Municipal & County Government Law

Lanier Ford's experience in representing municipal and other local government entities began more than 80 years ago. Attorneys who practice in this area provide daily advice to clients on the various and numerous legal issues facing local government officials. Such issues include resolving employment matters, drafting and interpreting ordinances and resolutions, complying with the public bid laws and the Sunshine law, negotiating contracts, budgeting, planning for growth, and enforcing ordinances and regulations concerned with zoning, historic districts, subdivisions, cells towers, fiber-optic cable services, and liquor licenses, among others.

In addition to general day-to-day advice, attorneys who practice in this area represent cities, counties, and their officers and employees in election disputes; challenges to zoning, subdivision, and other regulatory ordinances; breach-of-contract claims; tort claims by citizens for personal injuries or property damage caused by flooding, gas-line explosions, sewer backups, and automobile accidents with government employees; and claims arising from negligently designed or maintained roadways, sidewalks, drainage easements, and public areas.

Our attorneys also regularly represent counties, cities, sheriff's departments, and police departments in litigating claims related to law enforcement, including those based on jail conditions and overcrowding, medical treatment while incarcerated, due-process violations, wrongful arrests, excessive use of force, unlawful searches and seizures, malicious prosecutions, and discriminatory treatment based on race or ethnicity.

Because this practice area involves such a wide range of legal issues, attorneys who practice in this area rely on the assistance and advice of other attorneys at Lanier Ford who practice in such areas as tax, real estate, public financing, and employment law.

See related service areas:

• Contracts, Agreements & Commercial Transactions
• Employment Law
• Civil Rights Litigation
• Eminent Domain
• Planning, Zoning, Subdivision & Land Use
• Personal Injury

© 2019