Practice Areas
Education
University of Wisconsin Law School, J.D., 1996
University of Michigan, B.A., 1993
Bar and Court Admissions
Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan
U.S. Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals
Anne M. Seurynck
Anne, a shareholder, has been practicing with Foster Swift's Administrative and Municipal Practice Group since her arrival at the firm in 1996. Anne's entire career has focused on the representation of libraries, municipalities and other public entities. Her work includes assisting communities in forming libraries, interpreting the unique library laws, understanding specific privacy laws and developing policies such as patron behavior and internet use. She has guided libraries with requests for information by law enforcement agencies and private entities, including the application of the Library Privacy Act and Patriot Act. Anne also has extensive experience in drafting and reviewing ordinances, Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and Open Meetings Act issues.
To promote her belief that the best legal strategy is a proactive strategy, Anne is a frequent speaker at seminars and conferences where the educational focus is on municipal law or library law.
Anne is also the chair of the firm's Recruitment of Professional Employees (ROPE) Committee. This group is responsible for identifying the firm's need for associate attorneys as well as interviewing and hiring qualified individuals for available positions. Prior to this leadership role, Anne was active on the firm's Diversity Committee. Currently, she also serves as a fellow of the Michigan State Bar Association
Representative Matters
- Drafting district library agreements and assisting with all aspects of the district library formation process.
- Amending existing district library agreements, including adding participating municipalities to existing districts.
- Drafting millage proposal and educating library boards regarding the application of the Michigan Campaign Finance laws.
- Addressing board governance issues, including the application of the Open Meetings and Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).
- Successfully defend clients in FOIA cases.
- Assisting libraries with request for information by law enforcement agencies and private entities, including the application of the Library Privacy Act and Patriot Act.
Speaking Engagements
- Anne Seurynck and Mike Blum will speak at the 2012 Loleta Fyan Small & Rural Libraries Conference, Loleta Fyan Small & Rural Libraries Conference, May 2, 2012
- WEBINAR | Millages: What You Need to Know About Drafting Proposals and Placing Them on the Ballot, April 19, 2012
- Most Common Open Meetings Act and Freedom of Information Act Mistakes, and How to Avoid Them, Michigan Municipal League, March 20, 2012
- WEBINAR | Library Privacy Act: The Fundamentals, December 8, 2011
- WEBINAR | Open Meetings Act: What Every Municipality Should Know, November 17, 2011
- Ask the Library and Labor Lawyer, 2011 Michigan Library Association Annual Conference, October 26-28
Publications
- HB 5335: A Proposed Change To The OMA To Prohibit Voting By Telephone And Video Conference, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, March 2012
- Michigan Court of Appeals Holds That State Aid Rules for Libraries are Unlawful, Foster Swift Library Law News, August 17, 2011
- Five Ways to Avoid Violating the Open Meetings Act, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, November 2010
- Public Library Successfully Challenges State Aid Rules, Foster Swift Library Law E-News, October 2010
- Private E-Mails Sent on Public Systems are Not Automatically Subject to Disclosure Under FOIA, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, March 2010
- The Freedom of Information Act: Do E-Mails Qualify as a "Public Record?", Foster Swift Municipal Law News, June 2009
Memberships & Affiliations
Legal Affiliations:
- State Bar of Wisconsin
- State Bar of Michigan
- American Bar Association
- Fellow, Michigan State Bar Foundation
