Municipal Law
Helping local government work in an open, ethical and accessible way.
Local government is our most democratic institution. It is the role of municipal lawyers to help make local government work in an open, efficient, and professional way.
To that end, we provide advice and guidance on the application of the Open Meeting Law, the Public Records Law, and the State Ethics Law. We work with Town officials to produce successful Town Meetings, informed board and committee decision-making, and rock-solid permitting outcomes.
We have drafted and amended hundreds of zoning and general bylaws, ordinances, regulations, charters, and special acts. We have undertaken government restructuring, from small tweaks to major overhauls. Municipal finance is arcane and complex. We have advised on financial strategies to achieve fiscal responsibility and efficiency.
How we can assist towns and cities
All of our practice areas are geared toward assisting our municipal clients. In addition to Land Use, Wetlands & Environmental, Labor & Employment, Energy Law, and Litigation, we work with our clients on all other general municipal law issues, including:
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Contracting and all types of procurements, from simple goods and services contracts to large construction projects.
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We draft and review all necessary contract documents and represent our municipal clients every step of the way—resolving bid disputes, negotiating contract terms and project changes, resolving contractor claims, and providing representation in administrative appeals and litigation.
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We also assist cities and towns with the licensing, leasing, acquisition, and disposition of interests in real estate, including the acquisition or creation of various special-purpose interests in real estate, such as easements and rights of way for sewer and water facilities, municipal light utilities, and streets and ways.
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We advise our clients on the requirements of federal, state and local laws and regulations, and provide updates and counsel as appropriate or in response to specific inquiries. We help ensure that the most current information, the range of local options, and the best possible advice are available to those who are making decisions.
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Finally, we zealously defend and support those decisions, once made.