Overview
We identify the relevant legal requirements and help municipalities achieve their goals in an appropriate, timely and cost-effective manner. The practice group is also experienced in helping municipalities to cooperate on a regional basis to solve common problems efficiently by pooling resources, human capital and ideas amongst various municipalities sharing in community-wide issues.
Our Experience
The attorneys in our Municipal Practice Group have extensive experience in local government zoning, planning, labor, employment and other legal areas affecting municipalities. No matter the scope of the project, we pride ourselves on providing responsive, effective services to our municipal clients. Services that include, but are not limited to:
- Development of comprehensive plans, zoning laws and other land use legislation, including local legislation concerning environmental sustainability.
- Labor and employment issues in the public sector sphere, including collective bargaining, investigations, disciplinary actions, policy review and revisions, hearings and other litigation, and general consultation on labor and employment matters.
- Municipal energy programs, including solar and other clean energy expansion, bulk-buying, interfacing with energy providers and related issues.
- Assisting legislative bodies, zoning boards of appeals and planning boards in all matters that may arise in a municipality, including with governance, internal operations and municipal powers.
- Redevelopment of contaminated properties under state and federal brownfields programs.
- Siting and review of wind power projects, solar power projects and conventional power plants.
- Litigation involving environmental claims, tax assessment review, tax certiorari claims, Eminent Domain/EDPL, labor and employment matters, construction and other matters.
- Establishment and expansion of sewer, water, fire, ambulance and other special districts.
- Representation of municipal land banks, local development corporations, industrial development agencies, public housing authorities and other public entities in both private and public real estate development projects, including, procurement, acquisition or disposition, joint developer agreements, economic development incentives, public-private financing and the like.
- Siting and permitting of solid waste facilities and contracting with private solid waste facility providers.
- Negotiating Real Property Incentives, including Payment in Lieu of Tax agreements.
- Permitting and enforcement proceedings before local, State and federal agencies in all areas.
- Assistance in code enforcement activities, including prosecution of code enforcement violations.
- SEQRA review of residential and commercial projects.
- Funding and approval for infrastructure projects such as water and sewage systems including regionalization and public and private partnerships.
- Establishment and expansion of Empire Zones.
- Redevelopment of former military bases and state facilities.
Meet Our Attorneys
Meet Our Attorneys
Partners
Terresa M. Bakner
Partner
David R. Everett
Partner
Charles J. Gottlieb
Partner
Dylan C. Harris
Partner
Daniel Hubbell
Partner
Thomas J. Ruane (T.J.)
Partner
Robert T. Schofield
Partner
Michael G. Sterthous
Partner
Robert A. Stout Jr.
PartnerSenior Counsel
Howard A. Levine
Senior Counsel
Norma G. Meacham
Senior Counsel
J. Stephen Reilly
Senior Counsel
Daniel A. Ruzow
Senior Counsel
Thomas A. Shepardson
Senior CounselOf Counsel
Michelle L. Kennedy
Of Counsel
Nathaniel J. Nichols
Of Counsel
Paul Van Cott
Of Counsel
Steven Vegliante
Of Counsel
