Evolving legislation and an era of increased governmental transparency and consolidation have dramatically impacted the manner in which governmental units operate. Cities, villages and townships, as well as governmental boards and commissions, are faced with the challenge of providing cost-effective services for their communities in an environment of increased scrutiny and regulation. Having the right legal counsel to navigate the murky waters of municipal and governmental law is often the deciding factor in the success of a governmental unit.
At Dinsmore, our attorneys leverage a thorough understanding of the operations of a wide variety of governmental units to provide the insight needed for a well-functioning government. Our team features attorneys who have served as law directors and special counselors for a number of cities, villages, townships and special districts throughout Ohio, as well as a special prosecuting attorney, former common pleas judge, former municipal court judge and court magistrate. This experience allows us to offer unique perspectives and counsel to help guide governments through myriad challenges.
We assist clients in a number of areas, such as taxation and bond financing, purchasing and bidding, personnel matters and risk management, legal compliance and code drafting, annexation, eminent domain, zoning and development and construction. In these and other areas, we use our knowledge of each government’s unique operations, needs and goals to tailor our approach. This is especially true of our work to help communities solve ongoing budgetary and efficiency issues by forming joint fire and ambulance districts. Understanding the importance of handling employee and personnel issues efficiently, we offer a full array of services to meet such challenges, including employment consulting services, as well as counsel related to personnel policies, employee discipline and workers’ compensation.
Additionally, our work with municipal and government matters allows our attorneys to provide counsel to school boards of education, offering insight and guidance on matters ranging from negotiations with the teachers’ association to codifying ordinances. We feature attorneys who have varied experience working with clients in the education arena, including a former board of education president, allowing us to view challenges from an insider’s viewpoint. Our work with all levels of governmental units allows us to adapt our approach to each client’s specific objectives, and our commitment to helping our clients at all turns ensures efficient, cost-effective solutions.
Finally, when litigation becomes necessary, our deep bench of attorneys draws on their experience in state and federal courts to steer clients to an efficient resolution, with a keen eye toward mitigating risk and exposure. We have done so for several charter and non-charter municipalities, handling and resolving litigation as to public utilities, impact fees, charter interpretation and revision, taxation, eminent domain, annexation, Section 1983 liability, insurance, tort liability and sovereign immunity.