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Municipal, Townships & Counties

No matter the issue, we got you covered.

Today’s suburban cities and towns face complex, wide-ranging issues that demand a wealth of knowledge and experience that one individual often cannot provide. That’s why more and more mid-sized communities turn to us as their outside counsel. At Frost Brown Todd, we have at our fingertips the resources of a full-service, multi-state law firm. We can draw on a talented team of lawyers with deep experience in every legal issue a local government might face, from environmental and real estate development projects to bond deals and workers’ compensation lawsuits.

Everything we do is grounded in helping you make your community a better place to live. When we say we’re deeply invested, we mean it! We attend committee, board and council meetings and get to know the personalities and politics, so we can better understand the everyday realities of your community. More than anything, though, our experience sets us apart. Our relationships with numerous municipalities and public officials span decades, meaning we’ve seen and done it all. Eminent domain? Been there. Drone regulations? Done that. Union negotiations? Check. Annexation? Absolutely.

Key Contacts

A smiling individual wearing glasses, a dark suit, a light blue striped tie, and a white shirt poses for a professional portrait against a plain background.
Stephen J. Smith

Partner

Columbus, OH

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Law Director & General Counsel Services

Comprehensive services. A creative, can-do approach. 

Cities and towns are intricate organizations with political nuances, high-profile sensitive issues, potentially costly risks and untapped opportunities. This work requires both institutional city knowledge and a wide breadth of government law experience. That’s why we take a comprehensive, broad approach instead of just tackling a single issue without a full understanding of your unique needs.

Our attorneys provide law director and general counsel services to many entities of various sizes. We aim to be true team members. This means that while we offer project-based solutions as needed, we also focus on our clients’ long-term needs and objectives. Our capabilities include:

  • Procurement and bidding
  • Bonds and other financing
  • Legislative services, such as preparing ordinances and drafting resolutions
  • Litigation, both defense and plaintiff, including eminent domain
  • Real estate, land use and zoning
  • Labor and employment
  • Environmental law
  • Intellectual property
  • Day-to-day operational functions
  • Public records
  • Open Door Law (Sunshine law)

Public Litigation & Dispute Resolution

The experience to tackle complex issues. 

Our team has represented government entities of all sizes in over 500 public sector labor contracts, several hundred labor arbitrations, as well as countless zoning commission and board of zoning appeals’ decisions and constitutional challenges to zoning ordinances. Our attorneys also defend or negotiate on behalf of clients engaged in real estate and eminent domain litigation, as well as multimillion-dollar construction matters for township, municipal and educational projects.

We draw on our cumulative knowledge and experience to help clients solve complex issues, including:

  • ADA, FMLA, FLSA, discrimination, harassment, and whistleblower claims
  • Wrongful discharge
  • Civil Service Hearings
  • EEOC & State Agency Proceedings
  • Handling grievances and arbitrations
  • Discipline & Discharge
  • Workers’ Compensation Defense
  • Unemployment Compensation Defense
  • Due process claims
  • Common law claims
  • Statutory claims

Client Service Commitment

Going beyond project work to achieve real progress. 

Our attorneys invest time and work hard to foster lasting relationships with our clients, saving them the headaches of high in-house staff turnover or the frustrations of transferring institutional knowledge from one law firm to another.

Embedding ourselves into your community we:

  • Get to know personalities and politics.
  • Spot potential landmines and road bumps.
  • Bring in special counsel when needed.
  • Regularly attend committee, board and council meetings.

This saves you time and money, as we act as your conductors when it’s time to orchestrate the right legal team for getting the job done — whether it’s issuing bonds, planning economic and redevelopment projects or managing day-to-day operational needs with community leaders.

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