Practice Areas

Municipal Law & Municipal Litigation

The Municipal Law Group of KOM represents hundreds of municipalities and other public entities throughout the state of Michigan, including counties, cities, townships, villages, public authorities and school districts.

Our municipal lawyers  are experts in all areas in which a municipality may seek advice or counsel, including:

General Municipal Law

Including the drafting of ordinances, resolutions and policies, ordinance enforcement, licensing issues, elections, referenda, infrastructure issues and agreements, police issues, fire issues, public works issues, and all other general municipal matters.

Zoning and Land Use

Including reviewing, drafting and adoption of ordinances and master plans, annexation and boundary issues, sewer and water, land use planning, planned-unit developments, open space ordinances and agreements, conditional rezoning ordinances and agreements, and all aspects of zoning and real estate litigation including condemnation (takings), inverse condemnation, substantive and procedural due process, exclusionary zoning and wetlands in all state and federal courts and administrative agencies.

Telecommunications

Including the drafting of ordinances and the negotiation of agreements pertaining to cellular tower issues, cable television and wireless/cable internet issues as well as litigation pertaining to these issues.

Labor and Employment

Including the drafting of personnel policies, disciplinary issues, negotiation and drafting of collective bargaining agreements, grievance and arbitration, wage and hour issues, FMLA issues and all other issues that generally arise in the employment context.

Sewer and Water

Including Act 425 and Act 108 agreements, compliance and regulatory issues, drainage issues and master plan issues.

Police Professional Liability

Including training and litigation with respect to use of force, excessive force, search and seizure, property seizure and prisoners' rights.

Downtown Development Authority

Including creation, boundary expansion, levy initiation, preparation of development/tax increment financing plan and compliance with Public Act 197 of 1975.

Municipal Litigation

Including all aspects of municipal litigation in all state and federal courts and administrative agencies such as zoning and land use, police liability, labor and employment, Act 312 arbitrations, FMLA, FELA, PERA, Whistleblowers' Protection Act, wrongful discharge, Title VII, the Michigan Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act, age, sex, race, religious and national origin discrimination, and all other litigation involving municipalities.

We have the experience, background, skill and technology to provide you with unparalleled representation on matters of municipal law and litigation. The Municipal Law Group obtains outstanding results on behalf of our clients through their knowledgeable, concise, aggressive and effective representation. Our municipal lawyers  are also very active in risk-management and are frequently involved in the planning and implementation of seminars and videos to assist municipalities in avoiding the many legal pitfalls with which municipalities may be confronted. If you are confronted with any municipal issue, contact the Municipal Law Group of KOM.

MUNICIPAL ATTORNEYS:

Thomas J. McGraw
G. Gus Morris
Stephon B. Bagne
Matthew W. Schlegel
Sean F. Kelly
Stacy J. Belisle
D. Randall Gilmer
Kevin Kilby
Christopher J. Raiti
Renee Sophia Coulter