Our Approach
When counties, municipalities, and special districts need legal advice, a law firm’s approach truly matters. Cost-effective representation is a must, for example, especially in times when revenues are tight.
Whether a law firm serves as general counsel, special counsel, or in some other role, its attorneys should understand how local governments do and do not resemble a business.
As the complexity of local government has grown, ZRFM attorneys Richard G. Flood and Ruth Alderman Schlossberg have endeavored to simplify the process by publishing a practical guide to local government law titled Congratulations! You’ve Been Elected: Now What Do You Do?
Intended both as a reference guide and as a primer for newly elected officials, the book embodies ZRFM’s beliefs: The demanding and challenging work of being a public official can be accomplished by relying on staff and professionals, through strong communication, and by the efficient and productive use of time.
ZRFM recognizes that, in important ways, governments and other businesses face many of the same legal issues:
- increasingly frequent employment disputes
- construction headaches
- vendor contracts
- labor negotiations
- land use matters
- health care issues
- insurance issues
Unlike most other businesses, however, local governments are governed by a myriad of seemingly overlapping statutes and regulations. ZRFM’s local government law team includes 10 attorneys and other professionals who know this “business” of local government from top to bottom.
Local Government Experience
ZRFM represents governmental entities, as well as individuals, developers and other private entities, in a multitude of land use matters. Our experience representing parties to annexation, rezoning, conditional use, variation, and subdivision matters allows us to bring a unique understanding and comprehensive perspective to our representation in land use matters.
ZRFM also has experience in every facet of local governmental operations, including:
- ordinance preparation
- governmental finance
- construction
- impact fees
- special assessments
- TIFs (Tax Increment Financings)
- zoning and development
- police and fire commissions
- litigation
- personnel policies
- workers’ compensation
- civil rights
- employment discrimination
- ADA compliance (Americans with Disabilities Act)
- labor contracts
- FMLA compliance (Family and Medical Leave Act)
- FLSA compliance (Fair Labor Standards Act)
- real estate acquisition
- eminent domain proceedings
To learn more about our law firm’s experience in the field of local government law, please review our helpful collection of Local Government Links, our archive of Municipal Matters Newsletters, and our Local Government Law Bulletin e-newsletter.
Contact Us Today
The local government law attorneys and professionals at Zukowski, Rogers, Flood & McArdle are available to discuss your needs and those of your unit of local government. If you are considering cost-effective legal representation and wish to schedule a meeting in our law offices in Crystal Lake, Chicago or Oak Brook, please visit our contact page to start the process. We will respond promptly.