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Local Government Law The Local Government Law practice group was organized to meet the increasingly specialized legal needs of governmental clients. This group provides service to school districts, cities, counties, city-owned utilities, and state agencies and associations of those governmental units. Seven lawyers in this group are actively engaged in advising local school districts, community colleges, private and public colleges and universities. These lawyers provide comprehensive legal services to some educational organizations as general counsel. Some clients use only labor relations services. Others rely on the Firm's lawyers for selected areas of law. Some legal services are provided as a result of referrals from local counsel. The Firm is General Counsel for the Iowa Association of School Business Officials. Members of the firm serve as bond counsel to schools and colleges, including the Iowa Board of Regents. In addition, the Firm is counsel to the Iowa Public Agency Investment Trust (IPAIT). Education clients require legal assistance on a variety of topics that are similar to those provided to business clients. Some of these issues relate to labor relations and litigation, contract review, real estate purchase or sale, finance and accounting, taxation, employee benefits, nonprofit corporate activities, and planning. In addition, other matters require special expertise because of relationships with students. Public educational institutions confront issues that are unique to governmental bodies including those based on the federal and state constitutions and those based on statutes such as the public meetings and open records laws. Powers granted to governmental units by Iowa Code chapter 28E also are a source of activity. Assistance is provided on the formation, administration and defense of joint governmental units that are created under chapter 28E. The local government lawyers provide comprehensive services to cities and counties as corporate entities, city councils, boards of supervisors, elected officials, local independent agencies such as municipal utility boards and special districts such as drainage districts and rural water districts. A full range of advisory and review services is provided as well as bond counsel and litigation services. Services include open meetings and open records compliance, the eminent domain process, utility territory and franchise disputes or negotiations, environmental problems, the defense or confirmation of special assessments, civil rights complaints and litigation, and public contract matters. Home | Attorneys | History & Philosophy | Practice Groups | Our Firm |
| NOTICE TO THE PUBLIC: The determination of the need for legal services and the choice
of a lawyer are extremely important decisions and should not be based solely upon advertisements or self-proclaimed
expertise. This disclosure is required by rule of the Supreme Court of Iowa. Memberships and offices in legal fraternities and legal societies, technical and professional licenses, and memberships in scientific, technical and professional associations and societies of law or field of practice does not mean that a lawyer is a specialist or expert in a field of law, nor does it mean that such lawyer is necessarily any more expert or competent than any other lawyer. |
