payments in lieu of taxes
- Tax allocation matters
- Special millage levies and rollbacks
Litigation
- Condemnation
- Construction disputes
- Zoning and land use
- Ordinance enforcement
- Abatement of nuisances
- General liability and disputes
- Blight and dangerous structures
Zoning & Land Use Planning
- Preparation and review of zoning ordinances
- Review of PUDS, special land uses, and site condominiums
- Mineral removal regulations
- Public hearings and notices
- Master plans
- Land division/subdivision issues
- Appeals
Municipal Bond Counsel
- Tax exempt and taxable obligations
- Infrastructure financing
- Tax anticipation and county delinquent tax revolving fund financings
- Private activity bonds
- Elections and ballot proposals
- Special assessment proceedings
- Revenue and rate structures
- General obligation (tax) pledges
- Multi-municipality contracts
- Security law disclosure
- Tax increment financing
Labor & Employment
- Contract negotiations and administration
- Arbitrations (contract and Act 312)
- Representation cases and responses to union organizing campaigns
- Unfair labor practice cases
- Hiring and discharge
- Employment discrimination cases (federal & state)
- Employment policies and handbooks
- Wage and hour (federal and state)
- Pension plans
- Section 403(b) annuity plans
- Section 457 deferred compensation plans
- Health and other welfare benefit plans
- Section 125 cafeteria plans
- Veterans preference hearings
Environmental
- Site audits
- Underground storage tanks
- Natural Resources and Environmental Protection Act
- Solid waste regulation
- Enforcement/cost recovery actions
- Administrative proceedings and permits
- Superfund (CERCLA), Clean Water Act, Stormwater Regulations, RCRA, Part 201
- Community right-to-know requirements
- Real estate transactions
Water, Sewer & Drainage Systems
- Right-of-way acquisition
- Financing
- Ordinance development, amendment, and enforcement
- Compliance with state and federal requirements
- Drain code proceedings
- Regulatory guidelines
- Contract operations/privatization
Libraries
- District library agreements
- Township and other public libraries
- Cooperative libraries
- Library millages and other library financings
More Information
Contact us to schedule an appointment with an experienced Michigan municipal law attorney.
The following lawyers are experienced in serving the legal needs of municipal clients:
