Best Lawyers in America for Litigation - Municipal

William D. Aaron, Jr. is the Managing Shareholder of the firm of Aaron & Gianna, PLC with offices in New Orleans, Louisiana. Prior to joining his current firm he was a Partner in the regional firm of Phelps Dunbar, LLP. Mr. Aaron is a graduate of Duke University and Loyola University School of Law. He is admitted to legal practice in Louisiana, Texas and the District of Columbia. Mr. Aaron has over forty (40) years of legal experience in the private and public sectors, and is a former Cit...

Demetrio Aspiras is a litigator who specializes in complex civil litigation. He represents clients in high-stakes disputes across a range of areas including corporate, education, municipal, Right to Know, and intellectual property. Demetrio has extensive experience in state and federal courts, at both the trial and appellate levels. He is highly skilled at assessing and managing legal risk, counseling clients on the risks and rewards of litigation, and devising novel resolutions to clients&rs...

A skilled litigator with experience at all levels of federal and state courts in South Carolina, Dan represents clients in court hearings and trials as well as before local councils, agencies and commissions. He also helps companies interested in building or expanding in the Central Upstate South Carolina, including Rock Hill, Fort Mill and York, Chester and Lancaster Counties. He works with clients on land use and zoning matters, and he also assists businesses seeking economic development in...

While fully engaged as Managing Partner of Buckley King, Brent Buckley counsels and represents financial institutions, private equity firms, lenders, businesses and executive management on business issues, complex and structured finance, workouts, asset-based lending, corporate internal investigations, and commercial litigation matters. Brent is nationally recognized for excellence in both corporate law and banking and finance litigation. He is named among the prestigious Legal Who's Who as o...

Richard J. Buturla is a senior partner and chair of the firm’s Litigation Practice Group. He focuses his practice in the areas of municipal law, litigation, civil rights defense, transactions involving state and federal agencies, and defending government officials in a variety of contexts. Mr. Buturla’s wide-ranging municipal and governmental law practice encompasses the full range of issues presented to a public institution. He has particular experience dealing with the freedom o...

Jason concentrates his litigation and appellate practice in the areas of civil rights liability and defense; county and municipal liability; lender and surety liability; general business liability; and insurance defense. He has obtained over 300 favorable judgments on behalf of clients and has successfully defended over 50 civil cases at trial and/or on appeal. According to Westlaw records of the reported dispositive motions that he has filed since 2015, 70% were granted in whole or in part. ...

Margaret T. Debler is a firm shareholder, working out of the Farmington Hills office. She concentrates her practice in the areas of civil rights defense litigation, and the defense of state law claims against municipalities including police misconduct, defective sidewalks, roads, and public buildings, as well as suits filed alleging negligent operation of a motor vehicle. Margaret specializes in defending the actions taken by police officers and other law enforcement officials in pursuit of t...

Alan T. Dimond offers more than 40 years of "first chair" experience in commercial and real estate related litigation. His clients range from local and regional real estate developers to multi-national corporations.

Mr. Estis concentrates his practices on complex commercial litigation, with a particular focus on construction law, condominium and community association law, public entity law and alternative dispute resolution. His practice also encompasses real estate and business disputes and general equity matters. He serves as counsel to numerous developers, condominiums and cooperatives, New Jersey municipalities, and one of the major sewerage authorities in the state. He has served as an arbitrator an...

Gerry Fagan has been practicing as a civil litigator at one of the top Montana law firms since 1998. Gerry is a Montana native who graduated with Honors from the University of Montana School of Law. He has tried over ten jury trial cases throughout Montana, including in Billings, Missoula, and in Great Falls, Montana. He primarily handles the defense of claims for personal injury, product liability, malpractice, employment, and municipal liability. He also handles a wide range of commercial l...

William K. Fahey is a Michigan lawyer serving public utilities and municipalities for more than 32 years. He represents electric and natural gas utilities in administrative, regulatory, commercial and appellate matters, and has been involved in nearly every major matter affecting Michigan public utilities over the last three decades. Mr. Fahey has represented more than 100 Michigan municipalities throughout Michigan, both as municipal attorney and as special counsel, principally handling muni...

Attorney Matt Fleming is a shareholder at Murphy Desmond representing both public and private sector clients in municipal law and related areas including land use regulation, property tax assessment, eminent domain disputes, economic development, tax incremental financing, alcohol and other licensing and permitting issues, open meetings and public records law, ordinance drafting, real estate, special assessments and general litigation. Matt is an established presenter on municipal law issues....

JAMES B. HADDOW was born in Quincy, Massachusetts on June 25, 1959. He is admitted to practice in Maine, the United States District Court for the District of Maine, the United States Court of Federal Claims, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, United States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, and the United States Supreme Court. He is the author of The Evolution of the Maine Law of Attachment on Ordinary and Trustee Process, 7 Me. Bar Journal 2 (1992), and Legal Is...

Thomas M. Hale is an experienced, skilled and effective trial and transactional lawyer who brings a wealth of knowledge to his clients in his practice areas of: Corporate and Transactional Employment and Labor Estate Planning, Administration and Trusts Local Government and Public Utilities Real Estate Professional Liability Litigation Commercial Corporate Municipal Land Use/Zoning He is a solution seeker and problem solver and works hard as an advocate for his clients in an honest, straight-f...

Melissa Hewey is an accomplished litigator with substantial experience across a broad range of practice areas, including insurance defense, school law, higher education law, employment matters, and complex commercial litigation. Melissa has represented a diverse set of clients, such as insurance companies, schools, colleges and universities, municipalities, law firms, hospitals, individuals, and businesses in a variety of industries. Melissa has tried a wide range of cases and argued signific...

Scott A. Holcomb's practice focuses on representation of public entities, construction and real estate documentation and claims, as well as commercial litigation, with emphasis on government contracts, real estate, and construction related disputes; however, his practice spans nearly all aspects of commercial litigation. Mr. Holcomb has been involved in cases relating to public bid protests, property rights, contractor and real estate licensing, escrow agent and broker liability and claims, c...

Jerry N. Jones is a partner in the Baton Rouge office whose practice includes assisting private and public entities with local, state, and federal governmental regulation; lobbying and governmental relations before local and state stakeholders; zoning; environmental permitting and compliance; public works contracts; contract negotiations, disputes, and administration; and energy, oil & gas. He has assisted domestic and international clients in the development, construction, and operation ...

Steven P. Joppich has devoted his legal career to representing the interests of governmental entities. Since 1994, he has assisted local governments throughout Michigan with a variety of legal issues both in and out of the courtroom. As a result, Steve has gained substantial experience in a diverse and broad cross section of municipal law, with the following being a sampling of his municipal law practice: General and special counsel to cities, townships, villages and counties Zoning, land use...

Robert T. Keen Jr. is a trial lawyer who focuses his litigation practice in the areas of commercial litigation, insurance defense, premises liability, products liability, employment litigation, and the defense of lawsuits filed against local governments and police officers. Bob has tried hundreds of cases in state and federal courts across the State of Indiana for businesses, insurance companies, and governmental entities. In 2006, Bob was inducted as a Fellow in the American College of Trial...

Published Works · Articles on Litigation (Co-Authored) Representative Cases · IEL Liquidation Proceedings, Wayne C. Metcalf, Insurance v. Gary L. Vose, et al · HIG Rehabilitation, HUI/UNICO Liquidation and Linda v. Hawaiian Electric Co. · State v. Kealakekua Ranch · Maunawili Lessees v. Trustees of Castle Estate · State Farm Mut. Auto. Ins. Co. v. Robinol, 699 F.Supp. 819 (D.Hawai'i 1988) · Tilton v. Rivera · Eder v. County of Kauai and ...

Laurie McLeRoy is a Shareholder in the Litigation and Risk Management Practice Group. She focuses her civil litigation practice in the areas of insurance litigation (including bad faith), medical malpractice, nursing home, municipal, transportation, premises, and products liability. In products liability defense matters, Laurie has particular expertise in asbestos litigation. In addition to her trial experience in Wisconsin, where she has successfully argued in front of the Wisconsin Supreme ...

A member of the trial bar for over 50 years, Jim has unparalleled experience and skill in preparing and presenting cases for adjudication – whether by jury, judge, arbitrator, mediator or the parties themselves. He represents Silicon Valley companies with commercial, trade secret and intellectual property issues. Jim also represents individuals in a wide variety of matters, including civil rights actions, employment disputes, family law and criminal defense.

Robert D. Meyers is certified as a Civil Trial Specialist by the National Board of Trial Advocacy. Mr. Meyers has a breadth of employment litigation experience. He has defended companies and individuals before courts in Tennessee, Mississippi, Arkansas, Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Louisiana, Indiana and Virginia. He has been instrumental in assisting clients in dealing with employee medical issues including ADA, FMLA and workers' compensation concerns. Mr. Meyers also has extensive experience re...

W. Scott O'Connell is a trial attorney and litigation strategist in Holland & Knight's Boston and New York City offices. Mr. O'Connell focuses his practice on complex commercial disputes involving significant financial and reputational exposure. He has considerable experience leading class action and aggregate litigation as well as parallel government enforcement and regulatory proceedings, most notably involving health service, financial service, energy, technology, telecommunications or...

Kevin is a shareholder, member of the Gallagher & Kennedy board of directors, and head of the firm’s litigation and public bidding and procurement departments. He is keenly attuned to the needs of his clients, developing strategy and implementing solutions that are singularly focused on their goals. Over his 30 year career, his litigation skills have been honed to a razor’s edge, and his civil litigation experience is extensive and far reaching, both in and out of the courtroo...

Jimmie Percy is a partner in the Litigation Practice Group and serves on the firm’s board of directors. Jimmie has a broad-based litigation practice that encompasses complex litigation involving business and commercial transactions, environmental and toxic torts, catastrophic injuries, police liability, municipal liability, state and local tax issues, as well as all aspects of insurance coverage disputes. He has extensive experience in oil and gas and pipeline-related litigation, includ...

Area of Emphasis Kip Power is a shareholder in the Energy and Natural Resources and Litigation groups of Babst Calland. Mr. Power helps clients comply with environmental laws and defend related litigation while keeping their businesses running profitably. He regularly represents companies when permitting and enforcement disputes arise and prosecutes civil actions and appeals challenging unlawful agency actions. Over the course of his career, he has successfully negotiated favorable resolution...

Leah Rachin focuses her practice on municipal, land use, and employment law. Leah combines 20 years of practice experience with her practical, detail-oriented nature to deliver customized, workable solutions to help clients achieve their objectives. Leah serves as town attorney to several municipalities, and advises towns and other public sector clients on a broad range of issues such as zoning, planning, licensing/permitting, charter/ordinance drafting and interpretation, right-to-know law, ...

Ronald M. Redick practices primarily in the areas of municipal, appellate and administrative law, with a focus on zoning litigation, land use and riparian rights litigation, and also general civil litigation. He has published articles on manufactured housing and exclusionary zoning, the Open Meetings Act and public universities, and has authored presentations for the Labor and Employment Section of the American Bar Association on the topic of due process and government employment. Ron speaks ...

Carol A. Rosati is a founding and managing shareholder of the firm, in charge of its day-to-day operations. She is considered one of the top attorneys in the State of Michigan in the area of zoning and land use defense for municipalities. Carol is admitted to all state and federal courts in the State of Michigan, as well as the United States Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati, Ohio. She is the primary defense counsel for the Michigan Municipal Risk Management Authority in this area ...

Mr. Royer’s practice is primarily focused on litigation. He practices primarily in the areas of local governmental liability, civil rights and constitutional litigation, employment, commercial disputes and professional malpractice, both at the trial level and on appeal. He frequently serves as a court-appointed mediator in civil litigation for federal and state courts. He also regularly represents clients in general civil and insurance defense litigation.

Phil Savrin is a founding member of Freeman Mathis & Gary, LLP, where he serves on its Executive Committee and leads the firm’s Insurance Coverage and Bad Faith National Practice Section. His areas of expertise include commercial insurance coverage issues, litigation of extra-contractual claims, and defense of professional liability claims. In addition, he represents local governments and officials in defending civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. § 1983. Mr. Savrin began his le...

Thomas R. Schultz is a shareholder in the firm and has concentrated his practice in municipal law for over 25 years. He is currently the City Attorney for the City of Novi, the City of Farmington, and the City of Sylvan Lake. He provides general counsel services to several other Oakland County communities including the City of Farmington Hills. Tom assists these communities and others with day-to-day legal work: reviewing and administering contracts, handling land use and development issues, ...

Matt Serge is the Practice Group Leader for the Municipal Group in New Hampshire. He focuses his practice on serving the legal needs of towns and cities on the full spectrum of municipal law issues including land use matters, zoning enforcement actions, New Hampshire’s Right to Know Law, welfare assistance, tax abatements, real estate, elections, contracts, employment matters, and government relations. Matt regularly represents clients before state and federal trial and appellate courts...

Mr. Sher is a business lawyer whose practice is concentrated in commercial real estate and business and finance law. He also practices in the areas of: commercial litigation, creditors' rights, workouts and foreclosures, commercial bankruptcy, disaster recovery, arbitration and mediation, secured finance and asset based lending. Along with his practice, Mr. Sher is actively involved with many professional and trade organizations, including the American College of Real Estate Lawyers, where he...

Jim Swanson represents state and local governments, corporations, and individuals in cases involving municipal finance, derivatives, CDOs, Ponzi schemes, corporate tax, coastal land loss, industrial and environmental accidents, and a range of other subject areas. Jim’s efforts are recorded in over 100 reported decisions. Jim is particularly known for his securities practice and has obtained multimillion-dollar judgments for his clients in jury and bench trials and commercial arbitration...

Amy Tchao is the Leader of the firm’s Municipal Law Practice Group and has over twenty-five years of experience advising municipalities and other public clients on a broad range of municipal issues, including land use permitting and enforcement, zoning compliance (including shoreland zoning matters), ordinance drafting (including zoning/land use ordinances and other ordinances governing short-term rentals, impact fees and other specialty areas), cannabis regulation, elections, freedom o...

Trenholm is a versatile litigation attorney who handles a wide variety of cases at the trial and appellate levels. As a result of his trial skills and accomplishments, he has received the distinction of membership in the American College of Trial Lawyers, the American Board of Trial Advocates, and Litigation Counsel of America. He has also been ranked at the top among his peers by Super Lawyers®, Chambers USA® Legal Guide, and “Best Lawyers in America.” In addition to case...