Foster Swift has a reputation as one of the premier municipal law firms in Michigan. Our lawyers regularly represent townships, cities, villages, counties and libraries in many different roles. We are actively involved in the Michigan Townships Association and the Michigan Municipal League, and our lawyers have been deeply involved in municipal issues for decades. Some of our municipal practice specialties include:
- Ordinance drafting and enforcement
- Land use, zoning and land division
- Election law issues, millage elections, and ballot language
- Annexation defense and detachment representation
- Property taxes and Tax Tribunal proceedings
- Development and extension of municipal sewer and water systems
- Municipal finance, special assessments, installment purchases, and bond issuer's counsel
- First Amendment questions and privacy issues
- Municipal litigation
- Appeals
- Labor relations and employment law
- Condemnation
- Environmental regulation and compliance
- Utility franchises and telecommunications
- Contracts, licensing issues and operating policies
- Freedom of Information Act and Open Meetings Act issues
- Creation and representation of municipal authorities
Our firm is on the cutting edge of municipal law. Our monthly publications keep our clients up-to-date on new developments in municipal law. Several of our lawyers are acknowledged municipal law experts that are frequently called upon to teach at education programs for municipal officials and other municipal lawyers.
Publications & Alerts
- Governor Whitmer Loosens Restrictions for Northern Michigan and the UP; Previews Future Regulations for Downstate Businesses, Foster Swift Legal Update E-blast, June 5, 2020
- Supreme Court Expands Local Government's Ability to Regulate Zoning of Medical Marijuana Caregivers, Foster Swift Municipal Law News E-blast, April 28, 2020
- Governor Temporarily Suspends Certain FOIA Deadlines, Foster Swift Municipal Law News E-blast, April 6, 2020
- Executive Order 2020-15 Concerning OMA and COVID-19, Foster Swift Municipal Law News E-blast, March 19, 2020
- Zoning for Dollars, Michigan Township Focus Magazine, February 2020
- Credit Card Surcharges for Municipalities, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, February 18, 2020
Events
- Zoning and land uses: Regulation of small houses, Airbnb rentals, vacation rentals, backyard chickens and drones, MTA-UP North Summit, July 31, 2018
- WEBINAR: Property Tax Exemptions: What Every Assessor Needs to Know Webinar, September 20, 2017
- Social Networking and Human Resources Hot Topics, Michigan Municipal Treasurers Association, April 27, 2017
- Medical Marijuana: What’s Legal, What’s Not, and What Can We Do?, March 6, 2017
- Legal Essentials for Municipal Officials, January 18, 2017
- WEBINAR | Millage Proposals and Campaign Finance Issues, March 29, 2016
- Behind Closed Doors: What Can Be Discussed in Closed Session?, Michigan Townships Association Annual Educational Conference & Expo, January 20, 2016
News
- Foster Swift Participates at the 2020 MTA Conference, Foster Swift Municipal Law News, February 16, 2020
- Municipal Attorney Joins Dapper Dads, April 24, 2019
- Foster Swift Presents at 2019 MTA Conference, February 8, 2019
- Webinar: What Employers Need to Know about Marijuana in the Workplace, Ingham County Legal News, January 29, 2019
- Genovich Quoted in Herald-Palladium Regarding Income Tax Challenge, The Herald-Palladium, January 24, 2019
- Southfield Office Welcomes Municipal Attorney, December 4, 2018
- Three Foster Swift Attorneys Named to dbusiness 2019 Top Lawyers, November 14, 2018